Dexamethasone compared to prednisolone for adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia or lymphoblastic lymphoma: final results of the ALL-4 randomized, phase III trial of the EORTC Leukemia Group

Monoclonal antibodies binding to different epitopes of CD20 differentially sensitize DLBCL to different classes of chemotherapy

Introduction

Rituximab (R), an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (mAb) and the world's first approved antibody for oncology patients, was combined with the CHOP chemotherapy regimen and markedly improved the prognosis of all B- cell-derived lymphomas, the most common hematological malignancy worldwide. However, there is a 35% disease recurrence with no advancement in the first-line treatment since R was combined with the archetypal CHOP chemotherapy regimen nearly 30 years ago. There is evidence that R synergizes with chemotherapy, but the pharmacological interactions between R and CHOP or between newer anti-CD20 mAbs and CHOP remain largely unexplored.

Methods

We used in vitro models to score pharmacological interactions between R and CHOP across various lymphoma cell lines. We compared these pharmacological interactions to ofatumumab, a second-generation anti-CD20 mAb, and CHOP. Lastly, we used RNA-sequencing to characterize the transcriptional profiles induced by these two antibodies and potential molecular pathways that mediate their different effects.

Results

We discovered vast heterogeneity in the pharmacological interactions between R and CHOP in a way not predicted by the current clinical classification. We then discovered that R and ofatumumab differentially synergize with the cytotoxic and cytostatic capabilities of CHOP in separate distinct subsets of B-cell lymphoma cell lines, thereby expanding favorable immunochemotherapy interactions across a greater range of cell lines beyond those induced by R-CHOP. Lastly, we discovered these two mAbs differentially modulate genes enriched in the JNK and p38 MAPK family, which regulates apoptosis and proliferation.

Discussion

Our findings were completely unexpected because these mAbs were long considered to be biological and clinical equivalents but, in practice, may perform better than the other in a patient-specific manner. This finding may have immediate clinical significance because both immunochemotherapy combinations are already FDA-approved with no difference in toxicity across phase I, II, and III clinical trials. Therefore, this finding could inform a new precision medicine strategy to provide additional therapeutic benefit to patients with B-cell lymphoma using immunochemotherapy combinations that already meet the clinical standard of care.

CAR-T Cell Therapy: the Efficacy and Toxicity Balance

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is an immunotherapy that has resulted in tremendous progress in the treatment of patients with B cell malignancies. However, the remarkable efficacy of therapy is not without significant safety concerns. Herein, we will review the unique and potentially life-threatening toxicities associated with CAR-T cell therapy and their association with treatment efficacy.

RECENT FINDINGS

Currently, CAR-T cell therapy is approved for the treatment of B cell relapsed or refractory leukemia and lymphoma, and most recently, multiple myeloma (MM). In these different diseases, it has led to excellent complete and overall response rates depending on the patient population and therapy. Despite promising efficacy, CAR-T cell therapy is associated with significant side effects; the two most notable toxicities are cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS). The treatment of CAR-T-induced toxicity is supportive; however, as higher-grade adverse events occur, toxicity-directed therapy with tocilizumab, an IL-6 receptor antibody, and steroids is standard practice. Overall, a careful risk-benefit balance exists between the efficacy and toxicities of therapies. The challenge lies in the underlying pathophysiology of CAR-T-related toxicity which relies upon the activation of CAR-T cells. Some degree of toxicity is expected to achieve an effective response to therapy, and certain aspects of treatment are also associated with toxicity. As progress is made in the investigation and approval of new CARs, novel toxicity-directed therapies and toxicity-limited constructs will be the focus of attention.

Molecular Characterization of the Response to Conventional Chemotherapeutics in Pro-B-ALL Cell Lines in Terms of Tumor Relapse

Little is known about optimally applying chemotherapeutic agents in a specific temporal sequence to rapidly reduce the tumor load and to improve therapeutic efficacy. The clinical optimization of drug efficacy while reducing side effects is still restricted due to an incomplete understanding of the mode of action and related tumor relapse mechanisms on the molecular level. The molecular characterization of transcriptomic drug signatures can help to identify the affected pathways, downstream regulated genes and regulatory interactions related to tumor relapse in response to drug application. We tried to outline the dynamic regulatory reprogramming leading to tumor relapse in relapsed MLL-rearranged pro-B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) cells in response to two first-line treatments: dexamethasone (Dexa) and cytarabine (AraC). We performed an integrative molecular analysis of whole transcriptome profiles of each treatment, specifically considering public knowledge of miRNA regulation via a network-based approach to unravel key driver genes and miRNAs that may control the relapse mechanisms accompanying each treatment. Our results gave hints to the crucial regulatory roles of genes leading to Dexa-resistance and related miRNAs linked to chemosensitivity. These genes and miRNAs should be further investigated in preclinical models to obtain more hints about relapse processes.

[Age-related characteristics of the efficacy of different glucocorticosteroids in the therapy of acute lymphoblastic leukemia]

AIM

To determine predictors for decision-making on a differential approach to choosing glucocorticosteroids (GCS) for children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

The analysis covered 1064 primary patients aged to 1 to 18 years with ALL who had been registered at the clinics of Russia and Belorussia in April 2002 to November 2006. Before induction therapy, the patients were randomized into a dexamethasone (DEXA) 6 mg/m2 group (n=539) and a methylprednisolone (MePRED) 60 mg/m2 one (n=525).

RESULTS

The entire group showed no statistically significant differences in survival rates between the patients receiving DEXA or MePRED. However, an analysis of age groups revealed the benefits of DEXA in children younger than 14 years (the event-free survival (EFS) was 76±2 and 71±2%, respectively (p=0.048); the overall survival (OS) was 81±2 and 77±2%, respectively (p=0.046); therapy-induced mortality was 6.4% (DEXA) andl 1.1% (MePRED) (p=0.01 4); the rate of isolated extramedullary relapses was 1.5% (DEXA) and 4.4% (MePRED) (p=0.009). At the same time, EFS and OS in 14-to-18-year-old adolescents were statistically significantly higher than in those who used MePRED (EFS, 65±6 and 52±6%, respectively (p=0.087); OS, 72±6 and 61±6%, respectively; (p=0.l 7).

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that it is possible that the choice of a GCS for ALL therapy must be also based on a patient's age. There is a need for further studies of this matter in prospective randomized multicenter trials in children and adolescents.

Symptomatic osteonecrosis in childhood leukemia survivors: prevalence, risk factors and impact on quality of life in adulthood

Corticosteroid can induce osteonecrosis in children with leukemia. Few studies have been designed to assess the influence of a wide range of cumulative steroid dose on this side effect. Prevalence, risk factors of symptomatic osteonecrosis and its impact on adults' Quality of Life were assessed in 943 patients enrolled in the French "Leucémies de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent" (LEA) cohort of childhood leukemia survivors. During each medical visit, data on previous osteonecrosis diagnosis were retrospectively collected. Patients without a history but with suggestive symptoms were investigated with magnetic resonance imaging. The total steroid dose in equivalent of prednisone was calculated for each patient and its effect on osteonecrosis occurrence was studied in multivariate models. Cumulative incidence was 1.4% after chemotherapy alone versus 6.8% after transplantation (P<0.001). A higher cumulative steroid dose, age over ten years at diagnosis, and treatment with transplantation significantly increased the risk of osteonecrosis. A higher post-transplant steroid dose and age over ten years at time of transplantation were significant factors in the transplanted group. With patients grouped according to steroid dose quartile, cumulative incidence of osteonecrosis reached 3.8% in the chemotherapy group for a dose beyond 5835 mg/m(2) and 23.8% after transplantation for a post-transplant dose higher than 2055 mg/m(2). Mean physical composite score of Quality of Life was 44.3 in patients with osteonecrosis versus 54.8% in patients without (P<0.001). We conclude that total and post-transplant cumulative steroid dose may predict the risk of osteonecrosis, a rare late effect with a strong negative impact on physical domains of Quality of Life.

Outcome of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) following induction therapy with a modified (pulsed dexamethasone rather than continuous prednisone) UKALL XII/ECOG E2993 protocol at Tawam Hospital, United Arab Emirates (UAE)

This retrospective data analysis examined the outcome of 99 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients treated at Tawam Hospital between January 2000 and December 2009. Sixteen patients were treated before June 2002, and 83 patients were treated from June 2002. A modified form of UKALL XII/ECOG E2993 with pulsed dexamethasone in induction phase one (modified UKALL) was the main therapy from June 2002 (71/83). The median age was 28 years. Fifty-eight percent had pre-B ALL where 36 % of them were Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+). Overall, complete remission (CR) rate was 86.7 % which was significantly inferior for patients with white blood cell count 30-100 × 10⁹/l (p = 0.009), therapy before June 2002 (p = 0.02), pregnancy (p = 0.005), CNS leukemia (p = 0.028), and unknown karyotype (p = 0.004). With a median follow-up of 11.8 months (0.49-126 months), the estimated overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) at 3 years were 50.6 and 28.7 %, respectively. OS and EFS were significantly inferior for patients not in CR after induction, age >20 years, Ph+, unknown karyotype and therapy before June 2002. In addition, CR, OS and EFS were significantly superior (p = 0.004, p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively) for therapy with our modified UKALL protocol compared to Tawam protocol (main therapy before June 2002). In conclusion, the outcome of treatment for ALL at our institute is encouraging with significant improvement in the outcome of older adolescents and young adults when using high-intensity chemotherapy. This suggests that such an approach is feasible in developing countries in spite of some limitations including lack of stem cell transplantation service.

Advances in acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adults

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review will be focused on the advances in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) based on recently published articles.

RECENT FINDINGS

Progress in the understanding of the molecular basis of ALL has contributed to a more precise definition of risk factors. The study of minimal residual disease has re-defined the baseline prognostic factors and has opened new strategies for postremission management. The use of pediatric-inspired therapies for young adults with standard-risk ALL, the broadening of the number of patients who are eligible for allogeneic stem cell transplantation, the increasing use of targeted therapies (monoclonal antibodies, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and new purine analogs, etc.) in early phases of the disease, together with the improvements in supportive therapy explain the increased survival of young and middle-aged adult ALL.

SUMMARY

These changes are improving long-term outcome, which in ongoing studies is expected to be of close to 50%, and are opening the door for future therapeutic advances.

The role of cytotoxic therapy with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the treatment of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia: update of the 2006 evidence-based review

Clinical research published since the first evidence-based review on the role of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in adults is presented and critically evaluated in this update. Treatment recommendations changed or modified based on new evidence include: (1) myeloablative allogeneic SCT is an appropriate treatment for adult (<35 years) ALL in first complete remission for all disease risk groups; and (2) reduced-intensity conditioning may produce similar outcomes to myeloablative regimens. Treatment recommendations unchanged or strengthened by new evidence include: (1) allogeneic SCT is recommended over chemotherapy for ALL in second complete remission or greater; (2) allogeneic is superior to autologous SCT; and (3) there are similar survival outcomes after related and unrelated allogeneic SCT. New treatment recommendations based on new evidence include: (1) in the absence of a suitable allogeneic donor, autologous SCT may be an appropriate therapy, but results in a high relapse rate; (2) it is appropriate to consider cord blood transplantation for patients with no HLA well-matched donor; and (3) imatinib therapy before and/or after SCT (for Ph+ ALL) yields significantly superior survival outcomes. Areas of needed research in the treatment of adult ALL with SCT were identified and presented in the review.

Dexamethasone versus prednisone for induction therapy in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis compared the efficacy and toxicity of dexamethasone (DEX) versus prednisone (PRED) for induction therapy in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). We searched biomedical literature databases and conference proceedings for randomized controlled trials comparing DEX and PRED during induction therapy for childhood ALL. A total of eight studies were eligible for inclusion in this meta-analysis. DEX, in comparison with PRED, reduced events (that is, death from any cause, refractory or relapsed leukemia, or second malignancy; risk ratio (RR) 0.80; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.68-0.94) and central nervous system relapse (RR 0.53; 95% CI, 0.44-0.65), but did not alter bone marrow relapse (RR 0.90; 95% CI, 0.69-1.18) or overall mortality (RR 0.91; 95% CI, 0.76-1.09). Patients receiving DEX had a higher risk of mortality during induction (RR 2.31; 95% CI, 1.46-3.66), neuro-psychiatric adverse events (RR 4.55; 95% CI, 2.45-8.46) and myopathy (RR 7.05; 95% CI, 3.00-16.58). There was no statistically significant difference in the risk of osteonecrosis, sepsis, fungal infection, diabetes or pancreatitis. DEX in induction therapy for children with ALL is more efficacious than PRED. However, DEX is also associated with more toxicity, and currently it remains unclear whether short-term superiority of DEX will also result in better overall survival.