Long-Term Follow-Up of the Italian Trial of Interferon- Versus Conventional Chemotherapy in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Blood ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 92 (5) ◽  
pp. 1541-1548 ◽  
Author(s):  

Several prospective randomized studies have shown that the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia with interferon- (IFN-) prolongs the survival by comparison with conventional chemotherapy. However, although IFN- can induce cytogenetic responses, true complete remissions are rarely achieved and information on the long-term effects of IFN- treatment is limited. For that purpose, we updated and analyzed a prospective comparative trial of IFN- and conventional chemotherapy that was initiated in 1986. The first analysis of the trial was already published, and showed a survival advantage for IFN- (N Engl J Med 12:820, 1994). The observation period of living patients now ranges between 95 and 129 months and we examined the long-term effects of IFN- treatment, always by comparison with conventional chemotherapy and according to the intention-to-treat principle. The patients who were submitted to allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in chronic phase (38 of 322 or 12%) were censored at the date of BMT. Seventy-three of the original 284 nontransplanted patients were alive, 56 (30%) in the IFN- arm and 17 (18%) in the chemotherapy arm. Forty-one patients overall (14%) were still receiving IFN-. In the IFN- arm 9 patients were in continuous complete cytogenetic remission and 11 were in major or minor cytogenetic remission. Median and 10-year survival of low-risk patients were 104 months (95% CI, 85 to 127 months) and 47% (95% CI, 36% to 59%) in IFN- arm versus 64 months (95% CI, 49 to 98 months) and 30% (95% CI, 16% to 44%) in chemotherapy arm (P = .03). Median and ten-year survival of non–low-risk patients were 69 months (95% CI, 56 to 76 months) and 16% (95% CI, 8% to 24%) in IFN- arm versus 46 months (95% CI, 39 to 61 months) and 5% (95% CI, 0% to 11%) in chemotherapy arm (P = .006). A low Sokal’s risk, hematologic response, and cytogenetic response were associated with a longer survival. No major or unusual side effects were recorded after the 5th year of IFN- treatment. Fourteen patients died in chronic phase, 9 (4%) in IFN- arm and 5 (5%) in chemotherapy arm, mainly of cardiovascular accidents (6 cases) and of other cancers (5 cases). We conclude that a policy of chronic treatment with IFN- maintained a significant survival advantage over conventional chemotherapy on a long-term basis and irrespective of the risk. However, the great majority of the long-term survivors were in the low-risk group. The question of treatment discontinuation was not addressed in this study. © 1998 by The American Society of Hematology.

Blood ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 92 (5) ◽  
pp. 1541-1548 ◽  
Author(s):  

Abstract Several prospective randomized studies have shown that the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia with interferon- (IFN-) prolongs the survival by comparison with conventional chemotherapy. However, although IFN- can induce cytogenetic responses, true complete remissions are rarely achieved and information on the long-term effects of IFN- treatment is limited. For that purpose, we updated and analyzed a prospective comparative trial of IFN- and conventional chemotherapy that was initiated in 1986. The first analysis of the trial was already published, and showed a survival advantage for IFN- (N Engl J Med 12:820, 1994). The observation period of living patients now ranges between 95 and 129 months and we examined the long-term effects of IFN- treatment, always by comparison with conventional chemotherapy and according to the intention-to-treat principle. The patients who were submitted to allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in chronic phase (38 of 322 or 12%) were censored at the date of BMT. Seventy-three of the original 284 nontransplanted patients were alive, 56 (30%) in the IFN- arm and 17 (18%) in the chemotherapy arm. Forty-one patients overall (14%) were still receiving IFN-. In the IFN- arm 9 patients were in continuous complete cytogenetic remission and 11 were in major or minor cytogenetic remission. Median and 10-year survival of low-risk patients were 104 months (95% CI, 85 to 127 months) and 47% (95% CI, 36% to 59%) in IFN- arm versus 64 months (95% CI, 49 to 98 months) and 30% (95% CI, 16% to 44%) in chemotherapy arm (P = .03). Median and ten-year survival of non–low-risk patients were 69 months (95% CI, 56 to 76 months) and 16% (95% CI, 8% to 24%) in IFN- arm versus 46 months (95% CI, 39 to 61 months) and 5% (95% CI, 0% to 11%) in chemotherapy arm (P = .006). A low Sokal’s risk, hematologic response, and cytogenetic response were associated with a longer survival. No major or unusual side effects were recorded after the 5th year of IFN- treatment. Fourteen patients died in chronic phase, 9 (4%) in IFN- arm and 5 (5%) in chemotherapy arm, mainly of cardiovascular accidents (6 cases) and of other cancers (5 cases). We conclude that a policy of chronic treatment with IFN- maintained a significant survival advantage over conventional chemotherapy on a long-term basis and irrespective of the risk. However, the great majority of the long-term survivors were in the low-risk group. The question of treatment discontinuation was not addressed in this study. © 1998 by The American Society of Hematology.


Blood ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 98 (10) ◽  
pp. 3074-3081 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Bonifazi ◽  
Antonio de Vivo ◽  
Gianantonio Rosti ◽  
François Guilhot ◽  
Joëlle Guilhot ◽  
...  

Abstract Achieving a complete cytogenetic response (CCgR) is a major target in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) with interferon-α (IFN-α), but CCgRs are rare. The mean CCgR rate is 13%, in a range of 5% to 33%. A collaborative study of 9 European Union countries has led to the collection of data on 317 patients who were first seen between 1983 and 1997 and achieved CCgRs with IFN-α alone or in combination with hydroxyurea. The median time to first CCgR was 19 months (95% CI, 17-21; range, 3-84 months). At last contact, 212 patients were still alive and in continuous CCgR; 105 patients had lost CCgR, but 53% of them were still alive and in chronic phase. IFN-α treatment was discontinued permanently in 23 cases for response loss, in 36 cases for chronic toxicity (15 are still in unmaintained continuous CCgR), and in 8 cases because it was believed that treatment was no longer necessary (7 of these 8 patients are still in unmaintained continuous CCgR). The 10-year survival rate from first CCgR is 72% (95% CI, 62%-82%) and is related to the risk profile. High-risk patients lost CCgR more frequently and more rapidly and none survived more than 10 years. Low-risk patients survived much longer (10-year survival probability 89% for Sokal low risk and 81% for Euro low risk). These data point out that a substantial long-term survival in CCgRs is restricted mainly to low-risk and possibly intermediate-risk patients and occurs significantly less often in high-risk patients.


Blood ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 124 (21) ◽  
pp. 3152-3152
Author(s):  
Jaroslaw Dybko ◽  
Ewa Medras ◽  
Olga Haus ◽  
Bozena Jazwiec ◽  
Tomasz Wrobel ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND: Since the beginning of the tyrosine-kinase inhibitor (TKI) era in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), there have been attempts to stratify patients for optimal management. An essential requirement for perfect stratification was the identification of factors capable of predicting long-term response [1]. The Sokal and Hasford scores were developed in the chemotherapy and interferon alfa eras, respectively [2]. The EUTOS score was found to predict probability of complete cytogenetic response (CCyR) within 18 months of Imatinib initiation and progression-free survival (PFS) for patients receiving Imatinib [3]. However, the usefulness of the EUTOS score in predicting survival and outcome in patients with early chronic phase CML treated with TKI was questioned [4]. The Hasford score failed to differentiate patients who achieved low and intermediate risk scores according to CCyR, MMR, and 5 years EFS [5] and in our study we found Hasford score correlated with the long-term molecular response. PATIENTS AND RESULTS: We analyzed a cohort of 88 patients (F/M:42/46, median age 51 (21-83)) receiving standard dose Imatinib treatment for first chronic phase of CML. As assessed by Hasford risk analysis, the group comprised 57 low risk and 31 intermediate risk patients. In the initial group of patients, there were 5 high risk patients who were excluded from the study. No additional chromosomal abnormalities were identified at diagnosis. All patients achieved complete cytogenetic response (CCyR) and major molecular response (MMR) at time points defined by the European Leukemia Net (ELN). Of these, 42 patients lost MMR in a median time of 47 months. Within this group we identified 20 low risk (LR) and 22 intermediate risk (IR) patients. There was a significant difference in maintenance of the MMR between IR and LR patients (p=0.03, Figure 1). This analysis revealed that all intermediate risk patients lost MMR after approximately 85 months of Imatinib treatment, while 62% of the low risk patients maintained MMR throughout this time frame. During analysis, all 42 patients were switched to second generation TKI. After 3 months of second generation TKI treatment, median bcr-abl transcript levels in the LR group were 0.01 (0.000-0.295) but in the IR group bcr-abl levels were 0.301 (0.000-44.5) (p=0.0006, Figure 2). CONCLUSIONS: As the Hasford metric was designed for assessing patients treated with interferon alpha, we found our results to be interesting, and to be relevant to the discussion on optimizing scoring systems in chronic myeloid leukemia patients. If the observed difference between low and intermediate risk patients in maintaining MMR on Imatinib is confirmed, IR patients will become candidates for different first line treatment. Despite clinical studies, the choice between Imatinib and second generation TKI as the first line treatment remains an issue. Our results (if confirmed) promise to directly impact treatment decisions affecting IR patients. References: 1. Breccia M, Alimena G. Bringing prognostic scores for chronic myeloid leukemia patients up to date. Expert Rev Hematol. 2011 Aug;4(4):373-5. 2. Hu B1, Savani BN. Impact of risk score calculations in choosing front-line tyrosine kinase inhibitors for patients with newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia in the chronic phase. Eur J Haematol. 2014 Apr 26. 3. Hasford J1, Baccarani M, Hoffmann V, Guilhot J, Saussele S, Rosti G, Guilhot F, Porkka K, Ossenkoppele G, Lindoerfer D, Simonsson B, Pfirrmann M, Hehlmann R. Predicting complete cytogenetic response and subsequent progression-free survival in 2060 patients with CML on imatinib treatment: the EUTOS score. Blood. 2011 Jul 21;118(3):686-92 4. Jabbour E, Cortes J, Nazha A, O'Brien S, Quintas-Cardama A, Pierce S, Garcia-Manero G, Kantarjian H. EUTOS score is not predictive for survival and outcome in patients with early chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors: a single institution experience. Blood. 2012 May 10;119(19):4524-6. 5. Yahng SA, Jang EJ, Choi SY, Oh YJ, Bang JH, Park JE, Jeon HL, Lee SE, Kim SH, Byun JY, Kim DW. Comparison of Sokal, Hasford and EUTOS Scores in Terms of Long-Term Treatment Outcome According to the Risks in Each Prognostic Model: A Single Center Data Analyzed in 255 Early Chronic Phase Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients Treated with Frontline Imatinib Mesylate. Blood 2012;120:Abstract 2794 Figure 1 Figure 1. Figure 2 Figure 2. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Leukemia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hagop M. Kantarjian ◽  
Timothy P. Hughes ◽  
Richard A. Larson ◽  
Dong-Wook Kim ◽  
Surapol Issaragrisil ◽  
...  

AbstractIn the ENESTnd study, with ≥10 years follow-up in patients with newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase, nilotinib demonstrated higher cumulative molecular response rates, lower rates of disease progression and CML-related death, and increased eligibility for treatment-free remission (TFR). Cumulative 10-year rates of MMR and MR4.5 were higher with nilotinib (300 mg twice daily [BID], 77.7% and 61.0%, respectively; 400 mg BID, 79.7% and 61.2%, respectively) than with imatinib (400 mg once daily [QD], 62.5% and 39.2%, respectively). Cumulative rates of TFR eligibility at 10 years were higher with nilotinib (300 mg BID, 48.6%; 400 mg BID, 47.3%) vs imatinib (29.7%). Estimated 10-year overall survival rates in nilotinib and imatinib arms were 87.6%, 90.3%, and 88.3%, respectively. Overall frequency of adverse events was similar with nilotinib and imatinib. By 10 years, higher cumulative rates of cardiovascular events were reported with nilotinib (300 mg BID, 16.5%; 400 mg BID, 23.5%) vs imatinib (3.6%), including in Framingham low-risk patients. Overall efficacy and safety results support the use of nilotinib 300 mg BID as frontline therapy for optimal long-term outcomes, especially in patients aiming for TFR. The benefit-risk profile in context of individual treatment goals should be carefully assessed.


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