scholarly journals Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Time to Move Toward a Minimal Residual Disease–Based Definition of Complete Remission?

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 329-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daisuke Araki ◽  
Brent L. Wood ◽  
Megan Othus ◽  
Jerald P. Radich ◽  
Anna B. Halpern ◽  
...  

Purpose Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are in morphologic complete remission are typically considered separately from patients with active disease (ie, ≥ 5% marrow blasts by morphology) in treatment algorithms for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), which implies distinct outcomes for these two groups. It is well recognized that the presence of minimal residual disease (MRD) at the time of transplantation is associated with adverse post-HCT outcome for those patients in morphologic remission. This effect of pre-HCT MRD prompted us to compare outcomes in consecutive patients in MRD-positive remission with patients with active AML who underwent myeloablative allogeneic HCT at our institution. Patients and Methods We retrospectively studied 359 consecutive adults with AML who underwent myeloablative allogeneic HCT from a peripheral blood or bone marrow donor between 2006 and 2014. Pre-HCT disease staging included 10-color multiparametric flow cytometry on bone marrow aspirates in all patients. Any level of residual disease was considered to be MRD positive. Results Three-year relapse estimates were 67% in 76 patients in MRD-positive morphologic remission and 65% in 48 patients with active AML compared with 22% in 235 patients in MRD-negative remission. Three-year overall survival estimates were 26%, 23%, and 73% in these three groups, respectively. After multivariable adjustment, MRD-negative remission status remained statistically significantly associated with longer overall and progression-free survival as well as lower risk of relapse compared with MRD-positive morphologic remission status or having active disease, with similar outcomes between the latter two groups. Conclusion The similarities in outcomes between patients in MRD-positive morphologic remission and those with active disease at the time of HCT support the use of treatment algorithms that use MRD- rather than morphology-based disease assessments.

Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 2582-2582
Author(s):  
Papagudi Ganesan Subramanian ◽  
Nikhil Patkar ◽  
Prashant Tembhare ◽  
Yajamanam Badrinath ◽  
Sitaram G Ghogale ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction: Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are a subset of immune cells that secrete type 1 interferons and serve as antigen presenting cells. In many tumors increased pDC frequencies have been observed and are involved in tumor response initiation. However, there is not much data in acute myeloid leukemia especially in the context of minimal residual disease. Here we evaluated the frequencies of pDCs in the post induction bone marrow and found a significant correlation with MRD levels. Methods: All adult (>18 years ) of patients who were treated for AML [other than AML with t(15;17)] were accrued over a 2 year period. The presence of MRD was assessed using 8 colour flow cytometry on a post induction bone marrows using CD45, CD36, CD38, CD123, CD33, CD117, CD34, HLADR, CD7, CD56, CD13, CD19, CD16, CD11b, CD15 and CD14. Minimum of 500,000 events were acquired/tube on an 8 colour BD FACS Canto II or a 10 colour BC Navios instruments. Kaluza software (v1.3) was used to analyze the .fcs files. MRD was calculated as a percentage of abnormal leukemic cells per total viable cells as gated in forward scatter v side scatter plot. pDCs were calculated as CD123 bright population which expressed HLA-DR (while gating on the progenitors and monocytes based on their expression of CD45 and side scatter). The pDC percentages were counted as a fraction of all viable cells. Based on the results the levels of pDCs were divided into pDC High and pDC Low groups. Statistical analysis was done using Chi squared groups. Results: After exclusion of induction deaths, a total of 94 patients of adult AML was assessed for the presence of MRD at the end of induction. Of these MRD was detected in 48 (51.1%, range 0.01-40%). pDC values ranged from <0.01% to 1.95% (median 0.15%). Median pDC value in the MRD positive group was lower (0.05%) as compared to the MRD negative group (0.23%). Out of 94 patients of 44.7% patients belonged to the pDC Low group of which majority patients were MRD positive (66.7% of the pDC Low group). Similarly majority of patients in the pDC High group were MRD negative (61.5% of the pDC High group). A statistical analysis of these categories was also found to be significant (p=0.008) Conclusion: These pilot data seem to indicate that the pDC burden in the bone marrow may have a role in influencing MRD clearance in the bone marrow. A detailed investigation of the pDC function in the bone marrow microenvironment is warranted. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 2571-2571
Author(s):  
Daisuke Araki ◽  
Brent L Wood ◽  
Megan Othus ◽  
Jerald P. Radich ◽  
Anna B. Halpern ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Treatment algorithms for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) typically consider patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in morphologic complete remission (CR) separately from those with active disease (i.e. ≥5% marrow blasts by morphology), implying distinct outcomes for these two groups. However, it is well recognized that the presence of minimal residual disease (MRD) at the time of transplantation is associated with adverse post-HCT outcomes for patients in morphologic CR. This well established effect of pre-HCT MRD prompted us to compare outcomes in patients in MRDpos CR to those with active AML who underwent myeloablative allogeneic HCT at our institution. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively studied 359 consecutive adults with AML who underwent myeloablative allogeneic HCT from a peripheral blood or bone marrow donor between 2006 and 2014. Pre-HCT disease staging included 10-color multiparametric flow cytometry (MFC) on bone marrow aspirates in all patients. MRD was identified as a cell population showing deviation from normal antigen expression patterns compared with normal or regenerating marrow. Any level of residual disease was considered MRDpos. Results: Three hundred and eleven patients (87%) were in morphologic CR at the time of transplantation, with 76 (21%) in MRDpos CR and 235 (66%) in MRDneg CR. 48 patients (13%) had active disease (7 untreated newly diagnosed AML, 16 untreated relapsed AML, and 25 refractory or relapsed AML who failed salvage therapies). Patients with MRDpos CR or active AML more often had adverse-risk cytogenetics (P=0.001) and secondary leukemias (P<0.001) than MRDneg CR patients. Patients with active AML also more often had incomplete blood count recovery before HCT than patients in morphologic CR (P<0.001). Three-year relapse estimates were 67% in MRDpos morphologic CR patients and 65% in patients with active AML, contrasted to 22% in MRDneg CR patients. Three-year overall survival estimates were 26%, 23%, and 73% in these three groups, respectively. After multivariable adjustment for age, cytogenetic risk, type of AML (de novo vs. secondary AML), pre-HCT karyotype (normalized vs. not), and pre-HCT peripheral blood counts (recovered vs. not), MRDneg CR status remained statistically significantly associated with longer overall and progression-free survival as well as lower risk of relapse compared to being in MRDpos morphologic CR or having active disease, with very similar outcomes between the latter two groups. Specifically, compared to MRDneg CR patients, the hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for MRDpos CR patients and those with active disease were 3.68 (2.51-5.40) and 4.39 (2.56-7.53) (both P <0.001) for overall survival; for progression-free survival, corresponding hazard ratios were 4.37 (3.02-6.30) and 5.29 (3.18-8.80) (both P <0.001), whereas for risk of relapse, these estimates were 4.16 (2.68-6.44) and 4.86 (2.49-9.49) (both P <0.001), respectively. Conclusion: Outcomes for adults transplanted with morphologically detectable disease closely resemble those of MRDpos CR patients, with a cumulative relapse risk of ~65% and survival estimates of 20-25% at 3 years. This similarity held up after accounting for numerous other prognostic covariates. The resemblance in outcomes between patients with MRDpos morphologic CR and those with active disease at the time of HCT support the use of treatment algorithms that use MRD-based rather than morphology-based disease assessments. Disclosures Radich: Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte: Consultancy; Gilliad: Consultancy; Ariad: Consultancy. Walter:AstraZeneca, Inc.: Consultancy; Covagen AG: Consultancy; Pfizer, Inc.: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding; Amgen, Inc.: Research Funding; Amphivena Therapeutics, Inc.: Consultancy, Research Funding.


Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 5411-5411
Author(s):  
Andres Armando Borda Molina ◽  
Iris Cordoba ◽  
Virginia Abello ◽  
Carmen Rosales ◽  
Rosales Manuel ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The accumulated evidence from studies of multiparameter flow cytometric MRD (MFC-MRD) assessment in AML leaves little doubt that this method of MRD detection can be used to risk stratify both younger and older patients at treatment time points. Persistence of disease or high levels of pretransplantation minimal residual disease (MRD) have been reported to predict disease relapse after Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The prognostic impact of MFC-MRD is strong enough to have emerged despite study differences in the MFC assays and the limitations of now outdated restricted antibody panels. Aims: To determine the value of Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) assessed by Multi-parameter Flow Cytometry (MFC) pretransplantation Allogeneic BMT, in predicting outcome in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis the predictive value of MRD assessment by MFC pre trasnplantation alogeneic in 119 patients (diagnosed AML treated between january 2010 and october 2014 submitted at our institution who had available MRD assessment). MRD by MFC on bone marrow specimens obtained approximately 30 days before transplantation. MRD was identified as a cell population showing deviation from normal antigen expression patters compared with normal or regenerating marrow. The detection threshold for defining pre transplantation positive MRD was >0.3%. Results - Of the 119 patients, 80 (67%) were in complete remission (CR1) , 31 (26%) CR2 and > CR2 8 (6%). Their median age was 38 years (Range, 10-64). Hyperleucocytosis in 39 (32%) and Cytogenetics was favorable risk in 32 (26%), intermediate risk in 39 (32.%), adverse risk in 35 (29%) and unknown in 13 (14%). There were a total of 44 deaths and 17 relapses; these contributed to the probability estimates for overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS), stratified by MRD status and shown in figure 1. The median follow-up after BMT among survivors was 8.3 years (range, 6.9 to 9,6 years). The 7.5-years estimates of OS for MRD-positive and MRD-negative patients were 43.1% (range, 23,2% to 58,6%) and 68% (range 56% to 78.3%), respectively, and the 7,5 year estimates for DFS for MRD-positive and MRD-negative patients were 40.5% (range 21.4% to 52.6%) and 56% (range 42.5% to 65.8%). After adjustment for various covariates, age, cytogenetics risk, hyperleucocytosis, secundary AML, the hazard ratios of MRD positive versus MRD negative were 2.06 (range 1.52 to 6.24; P=0,003) for overall mortality, 3.45 ( range 2.14 to 7.32; p=0.014) for DFS. Conclusion: That detection of MRD pre transplantation define a population of patients with AML who are at higher risk for adverse outcome, even after adjusting for other factors that influence post-BMT outcome. Figure 1. Figure 1. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 136 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 7-7
Author(s):  
Reyes María Martín-Rojas ◽  
Gillen Oarbeascoa ◽  
Rebeca Bailén ◽  
Ignacio Gómez-Centurión ◽  
Luis Miguel Juarez ◽  
...  

¶ Martin-Rojas RM and Oarbeascoa G contributed equally to this work. INTRODUCTION Relapse is the main cause of treatment failure after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The evaluation of minimal residual disease (MRD) could provide a more accurate assessment of the depth of response, and therefore identify patients with higher risk of relapse. AIMS The aim of our study was to analyze the impact of pre-HSCT flow cytometry (FCM) and molecular MRD together with chimerism and MRD in the early post-HSCT period in patients with AML. METHODS We conducted a retrospective study in patients with complete remission AML who underwent a HSCT between 2008 and 2019 in our center. MRD was analyzed by flow cytometry in bone marrow aspirates and by quantitative RT-PCR (NMP1, RUNX1-RUNX1T1, CBFB-MYH11, KMT2A-MLLT3, WT1) in bone marrow aspirates and/or peripheral blood. MRD was determined within the 30 days preceding the HSCT and at day +30 and +90 post-HSCT. Bone marrow and selected CD34+ lineage chimerism was analyzed by STR (AmpFISTR SGM Plus, Thermo Fisher) at days +30 and +90 post-HSCT. This study was approved by our Institutional Ethics Committee. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 24 and R version 3.5.1. RESULTS A total of 115 patients were analyzed. Pre-HSCT MRD was negative in 58 patients (50.4%) and positive in 57 patients (49.6%). We found no statistically significant differences in the characteristics between the two groups (Table 1). Median follow up was 39 months (IQR 10.4-55.8). 3-year overall survival (OS) for patients with pre-HSCT negative MRD was 72.5% versus 70.3% in patients with positive MRD (p=0.41), with an event free survival (EFS) of 66.9% versus 66.1 (p=0.48) respectively (Figure 1). Median time to the beginning of immunosuppression withdrawal was 82.5 days (IQR 59-93) for patients with negative MRD and 68 days (IQR 55.3-85.3) for patients with positive MRD (p&lt;0.001). The cumulative incidence of grade II-IV acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) and moderate-severe chronic GVHD did not show statistically significant differences based on the MRD status. Similarly, the cumulative incidence of relapse and the 2-year mortality was not significantly different between the two groups. Patients with negative MRD at day +30 showed a 2-year OS of 83.5% versus 58.1% in patients with positive MRD (p=0.03) and a EFS of 79.9% versus 48.6% (Figure 2). The cumulative incidence of relapse was more elevated in patients with positive MRD (29.8% versus 13.6%) at day +30. Patients with mixed chimerism (MC) at day +30 showed a significantly lower 3-year OS and EFS than patients with complete chimerism (CC). Likewise, the cumulative incidence of relapse was significantly higher in patients with MC, both if detected in bone marrow aspirate and in CD34+ cells. The multivariate analysis revealed that MRD status at day +30 post-HSCT was an independent prognostic factor for EFS (HR 3.74; 95% CI 1.38-10.1; p=0.009). CONCLUSIONS Patients with AML presenting a positive MRD in the early post-HSCT period and those who show a MC at day +30 post-HSCT have lower EFS, with positive MRD at day +30 being an independent prognostic factor for EFS. The evaluation of MRD and chimerism in the early post-HSCT period is useful to identify patients with higher risk of relapse, who may take advantage of preemptive measures. Disclosures Kwon: Gilead, Novartis, Pfizer, Jazz: Consultancy, Honoraria.


Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 120 (21) ◽  
pp. 2535-2535
Author(s):  
Carlo Marani ◽  
Raffaella Grasso ◽  
Nicoletta Colombo ◽  
Marino Clavio ◽  
Fabio Guolo ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 2535 Background and aims. Detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) has a relevant prognostic value in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). MRD, when used as early treatment response assessment, allows identification of true low-risk and high-risk patients, who may profit alternative chemotherapy approach. In the present retrospective study, we evaluated the impact of MRD assessed by 4-color flow cytometry and WT1 RQ-PCR gene expression in a cohort of AML patients treated at our institution. Methods. Bone marrow samples of 50 adult AML patients (45 de novo and 5 secondary) with available karyotype (K), FLT3-ITD and NPM-A genes mutational status were assessed for MRD after induction. All included patients had a baseline WT1 expression greater than 1000 copies/Ablx104 (range 1060–346060; lab references for normal values 0–500). Fludarabine-based regimen was used as induction; one course of intermediate dose Ara-C 2g/sqm plus idarubicin, followed by 3 courses of intermediate dose Ara-C (2g/sqm) as further consolidation therapy. WT1 log reduction (DWT1) was used to assess the WT1 clearance (DWT1 = logWT1diagnosis – logWT1 post induction). A positive flow MRD was defined by the presence of no less than 25 clustered leukemic cells/105 total events - threshold of 2.5 × 10−4 residual leukemic cells. In patients submitted to bone marrow transplantation (BMT) only the first consolidation course was administered and disease free survival (DFS) was censored at the date of BMT. Results. Two (4%) patients had favorable, 40 (80%) intermediate, and 5 (10%) poor risk K (3 had no metaphases); 14 (28/%) carried FLT3-ITD mutation: among them 8 carried NPM-A mutation too, while 6 were wild type. After the first induction regimen 42 of 50 (84%) patients achieved a complete remission (CR). Patients with a negative flow MRD (32%) had 3 years DFS of 69.5%, whereas those with a positive flow MRD (68%) had a DFS of 27.3% (p = 0.032). Patients with a DWT1 > 1.5 log (65%) had a 3-years DFS of 58.3%, whereas those with a DWT1 ≤ 1.5 log (35%) had a DFS at 1 and 2-years of 13,5% and 0%, respectively (p < 0.001). All patients with a negative flow MRD had also a DWT1 > 1.5 log, whereas 12 (52%) of those who achieved a DWT1 > 1.5 log were still positive by flow MRD. Fourteen (28%) patients with a high risk (HR) profile at diagnosis (poor risk K, intermediate K with FLT3-ITDpos/NPM-Aneg, AML secondary to therapy or previous haematological disorder), 6 were no responder to induction, whereas no one of 8 patients in CR reached a negative MRD status in both test with a very poor outcome (projected DFS 4.8 months). MRD assessment using both flow and DWT1 allow to discriminate no-HR profile patients in three prognostic group: good (flow MRD neg) intermediate (flow MRD pos and DWT1 > 1.5 log) and adverse prognosis (flow MRD pos and DWT1 ≤ 1.5 log) with a projected DFS of 70.5 months, 38.2 months and 4.2 months, respectively (p < 0.001). Conclusions. DWT1 identified patients who would relapse better than flow, whereas a negative flow MRD was the best predictor of long DFS. Using both test in combination with baseline biologic parameters enabled the definition of discrete prognostic categories (Fig 1). Outcome of patients with DWT1 ≤ 1.5 log was very poor and comparable with that of patients with HR profile at diagnosis. In these patients forecast a cure is very difficult with the current treatment option and clinical trials with new drugs should be used already in up-front setting. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


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