Increased cancer risk in patients with haemophilia A: a nationwide population-based 14-year study in Taiwan

Long-term safety and efficacy outcomes of valoctocogene roxaparvovec gene transfer up to 6 years post-treatment

INTRODUCTION

Valoctocogene roxaparvovec uses an adeno-associated virus serotype 5 (AAV5) vector to transfer a factor VIII (FVIII) coding sequence to individuals with severe haemophilia A, providing bleeding protection.

AIM

To assess safety and efficacy of valoctocogene roxaparvovec 5-6 years post-treatment.

METHODS

In a phase 1/2 trial, adult male participants with severe haemophilia A (FVIII ≤1 IU/dL) without FVIII inhibitors or anti-AAV5 antibodies received valoctocogene roxaparvovec and were followed for 6 (6 × 1013 vg/kg; n = 7) and 5 (4 × 1013 vg/kg; n = 6) years. Safety, including investigation of potential associations between a malignancy and gene therapy, and efficacy are reported.

RESULTS

No new treatment-related safety signals emerged. During year 6, a participant in the 6 × 1013  vg/kg cohort was diagnosed with grade 2 parotid gland acinar cell carcinoma; definitive treatment was uncomplicated parotidectomy with lymph node dissection. Target enrichment sequencing of tumour and adjacent healthy tissue revealed low vector integration (8.25 × 10-5 per diploid cell). Integrations were not elevated in tumour samples, no insertions appeared to drive tumorigenesis, and no clonal expansion of integration-containing cells occurred. During all follow-ups, >90% decreases from baseline in annualised treated bleeds and FVIII infusion rates were maintained. At the end of years 6 and 5, mean FVIII activity (chromogenic assay) was 9.8 IU/dL (median, 5.6 IU/dL) and 7.6 IU/dL (median, 7.1 IU/dL) for the 6 × 1013 and 4 × 1013 vg/kg cohorts, respectively, representing proportionally smaller year-over-year declines than earlier timepoints.

CONCLUSIONS

Valoctocogene roxaparvovec safety and efficacy profiles remain largely unchanged; genomic investigations showed no association with a parotid tumour.

Papillary thyroid cancer in a child with hemophilia A

Hemophilia A is a hereditary hemorrhagic disorder associated with bleeding episodes and characterized by deficiency or dysfunction of coagulation protein factor VIII. Cancer incidence was found to increase in hemophilic patients. A case of a 6-year old boy with papillary thyroid cancer and hemophilia who underwent a successful total thyroidectomy and bilateral modified radical lymph node dissection with appropriate peri-operative management consisting of Factor VIII replacement is presented.

Comorbidities of cardiovascular disease and cancer in hemophilia patients

As life expectancy greatly increases in persons with hemophilia (PWH), more age-related diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) emerge among this patient group. The aim of this study was to review the available evidence on the epidemiology of CVD events, and incidence and survival of cancer in PWH. The prevalence of CVD events among PWH seems to be similar to that of the general population. Some known risk factors for the event, including aging, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, are also associated with its occurrence in PWH. There is no evidence showing occurrence of the event directly to clotting factor concentrate administration. On the other hand, the incidence of non-virus related cancer seems to be higher in PWH than the general population. In addition, PWH with cancer were younger at the time of diagnosis. In regards to hemophilia effect on cancer prognosis, further basic and large-scale prospective studies are urgently needed.

Incidence and survival of cancers among 1,054 hemophilia patients: A nationwide and 14-year cohort study

As life expectancy increases in persons with hemophilia (PWH), more age-related diseases such as cancer emerge among this patient group. The aim of this study was to investigate incidence and survival of cancers among PWH in Taiwan. We analyzed data of 1,054 PWH retrieved from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database between 1997 and 2010, by comparing variables to 10540 age- and gender-matched healthy individuals from the general population. There were 43 PWH and 178 individuals of general population with newly diagnosed cancer (RR 2.42, 95% CI 1.74-3.35). The cumulative incidences of cancer in PWH and the general population were 4.7 and 1.9%, respectively. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was the major type of cancer (17 cases) in PWH; cancer rate was still increased when HCC and HIV-related cancers were excluded (RR 1.66, 95% CI 1.06-2.59). There was no significant difference observed in lung, colorectal, or prostate cancer occurrence. Compared to the general population, PWH were younger at the time of cancer diagnosis (45.1 vs. 57.2 years old, P value < 0.001), and had fewer co-morbidities. Nineteen PWH with cancers died during the study period, and no bleeding-related death was recorded among these patients. The survival rate was not different between PWH and the general population, P = 0.86. In conclusion, the cumulative incidence of cancer among PWH was higher than the general population. PWH with cancer were younger and had fewer comorbidities, but the survival rates were similar in the two groups.