In search of the original leukemic clone in chronic myeloid leukemia patients in complete molecular remission after stem cell transplantation or imatinib

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (8) ◽  
pp. 1329-1335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Sobrinho-Simões ◽  
Vicki Wilczek ◽  
Joannah Score ◽  
Nicholas C. P. Cross ◽  
Jane F. Apperley ◽  
...  

Abstract It is not clear if absence of BCR-ABL transcripts—complete molecular response (CMR)—is synonymous with, or required for, cure of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Some patients achieve CMR with imatinib (IM), but most relapse shortly after treatment discontinuation. Furthermore, most patients in long-term remission (LTR) post–stem cell transplantation (SCT) are considered functionally cured, although some remain occasionally positive for low-level BCR-ABL mRNA. Interpretation of the latter is complicated because it has been observed in healthy subjects. We designed a patient-specific, highly sensitive, DNA quantitative polymerase chain reaction to test follow-up samples for the original leukemic clone, identified by its unique genomic BCR-ABL fusion (gBCR-ABL). In 5 IM-treated patients in CMR, gBCR-ABL was detected in transcript-negative samples; 4 patients became gBCR-ABL-negative with continuing IM therapy. In contrast, of 9 patients in LTR (13-27 years) post-SCT, gBCR-ABL was detected in only 1, despite occasional transcript-positive samples in 8 of them. In conclusion, in IM-treated patients, absence of transcripts should not be interpreted as absence of the leukemic clone, although continuing IM after achievement of CMR may lead to further reduction of residual disease. Post-SCT, we found little evidence that the transcripts occasionally detected originate from the leukemic clone.

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 2348-2348
Author(s):  
Michael Schleuning ◽  
Marijke Scholten ◽  
Anja van Biezen ◽  
Arnon Nagler ◽  
Jane F. Apperley ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 2348 Stem cell transplantation (SCT) will continue to be a treatment option for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia, despite the introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). However, many patients will have received prior therapy with TKI, including Nilotinib or Dasatinib at the time of allogeneic SCT. While the use of Imatinib prior to SCT seems to have no adverse impact on the outcome of allogeneic SCT little is known on the impact of prior use of second generation TKI. Therefore we conducted a retrospective registry study and identified 56 patients with CML who received an allotransplant after having been treated with Nilotinib and/or Dasatinib. Best responses to second generation TKI were major molecular response in 11%, complete cytogenetic response in 7%, partial cytogenetic response in 18%, complete hematologic remission in 25% and no response in 34%, respectively. At SCT, 37% of the patients were in accelerated or in blast phase, 36% in CP2 or higher and 27% in first chronic phase. Graft failure occurred in two patients. The median follow-up for surviving patients is 19 months. At 24 months the estimated non-relapse mortality was 33% and the relapse incidence 15%. Probability of survival is more than 85% at 2 years in patients transplanted in CP1. In univariate analysis there was a non significant trend in favor for pretreatment with Nilotinib as compared to the other groups. However, in multivariate analysis only stage of the disease was a predictor for survival. With respect to overall survival no significant differences could be identified for the following variables: patient age, donor type, stem cell source, intensity of the conditioning, time diagnosis to transplant, in or ex vivo T-cell depletion, response to treatment with second generation TKI. Patients transplanted in blast crisis had a significant higher risk of non relapse mortality. In summary, despite the shortcomings of a retrospective study, the data reported clearly show the feasibility and efficacy of allo SCT in patients pretreated with second generation TKI and it should be emphasized that the timing of allogeneic stem cell transplantation remains crucial to avoid unacceptable high treatment related mortality. Disclosures: Ekblom: Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria.


2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 7072-7072
Author(s):  
D. Biswajit ◽  
R. Rejiv ◽  
N. Manjunath ◽  
G. Prasad ◽  
S. Lakshmi ◽  
...  

7072 Background: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) with introduction of imatinib has been transformed into a chronic illness. The options of treatment in a patient less than 35 years include imatinib or allogenic stem cell transplantation. Hence we studied this unique subset to look at the response rates, adverse effects, progression free survival, and overall survival with imatinib mesylate. Methods: 477 patients with Philadelphia positive CML in chronic phase were retrospectively analyzed from January 2002 to December 2007 at Cancer Institute (WIA), Chennai, India. Standard criteria were used for response evaluation and adverse effects. Results: A total of 248 young CML patients with age less than 35 years (51.9%) were diagnosed in chronic phase. The median age of study population was 27 years (4–35). The male to female ratio was 1.9: 1. Risk stratification was done using Sokal index and were classified into low (32.3%), intermediate (50.4%), and high (17.3%). All patients received imatinib 400 mg as the initial dose. Complete hematological remission (CHR) was seen in 96.7%.Cytogenetic (FISH) and molecular (RTPCR) monitoring was possible in 53.2% and 17.3%, respectively. 72% of the patients had major cytogenetic response. Major molecular response was seen in 34.8% while complete molecular response occurred in 23.2% of the patients. Primary and secondary imatinib failure was seen in 3.1% and 16.9%, respectively. 6.7% had grade 3 and grade 4 hematological toxicities. The other common non hematological toxicities included pedal edema (13.7%), hypo or hyper pigmentation (60.0%), hyalgia (14.5%), diarrhea (1.6%), and liver dysfunction (1.6%). None of the patients discontinued imatinib due to toxicities. The 3-year DFS and OS was 86.2% and 89.5%, respectively. Patients with male sex (p = 0.04), spleen > 8 cm (p = 0.02), high sokal index (p = 0.02), and loss of CHR (p < 0.001) were associated with poor outcome. Conclusions: Imatinib in young patients have an excellent tolerance and response. A small subset does not respond to therapy or develop resistance during treatment. Hence it is essential to identify these poor responders and to offer stem cell transplantation at the earliest. No significant financial relationships to disclose.


Blood ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 101 (2) ◽  
pp. 469-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehmet Uzunel ◽  
Jonas Mattsson ◽  
Mats Brune ◽  
Jan-Erik Johansson ◽  
Johan Aschan ◽  
...  

The kinetics of minimal residual disease (MRD) and chimerism were studied in 15 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) receiving nonmyeloablative stem cell transplantation (NST) and in 10 patients receiving conventional stem cell transplantation (CST). All NST patients showed T-cell mixed chimerism (MC) while granulocyte and B-cell MC occurred in 80% and 60% of the NST patients, respectively. In CST patients, T-cell MC was detected in 5 patients, of whom 3 were mixed only during the first month. MRD was detected in all NST patients. During the first 3 months the median BCR-ABL/ABL ratio was 0.2% in NST patients compared with 0.01% in CST patients (P < .01). However, 12 months after transplantation, the percentage of reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)–positive patients was 20% in NST patients and 50% in CST patients. In conclusion, molecular remission can be induced in most patients after NST, albeit with different kinetics from CST.


Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 111 (10) ◽  
pp. 5252-5255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas B. Heaney ◽  
Mhairi Copland ◽  
Karen Stewart ◽  
Judith Godden ◽  
Anne N. Parker ◽  
...  

Abstract Patients with newly diagnosed chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia were treated with imatinib mesylate (IM) for 6 to 12 months to establish disease control, before reduced intensity stem cell transplantation (RISCT). Escalating doses of donor lymphocyte infusions were given from 6 months after transplantation to eradicate residual disease. A total of 18 patients entered the study and 15 received RISCT (median follow-up, 31 months). RISCT was well tolerated with rapid engraftment, short inpatient stays, and few readmissions. Viral reactivation was common, although extensive graft-versus-host disease occurred infrequently. Donor lymphocyte infusions were given as part of the RISCT protocol in 13 of 15 patients. BCR-ABL transcripts continued to decrease after RISCT, and 8 (53%) patients achieved sustained undetectable levels. All patients are currently off IM. Although IM is now established as first-line therapy for chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia, this protocol is a safe, well-tolerated, and effective strategy in these patients. This study is registered at http://www.controlled-trials.com as ISRCTN86187144.


Author(s):  
Vivien Schäfer ◽  
Helen E. White ◽  
Gareth Gerrard ◽  
Susanne Möbius ◽  
Susanne Saussele ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose Approximately 1–2% of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients harbor atypical BCR-ABL1 transcripts that cannot be monitored by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) using standard methodologies. Within the European Treatment and Outcome Study (EUTOS) for CML we established and validated robust RT-qPCR methods for these patients. Methods BCR-ABL1 transcripts were amplified and sequenced to characterize the underlying fusion. Residual disease monitoring was carried out by RT-qPCR with specific primers and probes using serial dilutions of appropriate BCR-ABL1 and GUSB plasmid DNA calibrators. Results were expressed as log reduction of the BCR-ABL1/GUSB ratio relative to the patient-specific baseline value and evaluated as an individual molecular response (IMR). Results In total, 330 blood samples (2–34 per patient, median 8) from 33 CML patients (19 male, median age 62 years) were analyzed. Patients expressed seven different atypical BCR-ABL1 transcripts (e1a2, n = 6; e6a2, n = 1; e8a2, n = 2; e13a3, n = 4; e14a3, n = 6; e13a3/e14a3, n = 2; e19a2, n = 12). Most patients (61%) responded well to TKI therapy and achieved an IMR of at least one log reduction 3 months after diagnosis. Four patients relapsed with a significant increase of BCR-ABL1/GUSB ratios. Conclusions Characterization of atypical BCR-ABL1 transcripts is essential for adequate patient monitoring and to avoid false-negative results. The results cannot be expressed on the International Scale (IS) and thus the common molecular milestones and guidelines for treatment are difficult to apply. We, therefore, suggest reporting IMR levels in these cases as a time-dependent log reduction of BCR-ABL1 transcript levels compared to baseline prior to therapy.


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