scholarly journals Minimal/Measurable Residual Disease Monitoring in NPM1-Mutated Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Clinical Viewpoint and Perspectives

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 3492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabio Forghieri ◽  
Patrizia Comoli ◽  
Roberto Marasca ◽  
Leonardo Potenza ◽  
Mario Luppi

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with NPM1 gene mutations is currently recognized as a distinct entity, due to its unique biological and clinical features. We summarize here the results of published studies investigating the clinical application of minimal/measurable residual disease (MRD) in patients with NPM1-mutated AML, receiving either intensive chemotherapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Several clinical trials have so far demonstrated a significant independent prognostic impact of molecular MRD monitoring in NPM1-mutated AML and, accordingly, the Consensus Document from the European Leukemia Net MRD Working Party has recently recommended that NPM1-mutated AML patients have MRD assessment at informative clinical timepoints during treatment and follow-up. However, several controversies remain, mainly with regard to the most clinically significant timepoints and the MRD thresholds to be considered, but also with respect to the optimal source to be analyzed, namely bone marrow or peripheral blood samples, and the correlation of MRD with other known prognostic indicators. Moreover, we discuss potential advantages, as well as drawbacks, of newer molecular technologies such as digital droplet PCR and next-generation sequencing in comparison to conventional RQ-PCR to quantify NPM1-mutated MRD. In conclusion, further prospective clinical trials are warranted to standardize MRD monitoring strategies and to optimize MRD-guided therapeutic interventions in NPM1-mutated AML patients.

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 953
Author(s):  
Annalisa Talami ◽  
Francesca Bettelli ◽  
Valeria Pioli ◽  
Davide Giusti ◽  
Andrea Gilioli ◽  
...  

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) carrying inv(16)/t(16;16), resulting in fusion transcript CBFB-MYH11, belongs to the favorable-risk category. However, even if most patients obtain morphological complete remission after induction, approximately 30% of cases eventually relapse. While well-established clinical features and concomitant cytogenetic/molecular lesions have been recognized to be relevant to predict prognosis at disease onset, the independent prognostic impact of measurable residual disease (MRD) monitoring by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), mainly in predicting relapse, actually supersedes other prognostic factors. Although the ELN Working Party recently indicated that patients affected with CBFB-MYH11 AML should have MRD assessment at informative clinical timepoints, at least after two cycles of intensive chemotherapy and after the end of treatment, several controversies could be raised, especially on the frequency of subsequent serial monitoring, the most significant MRD thresholds (most commonly 0.1%) and on the best source to be analyzed, namely, bone marrow or peripheral blood samples. Moreover, persisting low-level MRD positivity at the end of treatment is relatively common and not predictive of relapse, provided that transcript levels remain stably below specific thresholds. Rising MRD levels suggestive of molecular relapse/progression should thus be confirmed in subsequent samples. Further prospective studies would be required to optimize post-remission monitoring and to define effective MRD-based therapeutic strategies.


Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (21) ◽  
pp. 2027-2027
Author(s):  
Betul Oran ◽  
Timothy Singleton ◽  
Pablo A. Ramirez ◽  
Ryan Shanley ◽  
Claudio Brunstein ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 2027 BACKGROUND: The identification of minimal residual disease (MRD) can predict impending relapse in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. Little data exists evaluating the prognostic impact of MRD, as determined by multiparametric flow cytometry (MFC), at the time of allogeneic (allo-HCT). Although disease outcomes may be worse for MRD positive (MRD+) patients, MRD is often associated with other adverse risk factors leaving it unclear whether MRD is an independent risk factor for relapse or a surrogate marker for underlying poor risk disease features. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 97 consecutive AML patients in complete morphological remission (CR) who underwent allo-HCT with a matched related donor (MRD, n=30, 31%), matched unrelated donor (MUD, n=4, 4%) or umbilical cord blood (UCB, n=63, 65%) at the University of Minnesota between January 2005 and June 2009. Presence of MRD at allo-HCT was determined by MFC. Analyses were done separately for myeloablative (MAC) and reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) patients, testing the impact of MRD along with conditioning intensity, age, donor type and disease status on allo-HCT outcomes. RESULTS: Of 97 patients, 41 (42%) had MAC; 57 (58%) had RIC. Sixty-six were in first CR (CR1) with the rest in CR2 or later remission (CR2+). MRD at allo-HCT was detected in 7 patients after MAC (17%) and 7 after RIC (12.5%); and this frequency was similar in patients in CR1 and CR2+ (13% vs. 16%, p=0.7). MRD+ and MRD- patients had similar median age (40 vs. 44 yrs), gender, donor source (MSD or MUD vs. UCB), CMV serostatus and diagnostic cytogenetic risk group. Six of 40 (15%) intermediate and 5 of 39 (13%) high risk cytogenetics patients had MRD+ (p=0.8). Only 3 of 53 patients with a cytogenetic abnormality at diagnosis had it detected prior allo-HCT and 1 of 3 had MRD. The median follow-up of survivors was 25 months. Two-year probabilities for MAC and RIC patients were similar: Overall survival (OS), 48% and 47 % and leukemia free survival (LFS) 43% and 41% respectively. When disease outcomes were analyzed separately by MRD status (table), OS and LFS were markedly worse in MRD+ patients receiving RIC, but this difference was not statistically significant. In multivariate analysis, MRD+ was not an independent prognostic factor for OS and LFS. Although we identified no adverse prognostic factors for MAC patients, patient with RIC in CR2+ had worse OS and LFS vs. CR1 (HR 2.6, p=0.04 and HR 2.7, p=0.04 respectively). CONCLUSION: The negative prognostic impact of MRD was overcome by allo-HCT with MAC, but outcomes with MRD+ were suggestively inferior after RIC. However due to limited sample size, MRD in patients with RIC should be further investigated. Disclosures: Weisdorf: Genzyme: Consultancy, Research Funding.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria H. Gilleece ◽  
Avichai Shimoni ◽  
Myriam Labopin ◽  
Stephen Robinson ◽  
Dietrich Beelen ◽  
...  

AbstractMeasurable residual disease (MRD) prior to hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in first complete morphological remission (CR1) is an independent predictor of outcome, but few studies address CR2. This analysis by the Acute Leukemia Working Party of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation registry assessed HCT outcomes by declared MRD status in a cohort of 1042 adult patients with AML CR2 at HCT. Patients were transplanted 2006–2016 from human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matched siblings (n = 719) or HLA 10/10 matched unrelated donors (n = 293). Conditioning was myeloablative (n = 610) or reduced-intensity (n = 432) and 566 patients (54%) had in-vivo T cell depletion. At HCT, 749 patients (72%) were MRD negative (MRD NEG) and 293 (28%) were MRD positive (MRD POS). Time from diagnosis to HCT was longer in MRD NEG than MRD POS patients (18 vs. 16 months (P < 0.001). Two-year relapse rates were 24% (95% CI, 21–28) and 40% (95% CI, 34–46) in MRD NEG and MRD POS groups (P < 0.001), respectively. Leukemia-free survival (LFS) was 57% (53–61) and 46% (40–52%), respectively (P = 0.001), but there was no difference in terms of overall survival. Prognostic factors for relapse and LFS were MRD NEG status, good risk cytogenetics, and longer time from diagnosis to HCT. In-vivo T cell depletion predicted relapse.


Blood ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Heuser ◽  
Sylvie D Freeman ◽  
Gert J Ossenkoppele ◽  
Francesco Buccisano ◽  
Christopher S Hourigan ◽  
...  

Measurable residual disease (MRD) is an important biomarker in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) that is used for prognostic, predictive, monitoring, and efficacy-response assessments. The European LeukemiaNet (ELN) MRD working party evaluates standardization and harmonization of MRD in an ongoing manner and has updated the 2018 ELN MRD recommendations based on significant developments in the field. New and revised recommendations were established during in-person and online meetings, and a two-stage Delphi poll was conducted to optimize consensus. All recommendations are graded by levels of evidence and agreement. Major changes include technical specifications for next generation sequencing (NGS)-based MRD testing and integrative assessments of MRD irrespective of technology. Other topics include use of MRD as a prognostic and surrogate endpoint for drug testing; selection of the technique, material, and appropriate time points for MRD assessment; and clinical implications of MRD assessment. In addition to technical recommendations for flow- and molecular- MRD analysis, we provide MRD thresholds and define MRD response, and detail how MRD results should be reported and combined if several techniques are used. MRD assessment in AML is complex and clinically relevant, and standardized approaches to application, interpretation, technical conduct, and reporting are of critical importance.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marisa J. L. Aitken ◽  
Farhad Ravandi ◽  
Keyur P. Patel ◽  
Nicholas J. Short

AbstractQuantification of measurable residual disease (MRD) provides critical prognostic information in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). A variety of platforms exist for MRD detection, varying in their sensitivity and applicability to individual patients. MRD detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, multiparameter flow cytometry, or next-generation sequencing has prognostic implications in various subsets of AML and at various times throughout treatment. While it is overwhelmingly evident that minute levels of remnant disease confer increased risk of relapse and shortened survival, the therapeutic implications of MRD remain less clear. The use of MRD as a guide to selecting the most optimal post-remission therapy, including hematopoietic stem cell transplant or maintenance therapy with hypomethylating agents, small molecule inhibitors, or immunotherapy is an area of active investigation. In addition, whether there are sufficient data to use MRD negativity as a surrogate endpoint in clinical trial development is controversial. In this review, we will critically examine the methods used to detect MRD, its role as a prognostic biomarker, MRD-directed therapeutics, and its potential role as a study endpoint.


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