Patient-reported outcomes in acute myeloid leukemia: Where are we now?

Effects of remote dignity therapy on mental health among patients with hematologic neoplasms and their significant others: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Families of patients with hematologic neoplasms involved in dignity therapy have exhibited a remarkable improvement in psychological well-being and family functioning. However, the applicability and generalizability of family participatory dignity therapy are limited as it is influenced by factors such as intervention time, place, and participants. Whether remote support from significant others is feasible and effective remains unknown.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to confirm the efficacy of significant others participating in remote dignity therapy (r-DT) on hope, dignity loss, meaning of life, and sense of stigma among patients with hematologic neoplasms as well as their significant others' depression and anxiety.

DESIGN

A randomized, single-blinded, two-arm, parallel-group controlled trial.

SETTING(S) AND PARTICIPANTS

Participants included patients with hematologic neoplasms and their significant others, who were recruited from Fujian Medical University Union Hospital from May 2021 to January 2022.

METHODS

A total of 72 eligible participants (patients and significant others) agreed to participate, and were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 35) or a control group (n = 37). Each pair of participants in the intervention group participated in two or three conversations based on the online video function of the WeChat platform, performed by one therapist in accordance with a specific communication outline. To evaluate the effects of the intervention, we assessed the patients' degree of dignity loss, hope level, meaning of life, and sense of stigma, as well as their significant others' depression, anxiety, and intimacy at baseline (T0), 15 days (T1), 30 days (T2), and 60 days (T3), and compared the scores between the two groups after the completion of the intervention. The Generalized Estimation Equation Model (GEE) was used to examine the effects of time, group, and their interaction.

RESULTS

The intervention group statistically significantly differed in lower dignity loss (t = 2.190, p = 0.032), higher hope level (t = -2.010, p = 0.049), and higher meaning of life (t = -2.066, p = 0.043) than the control group at T1. Regarding their significant others, the results of the comparison between the two groups showed that significant others in the intervention group had reduced levels of anxiety and depression at T1 and T2 (p < 0.05). The majority of patients (84.38 %) and significant others (75.00 %) provided positive evaluations of the program.

CONCLUSIONS

The r-DT showed a short-term positive effect on decreasing patients' dignity loss and promoting patients' hope and meaning of life; among their significant others, it decreased anxiety and depression.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Registered in the China Clinical Trial Registry on 17 March 2021(ChiCTR2100044374).

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

Remote dignity therapy decreased patients' dignity loss and promoted their hope and meaning of life; among their significant others, it decreased anxiety and depression.

Survival Outcomes and Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Adults Diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia Receiving Frontline Therapy in Daily Practice

Acute myeloid leukemia has a poor prognosis in older adults, and its management is often unclear due to its underrepresentation in clinical trials. Both overall survival (OS) and health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) are key outcomes in this population, and patient-reported outcomes may contribute to patient stratification and treatment assignment. This prospective study included 138 consecutive patients treated in daily practice with the currently available non-targeted therapies (intensive chemotherapy [IC], attenuated chemotherapy [AC], hypomethylating agents [HMA], or palliative care [PC]). We evaluated patients' condition at diagnosis (Life expectancy [Lee Index for Older Adults], Geriatric Assessment in Hematology [GAH scale], HRQoL [EQ-5D-5L questionnaire], and fatigue [fatigue items of the QLQ-C30 scale]), OS, early death (ED), treatment tolerability (TT) and change in HRQoL over 12 months follow-up. The median OS was 7.1 months (IC not reached, AC 5.9, HMA 8.8, and PC 1.0). Poor risk AML category and receiving just palliative care, as well as a higher Lee index score in the patients receiving active therapy, independently predicted a shorter OS. The Lee Index and GAH scale were not useful for predicting TT. The white blood cell count was a valid predictor for ED. Patients' HRQoL remained stable during follow-up.

Patient-reported outcomes from the phase 3 ADMIRAL trial in patients with FLT3-mutated relapsed/refractory AML

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) can inform treatment selection and assess treatment value in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We evaluated PROs from the ADMIRAL trial (NCT02421939) in patients with FLT3-mutated relapsed/refractory (R/R) AML. PRO instruments consisted of Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Leukemia (FACT-Leu), Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Dyspnea Short Form (FACIT-Dys SF), EuroQoL 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L), and leukemia treatment-specific symptom questionnaires. Clinically significant effects on fatigue were observed with gilteritinib during the first two treatment cycles. Shorter survival was associated with clinically significant worsening of BFI, FACT-Leu, FACIT-Dys SF, and EQ-5D-5L measures. Transplantation and transfusion independence in gilteritinib-arm patients were also associated with maintenance or improvement in PROs. Health-related quality of life remained stable in the gilteritinib arm. Hospitalization had a small but significant effect on patient-reported fatigue. Gilteritinib was associated with a favorable effect on fatigue and other PROs in patients with FLT3-mutated R/R AML.

Progress and Challenges in Survivorship After Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Adults

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) survivors face unique challenges affecting long-term outcomes and quality of life. There is scant literature on the long-term impact of AML treatment in physical and mental health, disease recurrence, and financial burden in survivors.

RECENT FINDINGS

Fatigue, mental health concerns, infections, sexual dysfunction, and increase cancer recurrence occur after AML treatment. Chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and infections are common concerns in AML after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). Survivorship guidelines encompass symptoms and complications but fail to provide an individualized care plan for AML survivors. Studies in patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are sparse. Here we discuss the most common aspects pertaining to AML survivorship, late complications, care delivery, prevention of disease recurrence, and potential areas for implementation.

FLT3LG and IFITM3P6 consolidate T cell activity in the bone marrow microenvironment and are prognostic factors in acute myelocytic leukemia

Acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) is a malignancy of the stem cell precursors of the myeloid lineage. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells play pivotal roles in influencing AML progression but are functionally suppressed in the bone marrow microenvironment. We aimed to find hub genes related to T cell exhaustion and suppression, thereby providing evidence for immunotherapy. In this study, gene transcriptome expression data from TCGA and TARGET databases were utilized to find key genes. Firstly, CIBERSORT immune cell infiltration algorithm and WGCNA method were used to identify CD4+ and CD8+ T cells-related genes. Univariate and multivariate cox regression analyses were then introduced to construct the overall survival prognosis model and included hub genes. The ESTIMATE and ssGSEA scoring methods were used to analyze the correlation between the hub genes and immune activity. Single-cell transcriptome analysis was applied to detect the immune cells expressing hub genes, hence, to detect exact mechanisms. Consequently, FLT3LG and IFITM3P6 were determined to be positively correlated with patients’ overall survival and microenvironment immune activity. Further study suggested FLT3-FLT3LG and IFITM3P6-miR-6748-3p-CBX7 signaling axes were involved in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells activation. This may be one of the mechanisms of T cells suppression in AML.

m6A regulator-based methylation modification patterns and characterization of tumor microenvironment in acute myeloid leukemia

RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common and intensively studied RNA modification that critically regulates RNA metabolism, cell signaling, cell survival, and differentiation. However, the overall role of multiple m6A regulators in the tumor microenvironment (TME) has not yet been fully elucidated in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In our study, we explored the genetic and transcriptional alterations of 23 m6A regulators in AML patients. Three distinct molecular subtypes were identified and associated with prognosis, patient clinicopathological features, as well as TME characteristics. The TME characterization revealed that m6A patterns were highly connected with metabolic pathways such as biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, cysteine and methionine metabolism, and citrate cycle TCA cycle. Then, based on the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to m6A molecular subtypes, our study categorized the entire cohort into three m6A gene clusters. Furthermore, we constructed the m6Ascore for quantification of the m6A modification pattern of individual AML patients. It was found that the tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte cells (TILs) closely correlated with the three m6A clusters, three m6A gene clusters, and m6Ascore. And many biological processes were involved, including glycogen degradation, drug metabolism by cytochrome P450, pyruvate metabolism, and so on. Our comprehensive analysis of m6A regulators in AML demonstrated their potential roles in the clinicopathological features, prognosis, tumor microenvironment, and particularly metabolic pathways. These findings may improve our understanding of m6A regulators in AML and offer new perspectives on the assessment of prognosis and the development of anticancer strategy.

Venetoclax combinations delay the time to deterioration of HRQoL in unfit patients with acute myeloid leukemia

Phase 3 trials Viale-A and Viale-C evaluated health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with AML unfit for intensive chemotherapy who received venetoclax (VEN) + (AZA) (Viale-A) or low-dose cytarabine (LDAC) (Viale-C) or placebo (PBO) + AZA or LDAC. Patient-reported outcomes included: EORTC QLQ-C30 global health status (GHS/QoL) and physical functioning (PF), PROMIS Cancer Fatigue Short Form 7a (Fatigue), and EQ-5D-5L health status visual analog scale (HS-VAS). Time to deterioration (TTD), defined as worsening from baseline in meaningful change thresholds (MCT) of ≥10, 5, or 7 points for GHS/QoL or PF, fatigue, and HS-VAS, respectively, was assessed; differences between groups were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and unadjusted log-rank analyses. VEN + AZA vs PBO + AZA patients had longer TTD in GHS/QoL (P = 0.066) and fatigue (P = 0.189), and significantly longer TTD in PF (P = 0.028) and HS-VAS (P < 0.001). VEN + LDAC vs PBO + LDAC patients had significantly longer TTD in GHS/QoL (P = 0.011), PF (P = 0.020), and fatigue (P = 0.004), and a trend in HS-VAS (P = 0.057). Approximately 43%, 35%, 32%, and 18% of patients treated with VEN + AZA, AZA + PBO, VEN + LDAC, or LDAC + PBO, respectively, saw improvements >MCT in GHS/QoL. Overall, VEN may positively impact HRQoL in patients with AML ineligible for intensive chemotherapy, leading to longer preservation of functioning and overall health status.

Long-term quality of life of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia treated with arsenic trioxide vs chemotherapy

Patients with APL treated with ATRA-ATO reported better long-term quality of life outcomes than patients treated with chemotherapy.

Late comorbidity and health problem prevalence was similar between patients with APL previously treated with ATRA-ATO or chemotherapy.

The main objective of this study was to compare the long-term health-related quality of life of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) treated with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) plus arsenic trioxide (ATO) vs ATRA plus standard chemotherapy. Patients previously enrolled in the randomized controlled trial APL0406 were considered eligible for this follow-up study. The following patient-reported outcome measures were used: the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core30 (EORTC QLQ-C30), the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy 20 (QLQ-CIPN20), and the Short Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36). The prevalence of late comorbidities and health problems was also assessed. The clinical significance of differences was evaluated based on predefined thresholds. A total of 161 of 232 potentially eligible patients were analyzed, of whom 83 were treated with ATRA-ATO and 78 were treated with ATRA chemotherapy. The median time since diagnosis of the study sample was 8 years. The 2 largest clinically meaningful differences in the EORTC QLQ-C30 were observed for role functioning (Δ = 8.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.5 to 16.3) and dyspnea (Δ = −8.5; 95% CI, −16.4 to −0.7), favoring patients treated with ATRA-ATO. With regard to the SF-36 results, a clinically relevant better physical component score (Δ = 4.6; 95% CI, 1.3 to 7.8) was observed in patients treated with ATRA-ATO, but this was not the case for the mental component score. The 2 groups showed similar profiles in the scores of the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 scales and in the prevalence of late comorbidities. Overall, our findings suggest that the greater and more sustained antileukemic efficacy of ATRA-ATO is also associated with better long-term patient-reported outcomes than ATRA chemotherapy. This study was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT03096496.

Health-Related and Economic Burden Among Family Caregivers of Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia or Hematological Malignancies

Introduction

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is associated with lower survival and greater unmet need compared with some other hematologic malignancies (HMs). Despite differences in acuteness between AML and other HMs, the burden of family caregivers (FCs) of patients with these malignancies offer similar patient experiences. A targeted literature review was conducted to explore FC burden of patients with AML and HM with and without hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). Instruments to measure and interventions to address FC burden were identified.

Methods

Studies on economic burden and compromised health-related quality of life (HRQoL) associated with FC burden, family affairs, and childcare from 1 January 2010 to 30  June 2019 were identified through database and hand searches. Published English articles on randomized controlled trials or standardized qualitative or quantitative observational studies were included. FCs were those in close familial proximity to the patient (i.e., spouse, parents, children, relatives, other family members, significant others).

Results

Seventy-one publications were identified (AML, n = 3; HM, n = 29; HSCT, n = 39). Predominant burden categories included humanistic (n = 33), economic (n = 17), and interventions (n = 22); one study was classified as humanistic and economic. FCs lack sufficient resources to manage stressors and experience negative psychological, behavioral, and physiological effects. FCs of patients with HMs reported post-traumatic stress disorder, significant sleep problems, moderate-to-poor HRQoL, and negative impacts on family relationships. Instruments designed to measure caregiver burden were generic and symptom-specific. Educational, expressional, and self-adjustment interventions were used to improve FC burden.

Conclusion

Findings indicate a need for additional research, public health approaches to support FCs, and effective interventions to address FC burden. Minimizing FC burden and improving quality of life may reduce the overall healthcare service use and allow FCs to more effectively fulfill caregiver tasks. Support systems to alleviate caregiver burden may create reinforced integrators, thus positively affecting quality of life and possibly the outcomes of patients.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12325-021-01872-x.

It doesn't stop at validation: patient reported outcome measures require ongoing and iterative development

Patient reported outcomes (PROs) are a pillar of modern-day patient-centered care and clinical trials. PROs complement clinical information with the patient's own report about their experiences of health, without influence or interpretation by other people. However, choosing an appropriate PRO measure from the many available remains challenging for clinicians and researchers. One of the common pitfalls in instrument selection is that the instrument is often developed with a different patient population than the group being cared for or researched. This difference can result in salient items of importance to the patients, being under-reported or missed altogether. We highlight, through the reporting of some of our own data, that PRO instrument development does not stop with a validation study and we provide suggestions for future research for further improvement in this space.

The establishment of a prognostic scoring model based on the new tumor immune microenvironment classification in acute myeloid leukemia

BACKGROUND

The high degree of heterogeneity brought great challenges to the diagnosis and treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Although several different AML prognostic scoring models have been proposed to assess the prognosis of patients, the accuracy still needs to be improved. As important components of the tumor microenvironment, immune cells played important roles in the physiological functions of tumors and had certain research value. Therefore, whether the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) can be used to assess the prognosis of AML aroused our great interest.

METHODS

The patients' gene expression profile from 7 GEO databases was normalized after removing the batch effect. TIME cell components were explored through Xcell tools and then hierarchically clustered to establish TIME classification. Subsequently, a prognostic model was established by Lasso-Cox. Multiple GEO databases and the Cancer Genome Atlas dataset were employed to validate the prognostic performance of the model. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and the concordance index (C-index) were utilized to assess the prognostic efficacy.

RESULTS

After analyzing the composition of TIME cells in AML, we found infiltration of ten types of cells with prognostic significance. Then using hierarchical clustering methods, we established a TIME classification system, which clustered all patients into three groups with distinct prognostic characteristics. Using the differential genes between the first and third groups in the TIME classification, we constructed a 121-gene prognostic model. The model successfully divided 1229 patients into the low and high groups which had obvious differences in prognosis. The high group with shorter overall survival had more patients older than 60 years and more poor-risk patients (both P< 0.001). Besides, the model can perform well in multiple datasets and could further stratify the cytogenetically normal AML patients and intermediate-risk AML population. Compared with the European Leukemia Net Risk Stratification System and other AML prognostic models, our model had the highest C-index and the largest AUC of the ROC curve, which demonstrated that our model had the best prognostic efficacy.

CONCLUSION

A prognostic model for AML based on the TIME classification was constructed in our study, which may provide a new strategy for precision treatment in AML.

The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) clinical practice guideline on immunotherapy for the treatment of acute leukemia

Acute leukemia is a constellation of rapidly progressing diseases that affect a wide range of patients regardless of age or gender. Traditional treatment options for patients with acute leukemia include chemotherapy and hematopoietic cell transplantation. The advent of cancer immunotherapy has had a significant impact on acute leukemia treatment. Novel immunotherapeutic agents including antibody-drug conjugates, bispecific T cell engagers, and chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapies have efficacy and have recently been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with acute leukemia. The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) convened a panel of experts to develop a clinical practice guideline composed of consensus recommendations on immunotherapy for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia.

Quality of life and socioeconomic indicators associated with survival of myeloid leukemias in Canada

Understanding how patient-reported quality of life (QoL) and socioeconomic status (SES) relate to survival of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) may improve prognostic information sharing. This study explores associations among QoL, SES, and survival through administration of the Euro-QoL 5-Dimension, 3-level and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Leukemia and financial impact questionnaires to 138 adult participants with newly diagnosed AML or MDS in a longitudinal, pan-Canadian study. Cox regression and lasso variable selection models were used to explore associations among QoL, SES, and established predictors of survival. Secondary outcomes were changes in QoL, performance of the QoL instruments, and lost income. We found that higher QoL and SES were positively associated with survival. The Lasso model selected the visual analog scale of the EQ-5D-3L as the most important predictor among all other variables (P = .03; 92% selection). Patients with AML report improved QoL after treatment, despite higher mean out-of-pocket expenditures compared with MDS (up to $599 CDN/month for AML vs $239 for MDS; P = .05), greater loss of productivity-related income (reaching $1786/month for AML vs $709 for MDS; P < .05), and greater caregiver effects (65% vs 35% caregiver productivity losses for AML vs MDS; P < .05). Our results suggest that including patient-reported QoL and socioeconomic indicators can improve the accuracy of survival models.

Core outcome set measurement for future clinical trials in acute myeloid leukemia: the HARMONY study protocol using a multi-stakeholder consensus-based Delphi process and a final consensus meeting

Background

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common acute leukemia in adults and has an unacceptably low cure rate. In recent years, a number of new treatment strategies and compounds were developed for the treatment of AML. There were several randomized controlled clinical trials with the objective to improve patients’ management and patients’ outcome in AML. Unfortunately, these trials are not always directly comparable since they do not measure the same outcomes, and currently there are no core outcome sets that can be used to guide outcome selection and harmonization in this disease area. The HARMONY (Healthcare Alliance for Resourceful Medicine Offensive against Neoplasms in Hematology) Alliance is a public-private European network established in 2017 and currently includes 53 partners and 32 associated members from 22 countries. Amongst many other goals of the HARMONY Alliance, Work Package 2 focuses on defining outcomes that are relevant to each hematological malignancy. Accordingly, this pilot study will be performed to define a core outcome set in AML.

Methods

The pilot study will use a three-round Delphi survey and a final consensus meeting to define a core outcome set. Participants will be recruited from different stakeholder groups, including patients, clinicians, regulators and members of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations. At the pre-Delphi stage, a literature research was conducted followed by several semi-structured interviews of clinical public and private key opinion leaders. Subsequently, the preliminary outcome list was discussed in several multi-stakeholder face-to-face meetings. The Delphi survey will reduce the preliminary outcome list to essential core outcomes. After completion of the last Delphi round, a final face-to-face meeting is planned to achieve consensus about the core outcome set in AML.

Discussion

As part of the HARMONY Alliance, the pilot Delphi aims to define a core outcome set in AML on the basis of a multi-stakeholder consensus. Such a core outcome set will help to allow consistent comparison of future clinical trials and real-world evidence research and ensures that appropriate outcomes valued by a range of stakeholders are measured within future trials.

Selection of initial therapy for newly-diagnosed adult acute myeloid leukemia: Limitations of predictive models

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains difficult to treat: despite multiagent chemotherapy, allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation, and several newly approved agents, many patients will not be alive and in remission 3 years after diagnosis. However, with more agents available there are more options and a corresponding need to choose among them. Doing so is complicated by the molecular diversity of AML and the older age of many patients, predisposing them to both treatment-related mortality and, more commonly, resistance to treatment. There is no shortage of scoring systems to identify patients at high risk of early death or treatment resistance after conventional AML induction chemotherapy. As we point out here, their accuracy is limited. Furthermore, without periodic recalibration to account for new therapies and changes in supportive care, the accuracy of any prediction model will decrease over time. The limitations we describe here are important for clinicians to be aware of.

Introducing patient-reported outcome in the acute leukemia quality registries in Sweden

OBJECTIVES

The use of patient-reported outcome (PRO) measured outside clinical trials is not well defined. We report the first analysis of the prospective PRO study within the Swedish acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and the acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) registries.

METHODS

PRO was requested 6 months after diagnosis. The EORTC Quality of life Questionnaire Core 30-item, the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8), and questions from a Swedish National Cancer Questionnaire were used.

RESULTS

An invitation letter was sent to 398 patients; 255 (64%) responded, 60% web-based, and 40% on paper. The ALL cohort had lower physical, role and social functioning, higher symptom burden, and more financial difficulties compared to the AML cohort. A PHQ-8 score ≥ 10p, which indicates depression, was reported in 18% of the patients; 33% of these patients reported being prescribed antidepressants. The patients' overall experience of care was satisfying, but more psychological and practical support was desired. There was no difference in survival between patients who reported their PRO and those who did not. Follow-up at 2 and 4 years is ongoing.

CONCLUSIONS

PRO collected in a registry-based setting is feasible, but the selection of time points and questionnaires are delicate in a diverse patient population.

Recent drug approvals for newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia: gifts or a Trojan horse?

Since 2017 the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved glasdegib, venetoclax, ivosidenib, midostaurin, CPX- 351, and gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO) to treat persons with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has done likewise for midostaurin, CPX-351, and GO. While increasing options for persons, particularly older ones, for whom current therapy is unsatisfactory, or simply not given, these approvals raise several concerns. Although the venetoclax and glasdegib approvals were for persons considered "unfit" for intensive induction, the criteria for fitness were not well defined (age ≥75 per se being insufficient) and are frequently subjective, making it likely that many subjects in the venetoclax and glasdegib registration trials were fit for intensive induction; for example, none had performance status 3-4. Fitness must be assessed together with the potential efficacy of a proposed therapy. We note the modest complete remission rates and durations in the venetoclax + hypomethylating agent trial. Although these formed the basis for FDA approval, it is unclear that better results might not have obtained with more intense induction, as several studies, with considerably longer-follow up, have suggested. Hence, we question the venetoclax (and glasdegib) approvals absent randomized comparisons with intense induction. Given the uncertain relation in older individuals between survival and complete remission (CR), much less responses less than CR, we are skeptical of the sole use of these responses in the ivosidenib and venetoclax approvals; we also question the use of survival, without event-free survival, in the glasdegib approval. Noting the midostaurin and CPX-351 approvals included populations not participating in the registration studies we suggest means to address this issue as well as those involving fitness, randomization, and endpoints.

The role of exosomes and MYC in therapy resistance of acute myeloid leukemia: Challenges and opportunities

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is caused by abnormal production of white blood cells, red blood cells or platelets. The leukemia cells communicate with their microenvironment through nano-vesicle exosomes that are 30-100 nm in diameter. These nano-vesicles are released from body fluids upon fusion of an endocytic compartment with the cell membrane. Exosomes function as cargo to deliver signaling molecules to distant cells. This allows cross-talk between hematopoietic cells and other distant target cell environments. Exosomes support leukemia growth by acting as messengers between tumor cells and the microenvironment as well as inducing oncogenic factors such as c-Myc. Exosomes have also been used as biomarkers in the clinical diagnosis of leukemia. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) and protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) are two crucial signaling molecules involved in the AML pathogenesis and MYC stability. GSK-3 is a serine/threonine protein kinase that coordinates with over 40 different proteins during physiological/pathological conditions in blood cells. The dysregulation in GSK-3 has been reported during hematological malignancies. GSK-3 acts as a tumor suppressor by targeting c-MYC, MCL-1 and β-catenin. Conversely, GSK-3 can also act as tumor promoter in some instances. The pharmacological modulators of GSK-3 such as ABT-869, 6-Bromoindirubin-3'-oxime (BIO), GS-87 and LY2090314 have shown promise in the treatment of hematological malignancy. PP2A is a heterotrimeric serine/threonine phosphatase involved in the regulation of hematological malignancy. PP2A-activating drugs (PADs) can effectively antagonize leukemogenesis. The discovery of exosomes, kinase inhibitors and phosphatase activators have provided new hope to the leukemia patients. This review discusses the role of exosomes, GSK-3 and PP2A in the pathogenesis of leukemia. We provide evidence from both preclinical and clinical studies.

Using Social Media to Uncover Treatment Experiences and Decisions in Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia or Myelodysplastic Syndrome Who Are Ineligible for Intensive Chemotherapy: Patient-Centric Qualitative Data Analysis

Background

Until recently, treatment options were limited for patients with acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome (AML and MDS) who are ineligible for intensive chemotherapy. Owing to the condition’s rapid progression, it is difficult to identify what is most important to patients when making treatment decisions. Patients’ needs can be better addressed by gaining a deeper understanding of their perspectives, which is valuable in the decision-making process. The Food and Drug Administration recently encouraged the use of social media as a tool to gain insight on patients’ perspectives regarding symptoms experienced and the impacts of their disease.

Objective

This study aimed to use disease-specific social media posts by patients with AML or MDS who are ineligible for intensive chemotherapy and their caregivers to capture factors they feel are most important, and to provide current evidence to inform and characterize these perspectives.

Methods

Posts by patients with AML or MDS and their caregivers were extracted from publicly available discussions on 3 large AML- or MDS–specific sites. These posts were manually reviewed to only include patients who are ineligible for intensive chemotherapy. A total of 1443 posts from 220 AML patients/caregivers and 2733 posts from 127 MDS patients/caregivers met the study inclusion criteria. A qualitative data analysis (QDA) of a sample of 85 patients’/caregivers’ posts was conducted to identify themes, and a targeted QDA of posts from 79 users focused on treatment decision discussions. Posts were manually reviewed, and relevant text segments were coded and grouped into categories and overall themes.

Results

Eighty-six percent (73/85) of users in the overall QDA had relevant information about the key objectives. The most commonly discussed treatment experience theme was the humanistic burden of AML or MDS in terms of emotional/physical impact and impact on family (86%, 63/73 of users), followed by treatment decisions (56%, 41/73) and unmet needs (50%, 37/73). In the QDA of treatment decisions, 60 posts from 45 users contained relevant information. Patients commonly reported the desire to reach specific milestones, including birthdays and weddings. They wished for a better quality of life over quantity of life, did not want the risk of suffering from side effects, and expressed a clear preference to be at home rather than in a hospital or care home.

Conclusions

This study was a novel application of disease-specific social media. It highlighted experiences in the current treatment of AML and MDS, including information gaps, patient/caregiver uncertainty, and the importance of understanding patients’/caregivers’ goals and opinions. A clear finding from this research was the importance of reaching certain personal life goals and being at home with family and friends. The analysis showed that patients/caregivers face additional challenges, including humanistic impacts and a lack of information regarding treatment options.

Ruxolitinib In The Treatment Of Polycythemia Vera: An Update On Health-Related Quality Of Life And Patient-Reported Outcomes

Polycythemia vera (PV) is a rare myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) associated with significant impairment in quality of life (QoL) due to disease-related symptoms and complications. Assessment of disease burden constitutes standard monitoring of symptoms and response. Conventional treatments for MPN, such as hydroxyurea, phlebotomy, or interferon, have not shown a significant impact in QoL or patient-reported outcomes (PRO). Ruxolitinib (RUX) is a JAK2 inhibitor approved for patients intolerant or resistant to hydroxyurea (HA). We conducted a systematic review of clinical trials of RUX in patients with PV that incorporated PRO measures to evaluate the effects on PRO and QoL. Three randomized Phase 3 studies reported in four publications were relevant for analysis. Although the small number of trials and potential for treatment bias in the review, treatment with RUX was associated with improved QoL and PRO in PV patients intolerant or resistant to hydroxyurea.

Identification of prognostic genes in the acute myeloid leukemia immune microenvironment based on TCGA data analysis

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a common and lethal hematopoietic malignancy that is highly dependent on the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment. Infiltrating immune and stromal cells are important components of the BM microenvironment and significantly influence the progression of AML. This study aimed to elucidate the value of immune/stromal cell-associated genes for AML prognosis by integrated bioinformatics analysis. We obtained expression profiles from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and used the ESTIMATE algorithm to calculate immune scores and stromal scores; we then identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) based on these scores. Overall survival analysis was applied to reveal common DEGs of prognostic value. Subsequently, we conducted a functional enrichment analysis, generated a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and performed an interrelation analysis of immune system processes, showing that these genes are mainly associated with the immune/inflammatory response. Finally, eight genes (CD163, CYP27A1, KCNA5, PPM1J, FOLR1, IL1R2, MYOF, VSIG2) were verified to be significantly associated with AML prognosis in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. In summary, we identified key microenvironment-related genes that affect the outcomes of AML patients and might serve as therapeutic targets.

Quality of life and mood of older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) receiving intensive and non-intensive chemotherapy

Older patients with AML face difficult treatment decisions as they can be treated either with 'intensive' chemotherapy requiring prolonged hospitalization, or 'non-intensive' chemotherapy. Although clinicians often perceive intensive chemotherapy as more burdensome, research is lacking on patients' quality of life (QOL) and psychological distress. We conducted a longitudinal study of older patients (≥60 years) newly diagnosed with AML receiving intensive (cytarabine/anthracycline combination) or non-intensive (hypomethylating agents) chemotherapy. We assessed patients' QOL [Functional-Assessment-of-Cancer-Therapy-Leukemia] and psychological distress [Hospital-Anxiety-and-Depression-Scale] at baseline and 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks after diagnosis. We enrolled 75.2% (100/133) of eligible patients within 72-hours of initiating intensive (n = 50) or non-intensive (n = 50) chemotherapy. Patient QOL improved over time (β = 0.32, P = 0.013). At baseline, 33.3% (33/100) and 30.0% (30/100) of patients reported clinically significant depression and anxiety symptoms, respectively, with no differences between groups. Patients' depression symptoms did not change over time, while their anxiety symptoms decreased over time (β = -0.08, P < 0.001). Patient-reported QOL, depression and anxiety symptoms did not differ significantly at any time point between those who received intensive versus non-intensive chemotherapy. Older patients with AML experience improvements in their QOL and anxiety while undergoing treatment. Patients receiving intensive and non-intensive chemotherapy have similar QOL and mood trajectories.

A real-world, cross-sectional, community survey of symptoms and health-related quality of life of adults with acute myeloid leukemia

Aim: We used Adelphi Real World Disease-Specific Programme data to characterize adults with newly diagnosed or relapsed/refractory de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Materials & methods: Community-practice hematologists/oncologists completed patient record forms for their regular AML patients. Patients were invited to complete patient self-completion forms including 3-Level EuroQol 5-Dimensions (EQ-5D-3L) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Leukemia (FACT-Leu) questionnaires. Results: Physicians provided patient record forms for 389 patients (339 newly diagnosed, 50 relapsed/refractory); 68 patients completed patient self-completion forms. Mean EQ-5D visual-analog scale and index and FACT-General scores were significantly lower than US population norms (p < 0.0001); health-related quality of life (HRQoL) scores were generally lower than 11 other cancers. Conclusion: HRQoL impairment is grave in AML. Efforts are needed to improve HRQoL in affected patients.

More Versus Less Therapy for Older Adults With Acute Myeloid Leukemia: New Perspectives on an Old Debate

Most patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are at least age 65 and continue to have short survival, with many patients receiving no specific anti-AML therapy, particularly if they are older than age 75. Although consensus regarding optimal treatment of this growing population is lacking, treatment options are expanding even for the oldest patients. A fundamental question when seeing an older patient with AML is whether to recommend "more intensive" or "less intensive" induction therapy. Existing data can support more intensive treatment strategies for selected older adults, although there is growing evidence to support less intensive therapies as well. Randomized trials to provide clear comparisons between treatment strategies among well-characterized older adult populations are lacking. Reliance on age alone to determine treatment choice is problematic, as "fitness" or "unfitness" varies dramatically among patients of the same chronologic age and remains poorly characterized in existing studies. This article will provide differing perspectives on the "more" versus "less" question, with particular attention to recent drug approvals. Issues relevant to both treatment decision-making in practice and alternative trial design to inform gaps in knowledge will be discussed. Given the heterogeneity, an important conclusion will be that there is unlikely to be a single best approach and that appropriate decision-making requires considerations of many factors specific to individual patients.

Pharmacological inhibition of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase induces apoptosis and differentiation in acute myeloid leukemia cells

Acute myeloid leukemia is a disorder characterized by abnormal differentiation of myeloid cells and a clonal proliferation derived from primitive hematopoietic stem cells. Interventions that overcome myeloid differentiation have been shown to be a promising therapeutic strategy for acute myeloid leukemia. In this study, we demonstrate that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase leads to apoptosis and normal differentiation of acute myeloid leukemia cells, indicating that dihydroorotate dehydrogenase is a potential differentiation regulator and a therapeutic target in acute myeloid leukemia. By screening a library of natural products, we identified a novel dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitor, isobavachalcone, derived from the traditional Chinese medicine Psoralea corylifolia Using enzymatic analysis, thermal shift assay, pull down, nuclear magnetic resonance, and isothermal titration calorimetry experiments, we demonstrate that isobavachalcone inhibits human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase directly, and triggers apoptosis and differentiation of acute myeloid leukemia cells. Oral administration of isobavachalcone suppresses subcutaneous HL60 xenograft tumor growth without obvious toxicity. Importantly, our results suggest that a combination of isobavachalcone and adriamycin prolonged survival in an intravenous HL60 leukemia model. In summary, this study demonstrates that isobavachalcone triggers apoptosis and differentiation of acute myeloid leukemia cells via pharmacological inhibition of human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase, offering a potential therapeutic strategy for acute myeloid leukemia.

Systematic reviews of economic burden and health-related quality of life in patients with acute myeloid leukemia

BACKGROUND

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a rare hematologic malignancy largely affecting older adults. Comorbidities may compromise fitness and eligibility for high-intensity chemotherapy (HIC). This study presents the results of two systematic reviews (SRs) assessing (1) the impact of AML and current treatments on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and (2) the economic burden and cost drivers of AML in patients who are ineligible for HIC.

METHODS

Electronic searches (MEDLINE, EMBASE, EconLit, Cochrane library) were supplemented with manual searching of conference, utility, and HTA databases. All studies reporting HRQoL or economic data for patients with AML who were ineligible for HIC were included.

RESULTS

The HRQoL SR included ten studies. Patients with AML have lower baseline HRQoL than other cancer patients or the general population, and those receiving lower intensity treatment have lower HRQoL than those eligible for HIC. Low baseline HRQoL predicts poor outcomes, and treatment had variable effects on HRQoL. The economic burden SR included nine studies. Medical costs varied widely, reflecting the heterogeneity of AML. Hospitalization is a key cost driver in AML treatment but was largely not considered in cost studies. Medical resource utilization comprised drug acquisition, drug administration, disease monitoring tests, transfusions, adverse event management, supportive care/monitoring costs and terminal care.

CONCLUSION

As new drugs emerge that extend survival, assessment of HRQoL will be important to evaluate the quality of that survival. Cost data, driven by transfusions and hospitalization, will be important to evaluate the economic value of new treatments.

Advancements in the management of medically less-fit and older adults with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia

INTRODUCTION

Treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in older adults remains daunting. The unique biology often renders conventional chemotherapies less effective. Accurately predicting the toxicities of treatment is another unresolved challenge. Treatment planning thus requires a good knowledge of the current trial data and familiarity with clinical tools, including formal fitness and geriatric assessments. Both obstacles - disease biology and patient fitness - might be easier overcome with specific, AML cell-targeted agents rather than traditional cytotoxic chemotherapy. This may be the future of AML therapy, but it is not our current state.

AREAS COVERED

Herein, the authors appraise the data supporting a standard induction approach, including an outline of how to predict treatment-related mortality and a review of the most up-to-date methods of geriatric assessment. They also discuss treatment expectations with less-intense therapies and highlight novel agents in development. Finally, they provide a basic approach to choosing treatment intensity.

EXPERT OPINION

In an older and/or medically less-fit patient, treatment choice should begin with a thorough disease assessment, a formal evaluation of patient fitness and frailty. There should also be a clear communication with the patient and patient's family about the risks and anticipated benefits of either an intense or nonintense treatment approach.