Incidence, prognostic factors and survival outcomes in patients with blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm: a retrospective study in the SEER database

There are few large-scale epidemiological and prognostic studies on blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) due to its rarity. We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to investigate the incidence, clinical characteristics, prognostic factors, and survival trends of BPDCN. The age-adjusted incidence of BPDCN had a bimodal pattern with peaks in those under 20 and above 60 years. Of 697 patients, the median age at diagnosis was 31 years. The most common primary sites were lymph nodes (59.4%), followed by bone marrow (17.1%) and skin (11.6%). Extranodal involvement (59.7%) was more common in patients aged 60 years and above, while lymph node involvement was predominant in other age groups. The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year OS rates were 90.7%, 83.7%, and 82.3% in patients aged under 20, but dropped to 53.1%, 27.7%, and 20.0% in patients aged 60 and above. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that age, sex, and first malignancy were independent prognostic factors for OS. Based on this regression model, a nomogram was built with high discrimination and calibration. The incidence, clinical characteristics, and prognosis of BPDCN patients vary by age group. Moreover, using the nomogram to predict OS can help guide individualized evaluations and clinical decisions.

A novel conditioning regimen of chidamide, cladribine, gemcitabine, and busulfan in the autologous stem cell transplantation of aggressive T-cell lymphoma

Background

The prognosis of patients with peripheral T-cell (PTCL) or lymphoblastic T-cell lymphoma (T-LBL) remains poor under current conditioning regimens before receiving autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT).

Methods

Patients with PTCL or T-LBL were enrolled to receive ASCT using the conditioning regimen of chidamide, cladribine, gemcitabine, and busulfan (ChiCGB). Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) was used to evaluate the response to ASCT. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were employed to assess the patient outcome, and adverse events were used to assess the regimen’s safety. The survival curve was estimated via the Kaplan-Meier method.

Results

Twenty-five PTCL and 11 T-LBL patients were recruited. The median time to neutrophile and platelet engraftments was 10 days (8–13 days) and 13 days (9–31 days), respectively. The 3-year PFS and OS were 81.3 ± 7.2% and 88.5 ± 5.4% for all patients; 92.0 ± 5.4% and 81.2 ± 8.8% for PTCL patients; and both 81.8 ± 11.6% for T-LBL patients, respectively. The 3-year PFS and OS were both 92.9 ± 4.9% for patients with complete response (CR) but 50.0 ± 17.7% and 75.0 ± 15.3% for patients with non-CR, respectively. Infection was the most common non-hematological toxicity, and all toxicities were mild and controllable.

Conclusions

ChiCGB was a potentially effective and well-tolerated conditioning regimen to improve the prognosis of patients with aggressive T-cell lymphoma. Future randomized controlled trials are needed to assess ChiCGB as a conditioning regimen for ASCT.

2022 Chinese expert consensus and guidelines on clinical management of toxicity in anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy for B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Adoptive cellular immunotherapy with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells has emerged as a novel modality for treating relapsed and/or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). With increasing approval of CAR T-cell products and advances in CAR T cell therapy, CAR T cells are expected to be used in a growing number of cases. However, CAR T-cell-associated toxicities can be severe or even fatal, thus compromising the survival benefit from this therapy. Standardizing and studying the clinical management of these toxicities are imperative. In contrast to other hematological malignancies, such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia and multiple myeloma, anti-CD19 CAR T-cell-associated toxicities in B-NHL have several distinctive features, most notably local cytokine-release syndrome (CRS). However, previously published guidelines have provided few specific recommendations for the grading and management of toxicities associated with CAR T-cell treatment for B-NHL. Consequently, we developed this consensus for the prevention, recognition, and management of these toxicities, on the basis of published literature regarding the management of anti-CD19 CAR T-cell-associated toxicities and the clinical experience of multiple Chinese institutions. This consensus refines a grading system and classification of CRS in B-NHL and corresponding measures for CRS management, and delineates comprehensive principles and exploratory recommendations for managing anti-CD19 CAR T-cell-associated toxicities in addition to CRS.

Phase II, Open-Label Study of Ciltacabtagene Autoleucel, an Anti-B-Cell Maturation Antigen Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T-Cell Therapy, in Chinese Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma (CARTIFAN-1)

PURPOSE

CARTIFAN-1 aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel), a B-cell maturation antigen-targeting chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, in Chinese patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM).

METHODS

This pivotal phase II, open-label study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03758417), conducted across eight sites in China, enrolled adult patients with RRMM who had received ≥ 3 lines of prior therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor and immunomodulatory drug. Patients received a single infusion of cilta-cel (target dose 0.75 × 10⁶ chimeric antigen receptor-positive viable T cells/kg). The primary end point was overall response rate. Secondary end points included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and incidence and severity of adverse events (AEs).

RESULTS

As of the clinical cutoff of July 19, 2021, 48 patients received a cilta-cel infusion. At an 18-month median follow-up, the overall response rate was 89.6% (95% CI, 77.3 to 96.5), with a median time to first response of approximately 1 month; 77.1% of patients (95% CI, 62.7 to 88.0) achieved complete response or better. Medians for duration of response, PFS, and OS were not reached. The 18-month PFS and OS rates were 66.8% (95% CI, 49.4 to 79.4) and 78.7% (95% CI, 64.0 to 88.0), respectively. Hematologic AEs were common, including anemia (100%), neutropenia (97.9%), lymphopenia (95.8%), and thrombocytopenia (87.5%). Cytokine release syndrome occurred in 97.9% of patients (35.4% grade 3/4); the median time to onset was 7 days, and the median duration was 5 days. Infections occurred in 85.4% of patients (37.5% grade 3/4). Ten deaths occurred after cilta-cel infusion, eight of which were due to treatment-related AEs.

CONCLUSION

These data demonstrate a favorable risk-benefit profile for a single infusion of cilta-cel, resulting in early, deep, and durable responses in heavily pretreated patients with RRMM in China.

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Activity in China 2020-2021 During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: A Report From the Chinese Blood and Marrow Transplantation Registry Group

Between 2020 and 2021, 31,525 hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (HSCTs) were reported to the Chinese Blood and Marrow Transplantation Registry Group throughout mainland China. In this report, we describe the activity and current trends for HSCT in China during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. In 2020, a total of 13,415 cases of HSCT were reported from 166 transplantation teams, and 75% (10,042 cases) were allogeneic HSCTs. In 2021, a total of 18,110 cases of HSCT were reported from 174 transplantation teams, and 70% (12,744 cases) were allogeneic HSCTs. Haploidentical donor (HID) transplantation accounted for 63% (7977 cases) of allogeneic HSCTs in 2021. The most common indications for allogeneic HSCT for malignant disease were acute myeloid leukemia (37%) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (23%), and the largest proportion of nonmalignant disease comprised aplastic anemia (13%). The peripheral blood stem cell source accounted for 41% of HIDs and 75% of matched sibling donors. The BuCy-based regimen (57%) was the most popular conditioning regimen for allogeneic HSCT, followed by the BuFlu-based regimen (28%) and total body irradiation-based regimen (11%). This survey provides comprehensive information about the current activities and might benefit clinical physicians' decision planning for HSCT.

BCMA-targeting chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy for multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) remains an incurable hematologic malignancy, despite the development of numerous innovative therapies during the past two decades. Immunotherapies are changing the treatment paradigm of MM and have improved the overall response and survival of patients with relapsed/refractory (RR) MM. B cell maturation antigen (BCMA), selectively expressed in normal and malignant plasma cells, has been targeted by several immunotherapeutic modalities. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, the breakthrough in cancer immunotherapy, have revolutionized the treatment of B cell malignancies and remarkably improved the prognosis of RRMM. BCMA-targeting CAR T cell therapy is the most developed CAR T cell therapy for MM, and the US Food and Drug Administration has already approved idecabtagene vicleucel (Ide-cel) and ciltacabtagene autoleucel (Cilta-cel) for MM. However, the development of novel BCMA-targeting CAR T cell therapies remains in progress. This review focuses on BCMA-targeting CAR T cell therapy, covering all stages of investigational progress, including the innovative preclinical studies, the initial phase I clinical trials, and the more developed phase II clinical trials. It also discusses possible measures to improve the efficacy and safety of this therapy.

Treatment attrition rates and relevant risk factors in multiple myeloma: A real-world study in China

Background: For multiple myeloma (MM), the proportions of patients reaching the subsequent line of therapy (LOT) decline gradually and real-world data describing the attrition rates of LOT in Chinese MM were limited. Herein, we investigated the attrition rates by subsequent LOTs and their relevant risk factors in MM patients in China. Methods: MM patients who had been hospitalized and received at least one LOT from January 2008 to August 2019 in West China Hospital Sichuan University were retrospectively recruited. Demographic and clinical characteristic data were obtained from the "HemaTank" Chinese Multiple Myeloma Database. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was applied to analyze the risk factors of frontline treatment attrition. Results: A total of 1,255 newly diagnosed MM were enrolled, with 573 (45.7%) patients receiving only one LOT and 682 (54.3%) patients receiving more than one LOT. Thalidomide with dexamethasone/prednisone was the most common frontline treatment before 2017, while bortezomib-based regimens constituted the majority of frontline treatment in 2017 and beyond. The attrition rates from the first to the fifth LOT exhibited a gradual upward trend (45.7%, 48.7%, 58.9% and 62.5%, respectively). Meanwhile, 54.3%, 27.9%, 11.5%, and 4.3% of all the enrolled MM patients received a second, third, fourth and fifth LOT. MM who underwent autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) showed lower attrition rates across all LOTs (range 12%-56.8%) than MM without ASCT (range 49.1%-64.5%). The multivariate Cox regression model revealed that ISS stage III (HR 2.07, p < .001), elevated LDH (HR 1.47, p = .006), and comorbidities such as amyloidosis (HR 1.63, p = 0 .01), hepatic disease (HR 1.36, p = .022), pulmonary disease (HR 1.38, p = .022), and cardiac disease (HR 1.62, p = .004) were independent risk factors for MM patients attritted from the frontline treatment. Conclusion: In this study, the attrition rates were generally high and increased gradually across all LOTs. Nearly half of MM patients received only one LOT, and higher tumor burden and more comorbidities may be associated with fewer subsequent LOTs. The high attrition rates highlight the importance of applying the most optimal frontline treatment regimen rather than salvaging subsequent LOTs.

Safety and efficacy of dual PI3K-δ, γ inhibitor, duvelisib in patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoid neoplasms: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective clinical trials

Background

Duvelisib is the first FDA-approved oral dual inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase PI3K-delta (PI3K-δ) and PI3K-gamma (PI3K-γ). Although many clinical studies support the efficacy of duvelisib, the safety of duvelisib remains with great attention. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of duvelisib in treating different relapsed or refractory (RR) lymphoid neoplasm types.

Methods

We searched prospective clinical trials from PUBMED, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov. For efficacy analysis, Overall response rate (ORR), complete response rate (CR), partial response rate (PR), rate of stable disease (SDR), rate of progressive disease (PDR), median progression-free survival (mPFS), 12-/24-month PFS, and 12-month overall survival (OS) were assessed. For safety analysis, the incidences of any grade and grade ≥3 adverse events (AEs), serious AEs, and treatment-related discontinuation and death were evaluated. Subgroup analysis based on the disease type was performed.

Results

We included 11 studies and 683 patients, including 305 chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), 187 B-cell indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (iNHL), 39 B-cell aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (aNHL), and 152 T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (T-NHL) patients. The pooled ORR in CLL/SLL, iNHL, aNHL and T-NHL was 70%, 70%, 28% and 47%, respectively. Additionally, the pooled ORR in CLL/SLL patients with or without TP53 mutation/17p-deletion (62% vs. 74%, p=0.45) and in follicular lymphoma (FL) or other iNHL (69% vs. 57%, p=0.38) had no significant differences. Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) patients had higher pooled ORR than other aNHL (68% vs. 17%, p=0.04). Angioimmunoblastic TCL (AITL) patients had higher pooled ORR than other PTCL patients (67% vs. 42%, p=0.01). The pooled incidence of any grade, grade ≥3, serious AEs, treatment-related discontinuation and death was 99%, 79%, 63%, 33% and 3%, respectively. The most frequent any-grade AEs were diarrhea (47%), ALT/AST increase (39%), and neutropenia (38%). The most frequent grade ≥3 AEs were neutropenia (25%), ALT/AST increased (16%), diarrhea (12%), and anemia (12%).

Conclusion

Generally, duvelisib could offer favorable efficacy in patients with RR CLL/SLL, iNHL, MCL, and AITL. Risk and severity in duvelisib treatment may be mitigated through proper identification and management.

Venlafaxine, an anti-depressant drug, induces apoptosis in MV3 human melanoma cells through JNK1/2-Nur77 signaling pathway

Introduction: Venlafaxine is one of the most commonly used anti-depressant and antineoplastic drug. Previous studies have predicted venlafaxine as an anti-cancer compound, but the therapeutic effects of venlafaxine in melanoma have not yet been demonstrated. Nur77 is an orphan nuclear receptor that highly expressed in melanoma cells and can interact with Bcl-2 to convert Bcl-2 from an antiapoptotic to a pro-apoptotic protein. Method: We examined the effects of venlafaxine in MV3 cells in vitro and MV3 xenograft tumor in nude mice. Western-blot, PCR, TUNEL assay and immunofluorescence were used to reveal the growth of melanoma cells. Results: Here, our data revealed that venlafaxine could reduce the growth, and induce apoptosis of melanoma cells through a Nur77-dependent way. Our results also showed that treatment with venlafaxine (20 mg/kg, i.p.) potently inhibited the growth of melanoma cells in nude mice. Mechanistically, venlafaxine activated JNK1/2 signaling, induced Nur77 expressions and mitochondrial localization, thereby promoting apoptosis of melanoma cells. Knockdown of Nur77 and JNK1/2, or inhibition of JNK1/2 signaling with its inhibitor SP600125 attenuated the anti-cancer effects of venlafaxine. Conclusion: In summary, our results suggested venlafaxine as a potential therapy for melanoma.

Daratumumab, Bortezomib, and Dexamethasone versus Bortezomib and Dexamethasone in Chinese Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma: Updated Analysis of LEPUS

BACKGROUND

In the phase 3 LEPUS study, daratumumab, bortezomib, and dexamethasone (D-Vd) demonstrated significant clinical benefit versus Vd alone in Chinese patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). Here, we report updated efficacy and safety results from LEPUS.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Chinese patients with ≥ 1 prior line of therapy were randomized 2:1 to bortezomib (1.3 mg/m2) and dexamethasone (20 mg) for eight cycles ± daratumumab (16 mg/kg) until disease progression. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS).

RESULTS

In total, 211 patients were randomized to D-Vd (n = 141) or Vd (n = 70). At a 25.1-month median follow-up, D-Vd prolonged PFS versus Vd (median, 14.8 vs. 6.3 months; hazard ratio [HR], 0.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.24-0.51; P < .00001). PFS benefit of D-Vd versus Vd was maintained across prespecified subgroups, including patients with prior bortezomib (HR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.25-0.53), patients who were refractory to last prior line of therapy (HR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.27-0.65), and patients with high-risk cytogenetics (HR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.23-0.71). Overall response rate (84.7% vs.66.7%; P = .00314) and rates of very good partial response or better (71.5% vs. 34.9%; P < .00001) and complete response or better (40.1% vs 14.3%; P = .00016) were higher with D-Vd versus Vd. No new safety concerns were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

In this updated analysis, D-Vd maintained significant efficacy benefits versus Vd alone and demonstrated a consistent safety profile, further supporting the use of D-Vd as a standard of care in Chinese patients with RRMM.

Amino acids in hematologic malignancies: Current status and future perspective

In recent years, growing emphasis has been placed on amino acids and their role in hematologic malignancies. Cancer cell metabolism is altered during tumorigenesis and development to meet expanding energetic and biosynthetic demands. Amino acids not only act as energy-supplying substances, but also play a vital role via regulating key signaling pathways, modulating epigenetic factors and remodeling tumor microenvironment. Targeting amino acids may be an effective therapeutic approach to address the current therapeutic challenges. Here, we provide an updated overview of mechanisms by which amino acids facilitate tumor development and therapy resistance. We also summarize novel therapies targeting amino acids, focusing on recent advances in basic research and their potential clinical implications.

A systematic review on performance analysis of critical time points in multiple myeloma treated by CAR-T cell immunotherapy

BACKGROUND

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematological malignancy without cure, and Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell (CAR-T) therapy has been shown great promising in MM. Unlike previous published studies mainly focusing on efficacy and safety, this study aims to summarize time points in the process of CAR-T therapy in MM and establish a standardized time-related CAR-T therapy platform to provide a reference for CAR-T treatment in MM.

METHODS

All the literatures were retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, American Society of Hematology (ASH), American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and European Hematology Association (EHA). Relevant median detection time of efficacy and safety-related indicators of CAR-T therapy in MM were extracted from included literatures, and median values were applied to represent detection time points of indicators. Notably, the median values were not the certain and optimal detection time points, while the significance is that indicators could be detected more frequently around the median values to obtain the ideal results.

RESULTS

This review presented the median detection time points of efficacy and safety-related indicators of CAR-T therapy in MM according to the chronological order. For short-term effects on inflammation status within 1 month after CAR-T initiation, the median time points of cytokine release syndrome onset, immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome onset, neutrophils recovery and CAR-T expansion peak were 4.5, 8, 10 and 12 days, respectively. For medium-term effects on clinical response in MM beyond 1 month and up to 3 months following CAR-T infusion, the median time points of minimal residual disease negativity, the reduction of serum light chain to minimum, platelet recovery and the reduction of M protein to minimum were 30, 30, 44 and 90 days, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review summarized the median detection time points of efficacy and safety-related indicators of CAR-T therapy in MM and constructed the time-related CAR-T therapy platform, providing an evidence-based standard for establishment of CAR-T treatment regimen in MM.

Post-transplant cyclophosphamide versus anti-thymocyte globulin in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from unrelated donors: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) and anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) are both common graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis strategies in allo-HSCT from unrelated donors. However, no consensus has reached on which regimen is optimal. Although several studies concerning this topic exist, the outcomes of different studies still conflict with each other. Therefore, an overall comparison of the two regimens is urgently needed to help make informed clinical decisions.

Methods

Studies comparing PTCy and ATG regimens in unrelated donor (UD) allo-HSCT were searched in four critical medical databases from inception to April 17, 2022. The primary outcome was grade II-IV aGVHD, grade III-IV aGVHD and chronic GVHD (cGVHD), and the secondary outcomes included overall survival (OS), relapse incidence (RI), non-relapse mortality (NRM), and several severe infectious complications. The quality of articles was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS), and data were extracted by two independent investigators and then analyzed by RevMan 5.4.

Results

Six out of 1091 articles were eligible for this meta-analysis. Compared with the ATG regimen, prophylaxis based on PTCy achieved a lower incidence of grade II-IV aGVHD incidence (RR=0.68, 95% CI 0.50-0.93, P=0.010, I ^{2 =} 67%), grade III-IV aGVHD (RR=0.32, 95% CI 0.14-0.76, P=0.001, I ^{2 =} 75%), NRM (RR=0.67, 95% CI 0.53-0.84, P=0.17, I ^{2 =} 36%), EBV-related PTLD (RR=0.23, 95% CI 0.09-0.58, P=0.85, I ^{2 =} 0%) and better OS (RR=1.29, 95% CI 1.03-1.62, P=0.0001, I ^{2 =} 80%). The cGVHD, RI, CMV reactivation and BKV-related HC showed no significant difference between the two groups (RR=0.66, 95% CI 0.35-1.26, P<0.00001, I ^{2 =} 86%; RR=0.95, 95% CI 0.78-1.16, P=0.37, I ^{2 =} 7%; RR=0.89, 95% CI 0.63-1.24, P=0.07, I ^{2 =} 57%; RR=0.88, 95% CI 0.76-1.03, P=0.44, I ^{2 =} 0%).

Conclusion

In the setting of unrelated donor allo-HSCT, prophylaxis based on PTCy can lower the incidence of grade II-IV aGVHD, grade III-IV aGVHD, NRM and EBV-related complication, achieve better OS compared to ATG-based regimen. And cGVHD, RI, CMV reactivation and BKV-related HC were comparable in the two groups.

Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection involving gastrointestinal tract with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis

Chronic active EBV infection (CAEBV) is a lymphoproliferative disorder of T- or NK-cell type in Asian countries. CAEBV involving the gastrointestinal tract (GI CAEBV) is a rare condition with poor prognosis that may rapidly progress with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and life-threatening complications such as GI bleeding and/or perforation. The approach to CAEBV with GI tract involvement (GI CAEBV) is still an unmet clinical need. In this case series study, we summarized the clinical features, treatment, and prognosis of seven cases of GI CAEBV with HLH, particularly focusing on its prognosis and the possible salvage therapy combining surgery, novel therapeutic agents, and/or autologous(auto-) hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) based on successful cases from our center. GI CAEBV is often misdiagnosed as inflammatory bowel diseases and certain infections. The key to its early recognition is the integrative consideration of its systemic manifestation, serum virology, endoscopic, and imaging findings along with pathology. Surgical intervention should not be hesitated when life-threatening GI complications occur. Resection of the involved bowel segment is an effective way of controlling bleeding and reducing tumor burden. In addition to upfront allogeneic HSCT, new therapeutic modalities including PD-1 antibody and auto-HSCT may be effective in certain patients.

Prediction of prognosis and immunotherapy response of amino acid metabolism genes in acute myeloid leukemia

Background

Amino acid (AA) metabolism plays a crucial role in cancer. However, its role in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is still unavailable. We screened out AA metabolic genes, which related to prognosis, and analyzed their correlation with tumor immune microenvironment in AML.

Methods

We evaluated 472 amino acid metabolism-related genes in 132 AML patients. The predictive risk model was developed according to differentially expressed genes, univariate Cox and LASSO analyses. We validated the risk signature by survival analysis and independence tests. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), tumor immune microenvironment (TME), tumor mutation burden (TMB), functional enrichment, and the IC50 of drugs were assessed to explore the correlations among the risk model, immunity, and drug sensitivity of AML.

Results

Six amino acid metabolism-related genes were confirmed to develop the risk model, including TRH, HNMT, TFEB, SDSL, SLC43A2, and SFXN3. The high-risk subgroup had an immune "hot" phenotype and was related to a poor prognosis. The high-risk group was also associated with more activity of immune cells, such as Tregs, had higher expression of some immune checkpoints, including PD1 and CTLA4, and might be more susceptible to immunotherapy. Xenobiotic metabolism, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) pathway, fatty acid metabolism, JAK/STAT3, and the inflammatory response were active in the high-risk subgroup. Furthermore, the high-risk subgroup was sensitive to sorafenib, selumetinib, and entospletinib. ssGSEA discovered that the processes of glutamine, arginine, tryptophan, cysteine, histidine, L-serine, isoleucine, threonine, tyrosine, and L-phenylalanine metabolism were more active in the high-risk subgroup.

Conclusion

This study revealed that AA metabolism-related genes were correlated with the immune microenvironment of AML patients and could predict the prognosis and immunotherapy response of AML patients.

Comparison between ixazomib+cyclophosphamide+dexamethasone regimen and ixazomib+dexamethasone regimen for elderly and frail patients having newly diagnosed multiple myeloma

AIMS

The purpose of this prospective, randomized study was to investigate the effectiveness and safety of the ixazomib+cyclophosphamide+dexamethasone (ICd) and ixazomib+dexamethasone (Id) regimens in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) who were elderly and frail and to compare the two regimens.

METHODS

Patients were randomly grouped into ICd and Id group. The primary end point was ORR, and patients who received at least two cycles were analyzed. The median follow-up was 13.5 months. After nine induction cycles, patients were instructed to take single ixazomib for maintenance.

RESULTS

The overall response rate in the ICd and Id groups was 78.9% and 70.6%, respectively, whereas the very good partial remission or better rate was 47.4% and 23.5%, respectively. For the ICd and Id groups, the response rate after 4 cycles was 76.5% and 57.1%, and the median duration to response was 2 and 4 months, respectively. Adverse events (AEs) included gastrointestinal intolerance, rash, fatigue, and thrombocytopenia, with severe AEs occurring in 21.1% and 23.5% patients in the ICd and Id groups, respectively, and the AEs were manageable. Both the QLQ-C30 and QLQ-MY20 scales indicated that ICd and Id regimens could help maintain and improve the quality of life(QoL).

CONCLUSIONS

The ICd and Id regimens might be effective and well-tolerated in elderly and frail patients with NDMM. In addition, a favorable outcome was observed that ICd might tend to cause faster and higher remission than Id regimen without increasing the risk of AEs. The long-term effectiveness and safety of the two regimens need further investigation.

Efficacy and safety of copanlisib in relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma: A meta-analysis of prospective clinical trials

BACKGROUND

Copanlisib is an intravenously administered pan-class I PI3K inhibitor that has been demonstrated to have appreciable effects in the treatment of patients with lymphoma. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of copanlisib for treating patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL).

METHODS

PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for relevant studies published prior to July 2022. The efficacy evaluation included complete response rate (CR), partial response rate (PR), rate of stable disease (SDR), overall response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), rate of progressive disease (PDR), median progression-free survival (PFS), and median overall survival (OS). Any grade adverse events (AEs) and grade ≥3 AEs were synthesized to assess its safety.

RESULTS

Eight studies with a total of 652 patients with R/R B-NHL were identified. The pooled CR, PR, ORR, SDR, DCR, and PDR from all 8 articles were 13%, 40%, 57%, 19%, 86%, and 9%, respectively. The CR and ORR of combination therapy with rituximab were higher than those with copanlisib monotherapy for R/R B-NHL (34% vs. 6%, p<0.01; 89% vs. 42%, p<0.01). For patients with R/R indolent B-NHL, CR and ORR were lower with copanlisib monotherapy than with combination therapy with rituximab (7% vs. 34%, p<0.01; 58% vs. 92%, p<0.01). In R/R B-NHL patients receiving copanlisib monotherapy and combination therapy with rituximab, the risk of any grade AEs was 99% and 96%, respectively, and the risk of grade ≥3 AEs was 84% and 91%, respectively. The common any grade AEs included hyperglycemia (66.75%), hypertension (48.57%), diarrhea (35.06%), nausea (34.98%) and fatigue (30.33%). The common grade ≥3 AEs included hyperglycemia (45.14%), hypertension (35.07%), and neutropenia (14.75%). The comparison of AEs between the copanlisib monotherapy and the combination therapy with rituximab showed that hyperglycemia of any grade (p<0.0001), hypertension of any grade (p=0.0368), fatigue of any grade (p<0.0001), grade ≥3 hypertension (p<0.0001) and grade ≥3 hyperglycemia (p=0.0074) were significantly different between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

Our meta-analysis demonstrated that the efficacy of both copanlisib monotherapy and combination therapy with rituximab in patients with R/R B-NHL was satisfactory, while treatment-related AEs were tolerable. Compared with copanlisib monotherapy, combination therapy with rituximab showed superior efficacy for treating R/R B-NHL, and its safety was manageable.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2022-10-0008/, identifier INPLASY2022100008.

[Efficacy and safety of daratumumab in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of daratumumab in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) patients. Methods: Fifty-two RRMM patients treated with daratumumab from September 2019 to November 2021 in West China Hospital were retrospectively enrolled, including 31 males and 21 females. The mean age of these patients at the first diagnosis of multiple myeloma was (58±10) years. According to the dosage of daratumumab, patients were divided into low dosage group (n=10) and high dosage group (n=42). Overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and adverse event rates were investigated. Univariate and multivariate analysis of potential factors were conducted. Results: Of the 52 patients, 8 received daratumumab monotherapy, 27 received daratumumab plus immuno-modulatory drug (IMiD) treatment, 4 received daratumumab plus proteosome inhibitor (PI) treatment, and 11 received daratumumab plus dexamethasone treatment. The diagnosis age of high dosage group patients was (57±9) years, which was significantly younger than that of low dosage group [(66±10) years] (P=0.009). The baseline creatinine level of high dosage group patients [M (Q₁, Q₃)] was 91 (68, 196) μmol/L, which was significantly higher than that of low dosage group [66 (51, 76) μmol/L] (P=0.021). There was no significant difference in other baseline clinical characteristics, previous treatment regimens, previous lines of treatment, and regimen and cycles of daratumumab between the high dosage group and low dosage group (all P>0.05). The ORR for the 52 patients was 71.2% (37/52). The ORR for daratumumab plus IMiD group was 81.5% (22/27), which was significantly higher than that in monotherapy or dexamethasone group [ORR: 52.6% (10/19), P=0.036). With a median follow-up [M (Q₁, Q₃)] of 7 (5, 26) months, the median PFS for overall cohort was 17 (95%CI: 9.6-24.4) months. The median PFS for daratumumab plus IMiD group was 26 (95%CI: 6.0-46.0) months, which was significantly better than that in monotherapy or dexamethasone group [12 (95%CI: 3.5-20.5) months] (HR=0.231, 95%CI: 0.075-0.715, P=0.011). Higher diagnosis age was the risk factor of progression (HR=1.085, 95%CI: 1.016-1.158, P=0.014), while more cycles of daratumumab treatment was the protective factor of progression (HR=0.669, 95%CI: 0.495-0.904, P=0.009). There was no significant influence of daratumumab dosage on progression (high dosage vs low dosage, HR=1.016, 95%CI: 0.221-4.668, P=0.984). The median OS for overall cohort was 26 (95%CI: 13.1-38.9) months. Higher serum calcium was the independent risk factor of death (HR=12.190, 95%CI: 1.170-127.048, P=0.037). There was no significant influence of daratumumab dosage on death (high dosage vs low dosage, HR=0.818, 95%CI: 0.171-3.917, P=0.802). Adverse events included infections (43.2%, 16/37), infusion-associated reactions (29.7%, 11/37), and thrombocytopenia (27.0%, 10/37). Conclusions: Daratumumab is effective to treat RRMM. The dosage of daratumumab has no significant influence on prognosis when used in combined treatment. The incidence of adverse events is relatively low, with a favorable safety profile.

A stratified therapeutic model incorporated with studies on regulatory B cells for elderly patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma

OBJECTIVE

Despite the availability of new agents, elderly patients with multiple myeloma (MM) usually present with poor outcomes due to the heterogeneity of disease conditions, especially immune deficiency. Regulatory B cells (Bregs) can be involved in immune defects by exerting immune regulatory functions in MM. In order to provide more evidence-based practice for the elderly MM, the study established and assessed a stratified therapeutic model with studies on Bregs for Chinese Elderly Multiple Myeloma in 2021 (CEMM2021).

METHODS

In this open-label, non-interventional, prospective study in the real world, 159 newly diagnosed MM (NDMM) patients over 65 years old were sequentially recruited and bone marrow aspirates prior to treatment were obtained to detect the ratios of Bregs by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

Based on the CEMM2021 model, 147 patients had received at least one cycle of induction therapy, including bortezomib/dexamethasone (Bd) (n = 80), lenalidomide/dexamethasone (Rd) (n = 27), Bd with a third agent X (Bd + X) (n = 27), and other regimens (n = 13). The proportions of patients achieving very good partial response or better were comparable among Bd, Bd + X, and Rd groups (41.9% vs. 54.5% vs. 44.0%, p = 0.472). Besides, the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were not significantly different among Rd, Bd, and Bd + X groups. Multivariable analysis showed that induction efficacy less than partial response (PR) were poor prognostic factors for PFS, while Revised-International Staging System (R-ISS) III and efficacy less than PR were poor prognostic factors for OS. This study also found that the ratios of bone marrow Bregs <10% (p = 0.036) and SUVmax of PET-CT scan >4.2 (p = 0.000) were closely correlated with OS in the elderly MM.

CONCLUSIONS

For the elderly NDMM, the CEMM2021 algorithm in our center might provide a valuable reference for the guidance of therapeutic strategies, with the combination of Bregs resulting in an effective and clinically meaningful prediction in contemporary treatment.

Noncirrhotic portal hypertension due to peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified: A case report

BACKGROUND

Peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), an aggressive and rare disease that belongs to a heterogeneous group of mature T-cell lymphomas, develops rapidly and has a poor prognosis. Early detection and treatment are essential to improve patient cure and survival rates. Here, we report a rare case of PTCL with clinical presentation of noncirrhotic portal hypertension, which provides a basis for early vigilance of lymphomas in the future.

CASE SUMMARY

A 65-year-old Chinese woman was admitted to our hospital because of abdominal distension for 3 months and pitting oedema of both lower limbs for 2 months. Physical examinations and associated auxiliary examinations showed the presence of hepatosplenomegaly, and her hepatic venous pressure gradient was 10 mmHg. Immunohistochemical analysis of the liver biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of PTCL. The patient underwent combination therapy with dexamethasone, VP-16, and chidamide. Unfortunately, after 41 days of chemotherapy, the patient died of multiple organ failure.

CONCLUSION

PCTL accompanied by noncirrhotic portal hypertension is rarely reported. This case report discusses the diagnosis of a patient according to the literature.

An emerging prognosis prediction model for multiple myeloma: Hypoxia-immune related microenvironmental gene signature

Multiple myeloma (MM), a hematologic malignancy, is characterized by malignant plasma cells clonal proliferation. Many evidences indicated the indirect interaction between hypoxic environment and immune state in MM tumorigenesis, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. MM-related datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The R packages were applied for screening protective differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and risk DEGs. The signature was constructed based the most prognostic gene signature in the training and assessed in the validation cohorts. The immune cell infiltration, the expression of the HLA family and immune checkpoint genes inside the low- and high-risk groups were compared to determine the differences in immune infiltration and immunotherapy responses. Moreover, the expression of HLA families and immune checkpoints inside the low- and high-risk groups was markedly disordered. The results indicated hypoxia- and immune-related genes, including CHRDL1, DDIT4, DNTT, FAM133A, MYB, PRR15, QTRT1, and ZNF275, were identified and used to construct a prognostic signature. Role of DDIT4 in multiple myeloma was confirmed in vivo and in vitro. DDIT4 knockdown inhibited MM cell viability, migration and invasion potential as well as promoted myeloma cells apoptosis under hypoxia. Taken together, our study may contribute to the treatment and prognosis prediction of MM.

ISG20L2 suppresses bortezomib anti-myeloma activity by attenuating bortezomib binding to PSMB5

The proteasome inhibitors (PIs) bortezomib and carfilzomib, which target proteasome 20S subunit beta 5 (PSMB5) in cells, are widely used in multiple myeloma (MM) treatment. In this study, we demonstrated the role of interferon-stimulated 20 kDa exonuclease-like 2 (ISG20L2) in MM PI resistance. Gain- and loss-of-function studies showed that ISG20L2 suppressed MM cell sensitivity to PIs in vitro and in vivo. Patients with ISG20L2^lo MM had a better response to PIs and a longer overall survival than patients with ISG20L2^hi MM. Biotinylated bortezomib pull-down assays showed that ISG20L2 competed with PSMB5 in binding to bortezomib. The surface plasmon resonance assay confirmed the direct binding of bortezomib to ISG20L2. In ISG20L2^hi MM cells, ISG20L2 attenuated the binding of bortezomib to PSMB5, resulting in lower inhibition of proteasome activity and therefore less bortezomib-induced cell death. Overall, we identified a potentially novel mechanism by which ISG20L2 conferred bortezomib resistance on MM. The expression of ISG20L2 correlated with MM PI responses and patient treatment outcomes.

A novel immune prognostic model of non-M3 acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a common hematological malignancy in adults. AML patients exhibit clinical heterogeneity with complications of molecular basis. The leukemogenesis of AML involves immune escape, and the immunosuppression status of the patient might have great impact on AML treatment outcome. In this study, we established an immune prognostic model of AML using bioinformatics tools. With the data in the TCGA and GTEx datasets, we analyzed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in non-M3 AML and identified 420 immune-related DEGs. Among which, 49 genes' expression was found to be related to AML prognosis based on univariate Cox regression analysis. Next, we established a prognostic model with these 49 genes in AML by LASSO regression and multivariate Cox regression analyses. In our model, the expressions of 5 immune genes, MIF, DEF6, OSM, MPO, AVPR1B, were used to stratify non-M3 AML patients' treatment outcome. A patient's risk score could be calculated as Risk Score=0.40081 × MIF (MIF expression) - 0.15201 × MPO + 0.78073 × DEF6 - 0.45192 × AVPR1B + 0.25912 × OSM. The area under the curve of the risk score signature was 0.8, 0.8, and 0.96 at 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years, respectively. The prognostic model was then validated internally by TCGA data and externally by GEO data. At last, the result of single-sample gene-set enrichment analysis demonstrated that compared with healthy samples, the abundance of non-turmeric immune cells was significantly repressed in AML. To summarize, we presented an immune-related 5-gene signature prognostic model in AML.