Effect of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Therapy on Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate in Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

INTRODUCTION

The advent of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) was revolutionary in the management of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Although TKIs were generally considered to be safe, they can be associated with renal injury. We evaluated the effect of TKIs on renal functions in a cohort of patients with long-term follow-up.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We retrospectively examined patients with chronic phase CML treated with TKIs. We analyzed the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of patients from the initiation of TKI to the last follow-up. eGFR values of CML patients were compared to those of patients with stage 1 or 2 chronic kidney disease (CKD).

RESULTS

A total of 195 patients with CML and 138 patients with CKD were examined. eGFR decline was 1.556 ml/min/1.73m2/year for patients with CML (P = .221). Patients receiving second-generation TKIs (2GTKI) were estimated to have 0.583 ml/min/1.73m2 higher eGFR value than that of the imatinib group, but it was not significant (P = .871). eGFR of patients who had used bosutinib had a downward trend. Duration of TKI therapy, age, and hypertension were found to be significant factors in eGFR decline for CML patients. Lower baseline GFR was associated with an increased risk of CKD development.

CONCLUSION

Imatinib could result in a decline in eGFR which was clinically similar to early-stage CKD patients. We did not observe significant kidney function deterioration in patients receiving 2GTKIs including dasatinib and nilotinib. We recommend close renal function monitoring in patients receiving imatinib, especially for elderly patients with lower baseline eGFR and hypertension.

Single agent vemurafenib or rituximab-vemurafenib combination for the treatment of relapsed/refractory hairy cell leukemia, a multicenter experience

BACKGROUND

Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a rare mature B-cell malignancy that is primarily treated with purine analogues. However, relapse remains a significant challenge, prompting the search for alternative therapies. The BRAF V600E mutation prevalent in HCL patients provides a target for treatment with vemurafenib.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This multicenter retrospective study included nine patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) HCL from six different centers. Patient data included demographics, prior treatments, clinical outcomes, and adverse events.

RESULTS

Patients received different treatment regimens between centers, including vemurafenib alone or in combination with rituximab. Despite the differences in protocols, all patients achieved at least a partial response, with seven patients achieving a complete response. Adverse events were generally mild with manageable side effects. The absence of myelotoxic effects and manageable side effects make BRAF inhibitors attractive, especially for patients ineligible for purine analogues or those with severe neutropenia.

CONCLUSION

Single agent vemurafenib or in combination with rituximab appears to be a promising therapeutic option for R/R HCL. Further research is needed to establish standardized treatment protocols and to investigate long-term outcomes.

A cross-sectional study on restless legs syndrome (RLS) in polycythemia vera (PV): is iron deficiency the only culprit?

INTRODUCTION

In polycythemia vera (PV) patients undergoing phlebotomy, iron deficiency (ID) may develop. ID has been linked to restless legs syndrome (RLS), and in one study, 29.6% of PV patients had RLS. We aimed to evaluate the frequency of RLS in PV and to evaluate factors that might play a role in RLS development among PV and essential thrombocythemia (ET) patients.

METHODS

We consecutively included PV cases as the patient group, and ET and ID patients and healthy subjects (HSs) were included as controls. Those with conditions that could lead to RLS were excluded. All subjects were questioned according to the diagnostic criteria of the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven PV, 23 ET, and 22 ID patients and 23 HSs were included. RLS was detected in 25.9%, 34.8%, and 45.5% of PV, ET, and ID patients, respectively. None of the HSs had RLS. In univariate analysis, interferon-α and anagrelide use, magnesium levels, and the Leeds assessment of neuropathic symptoms and signs (LANSS) scores had a significant impact on RLS in PV and ET patients (p = 0.014, p = 0.032, p = 0.036, and p = 0.003, respectively).

CONCLUSION

RLS was more common among PV and ET patients than HSs, which was irrespective to the iron status. RLS was more frequent in ET patients than that observed in PV cases, indicating that ID may not be the only causative factor for RLS development in PV. Further prospective studies are needed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of RLS developing in PV and ET.

Does discontinuing bleomycin due to toxicity increase the risk of lymphoma progression? Real-life data from a homogeneous population of advanced stage Hodgkin lymphoma

Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) is often curable with ABVD therapy and improving outcomes is a main goal of ongoing research. Bleomycin-associated pneumonitis (BAPT) is a potentially life-threatening complication that necessitates bleomycin discontinuation. We conducted this study on a homogenous cohort of advanced stage HL treated only with ABVD for frontline therapy to assess if bleomycin discontinuation increases the risk of lymphoma progression. After the exclusion of patients who received radiotherapy or other drugs, 106 and 28 patients in the six-cycle ABVD and BAPT groups respectively had similar survival curves for progression and death with a 49-month median follow-up. PFS rates were also very similar at two and four years from diagnosis with 2-year PFS rates of 83.9% and 82.1% (RR = 1.1 95%CI = 0.45-2.2). Outcome comparisons were also similar between the two groups when stratified according to early response assessment with PET/CT. Patients who discontinued bleomycin due to toxicity did not experience an increased risk of progression compared to patients who completed six ABVD cycles.

The Effect of Smoking on Inactivated and mRNA Vaccine Responses Applied to Prevent COVİD-19 in Multiple Sclerosis

Introduction

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the biggest health challenge of recent times. Studies so far reveal that vaccination is the only way to prevent this pandemic. There may be factors that decrease or increase vaccine effectiveness. In multiple sclerosis (MS), some of these factors may cause changes in the effectiveness of the vaccine, depending on the nature of the disease and disease-modifying treatments (DMT). In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between antibody titer and smoking in non-treated and DMT-treated MS patients who received inactivated vaccine (Sinovac) and messenger RNA BNT162b2 (BioNTech) mRNA vaccines.

Method

Vaccine antibody responses were measured between 4-12 weeks after two doses of inactivated vaccine and mRNA vaccines. Patients were separated into 6 groups as: patients with MS without treatment PwMS w/o T, ocrelizumab, fingolimod, interferons (interferon beta-1a and interferon beta-1b), dimethyl fumarate, and teriflunomide. Antibody titers of smokers and non-smokers were compared for both vaccines and for each group.

Results

The study included 798 patients. In the mRNA vaccine group, smokers (n=148; 2982±326 AU/mL) had lower antibody titers compared to the non-smokers (n=244; 5903±545 AU/mL) in total (p=0.020). In the inactivated vaccine group, no significant difference was detected between smokers (n=136; 383±51 AU/mL) and non-smokers (n=270; 388±49 AU/mL) in total (p=0.149). In both vaccine groups, patients receiving ocrelizumab and fingolimod had lower antibody titers than those receiving other DMTs or PwMS w/o T. In untreated MS patients, antibody levels in smokers were lower than in non-smokers in the mRNA vaccine group. No difference was found between antibody levels of smokers and non-smokers in any of the inactivated vaccine groups.

Conclusion

Ocrelizumab and fingolimod have lower antibody levels than PwMS w/o T or other DMTs in both mRNA and inactivated vaccine groups. Smoking decreases antibody levels in the mRNA vaccine group, while it has no effect in the inactivated vaccine group.

mRNA versus inactivated virus COVID-19 vaccines in multiple sclerosis: Humoral responses and protectivity-Does it matter?

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 vaccines are recommended for people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). Adequate humoral responses are obtained in pwMS receiving disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) after vaccination, with the exception of those receiving B-cell-depleting therapies and non-selective S1P modulators. However, most of the reported studies on the immunity of COVID-19 vaccinations have included mRNA vaccines, and information on inactivated virus vaccine responses, long-term protectivity, and comparative studies with mRNA vaccines are very limited. Here, we aimed to investigate the association between humoral vaccine responses and COVID-19 infection outcomes following mRNA and inactivated virus vaccines in a large national cohort of pwMS receiving DMTs.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional and prospective multicenter study on COVID-19-vaccinated pwMS. Blood samples of pwMS with or without DMTs and healthy controls were collected after two doses of inactivated virus (Sinovac) or mRNA (Pfizer-BioNTech) vaccines. PwMS were sub-grouped according to the mode of action of the DMTs that they were receiving. SARS-CoV-2 IgG titers were evaluated by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. A representative sample of this study cohort was followed up for a year. COVID-19 infection status and clinical outcomes were compared between the mRNA and inactivated virus groups as well as among pwMS subgroups.

RESULTS

A total of 1484 pwMS (1387 treated, 97 untreated) and 185 healthy controls were included in the analyses (male/female: 544/1125). Of those, 852 (51.05%) received BioNTech, and 817 (48.95%) received Sinovac. mRNA and inactivated virus vaccines result in similar seropositivity; however, the BioNTech vaccination group had significantly higher antibody titers (7.175±10.074) compared with the Sinovac vaccination group (823±1.774) (p<0.001). PwMS under ocrelizumab, fingolimod, and cladribine treatments had lower humoral responses compared with the healthy controls in both vaccine types. After a mean of 327±16 days, 246/704 (34.9%) of pwMS who were contacted had COVID-19 infection, among whom 83% had asymptomatic or mild disease. There was no significant difference in infection rates of COVID-19 between participants vaccinated with BioNTech or Sinovac vaccines. Furthermore, regression analyses show that no association was found regarding age, sex, Expanded Disability Status Scale score (EDSS), the number of vaccination, DMT type, or humoral antibody responses with COVID-19 infection rate and disease severity, except BMI Body mass index (BMI).

CONCLUSION

mRNA and inactivated virus vaccines had similar seropositivity; however, mRNA vaccines appeared to be more effective in producing SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. B-cell-depleting therapies fingolimod and cladribine were associated with attenuated antibody titer. mRNA and inactive virus vaccines had equal long-term protectivity against COVID-19 infection regardless of the antibody status.

Erdheim-Chester disease with chorioretinal and orbital involvement: a case report

A 42-year-old woman presented with bilateral proptosis, chemosis, leg pain, and vision loss. Orbital, chorioretinal, and multi-organ involvement of Erdheim-Chester disease, a rare non-Langerhans histiocytosis, with a negative BRAF mutation was diagnosed based on clinical, radiological, and pathological findings. Interferon-alpha-2a (IFNα-2a) was started, and her clinical condition improved. However, 4 months later, she had vision loss with a history of IFNα-2a cessation. The same therapy was administered, and her clinical condition improved. The Erdheim-Chester disease is a rare chronic histiocytic proliferative disease that requires a multidisciplinary approach and can be fatal if left untreated because of multisystemic involvements.

Upregulation of SPINK2 in acute myeloid leukemia

Objectives

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a highly heterogeneous disease. Although patients can be classified into risk groups based on their genetic changes, the prognosis of disease within these categories varies widely. This situation raises the need to search for new molecular markers related to AML. Serine peptidase inhibitor Kazal type 2 (SPINK2) has recently been reported to be upregulated in AML and associated with poor outcomes by meta-analysis and in a limited number of AML patients.

Methods

We analyzed SPINK2 mRNA expression in 62 patients (45 adult and 17 pediatric) with AML and 11 cell lines using quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR). SPINK2 protein level was determined using ELISA in cell lines.

Results

We found that the expression of SPINK2 mRNA and protein levels in AML cell lines (HL60 and NB4) have increased compared to other cell lines (K562, Jurkat and NALM6, MCF7, HeLa, HUVEC, hFOB, 293T, U87). SPINK2 mRNA expression was upregulated in patients with AML compared to controls (p=0.004) and significantly lower in t(8;21)-positive patients compared to negative patients (p=0.0006).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that SPINK2 serves an important role in AML development. Further studies are needed to evaluate SPINK2 expression in AML patients with t(8.21) and investigate to clarify its prognostic value in various subgroups of AML.

Diagnosis and Management of Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has brought life to a standstill globally. Intermittent quarantines were applied to control the pandemic and reduce contamination. During the pandemic, patients with hematological malignancies were among the most vulnerable population. Our aim was to compare in terms of demographic data, disease-related factors, symptom-to-diagnosis interval, diagnosis-to-treatment interval , and interim and end-of-treatment response in classical Hodgkin lymphoma patients diagnosed during the pandemic and in the pre-pandemic periods. A total of 90 patients were included, of which 65 and 25 were diagnosed in the 2 years before the pandemic and the 12-month period during the pandemic, respectively. Demographic features were comparable in both groups. Although the percentage of patients with advanced-stage disease was higher during the pandemic (64% vs 53.8%), this difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.384). The median symptom-to-diagnosis interval was significantly longer during the pandemic than was observed within the pre-pandemic era (16 weeks vs 8 weeks, P = 0.042). The median diagnosis-to-treatment intervals was similar in both groups (13 days vs 15 days, P = 0.253). In the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods, 85.2% and 72.7% of the patients had complete response at end-of-treatment evaluation, respectively (P = 0.208). We found that symptom-to-diagnosis interval was significantly prolonged during the pandemic. Higher percentage of patients with advanced-stage disease during the pandemic might also be due to this delay, nevertheless, this difference did not reach to a significant difference regarding treatment response in both groups.

Treatment Responses, Toxicity, and Survival in Patients with Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma Aged ≥50 Years: A Single-Center Experience Over Two Decades

Introduction

The aim of this study was to evaluate treatment responses, toxicity, and survival among cHL patients aged ≥50 years.

Methods

We retrospectively identified all newly diagnosed cHL patients and only included cases who were ≥50 years old at the time of diagnosis and with data available between 1999 and 2020.

Results

There were 101 patients, of which 52 were between 50 and 59 years of age, and 49 patients were ≥60 years old. Sixty-two patients were male, and the most common histopathological subtype was mixed cellularity cHL (58.4%). ECOG PS, CCI, CIRS, and ACE-27 scores were significantly higher in patients aged ≥60 years than those of 50–59 age group. While all patients aged 50–59 years received ABVD as first-line therapy, 79% (n=39) of cases aged ≥60 years had ABVD. In patients receiving ABVD, 95% and 92.7% of the cases aged 50–59 and ≥60 years had CR, respectively (p=0.999). Age groups were comparable in terms of hematological and non-hematological toxicities (p=0.369, p=0.127, respectively). Although not statistically significant, median survival was longer in patients receiving a transplant than in those without transplantation (108 months vs 52 months, p=0.069). In multivariate analysis, the risk of progression was higher in patients with lymphocyte ≤600/mm³ and in those who were unresponsive to first-line therapy (p=0.002 and p<0.001, respectively). Patients with B symptoms, age ≥60 years, and CIRS >3 had higher risk of mortality (p=0.001, p=0.012, p=0.038, respectively). By using these 3 parameters, we defined a new risk score, which divided our patient cohort into two as low- and high-risk groups. Low-risk patients had significantly higher survival rates than the high-risk group (83.9% vs 40.5%, p<0.001).

Discussion

This new prognostic score should be further tested and validated in other patient populations. Although our study has some limitations including the limited number of patients and its retrospective nature, there are not so many studies in elderly cHL patients and elderly and/or frail patients are generally excluded in most of the clinical trials. Thus, this real-life single-center experience would contribute to the literature.

Biosimilar Rituximab (Redditux) Added to CHOP Chemotherapy for De-novo Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma Patients: Real-life Single Center Experience

Objective

Redditux®(RED), the biosimilar rituximab, was approved in Turkey for all indications of the original Mabthera®(MAB) in March 2018. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of RED in de-novo DLBCL.

Materials and Methods

Fifty-one patients received RED combined with CHOP regimen. The median follow-up was 31 months. The historical control group included 219 patients treated with MAB-CHOP regimen and the median follow-up time was 38 months. We compared the response rates and survival outcomes of the RED- and MAB-CHOP treated cohorts.

Results

In the RED cohort, the overall response rate (ORR) at the end of the treatment protocol was 86%, with 37 CR (72.5%) and 7 PR (13.5%). In the historical MAB cohort, the overall response rate was 84%, with a CR and PR rate of 82% and 2%, respectively. The 24-month PFS rates were 73.76% (95%CI 0.59-0.84) and 85.2 (95%CI:0.79-0.90) for RED and MAB cohorts, respectively (p=0.0106). The 24-month OS rates were 78.4% (95%CI:0.64-0.87) and 81.4% (95%CI:0.75-0.86) for RED and MAB cohorts, respectively (p=0.7461). For pts with high R-IPI score; the 24-month PFS was 45.5% (95%CI:0.17-0.71) and 63% (95%CI:0.37-0.80) for RED and MAB cohorts, respectively (p=0.0711). In the RED cohort, CNS relapse was significantly increased compared to MAB cohort (10% vs 1.83%, p=0.004). Among our RED cohort, bone involvement at the time of diagnosis was a risk factor for CNS relapse (p=0.028). Thirteen pts died in the follow-up. There was not any serious adverse event causing the cessation of the drug.

Conclusion

RED has similar ORR to MAB. However, PFS rates were worse in the RED cohort. Additionally, CNS relapse ratio was a major concern for our RED cohort. Large prospective controlled studies and real-life data with longer follow-up are needed to document the non-inferiority of RED compared to MAB.

Castleman Disease: A Multicenter Case Series from Turkey

Objective:

Castleman disease (CD) is a rare disease also known as angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia. The two main histological subtypes are the hyaline vascular and plasma cell variants. It is further classified as unicentric CD (UCD) or multicentric CD (MCD) according to the anatomical distribution of the disease and the number of lymph nodes involved. The aim of this multicenter study was to evaluate all cases of CD identified to date in Turkey to set up a national registry to improve the early recognition, treatment, and follow-up of CD.

Materials and Methods:

Both adult (n=130) and pediatric (n=10) patients with lymph node or involved field biopsy results reported as CD were included in the study. Patients’ demographic information, clinical and laboratory characteristics, imaging study results, treatment strategies, and clinical outcomes were evaluated retrospectively.

Results:

A total of 140 patients (69 male and 71 female) with a diagnosis of UCD (n=73) or MCD (n=67) were included. The mean age was 39 years in the UCD group and 47 years in the MCD group. Female patients were more common in the UCD group. The most common histological subtype was hyaline vascular for both UCD and MCD patients. Asymptomatic patients were more common in the UCD group. Anemia, elevations of acute phase reactants, and hypoalbuminemia were more common in the MCD group. The most commonly used treatment strategies for UCD were surgical excision, rituximab, and radiotherapy, respectively. All UCD patients were alive at a median of 19.5 months of follow-up. The most commonly used treatment strategies for MCD were methyl prednisolone, R-CHOP, R-CVP, and rituximab. Thirteen MCD patients had died at a median of 34 months of follow-up.

Conclusion:

This study is important in presenting the patient characteristics and treatment strategies for CD from Turkey, with the potential of increasing awareness about CD. Treatment data may help in making decisions, particularly in countries that do not have access to siltuximab. However, larger prospective studies are needed to make definitive conclusions.

The prognostic value of serum levels of a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) in treatment-naïve patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Background/aim

A proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) has been investigated as a prognostic marker in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients. However, there is no cut-off level for serum APRIL (sAPRIL) levels that predict time to treatment in CLL patients.

Materials and methods

Between May and December 2012, 94 consecutive CLL patients and 25 healthy controls were assessed. sAPRIL levels were measured by ELISA. Demographic data and prognostic markers were obtained from the patients’ files. Treatment-naïve patients were followed up for 6.5 years for any treatment need.

Results

Patients were divided into 3 groups: Treatment-naïve (n = 47), chemotherapy receiving (n = 25), and those who had received chemotherapy previously (n = 22). There was no difference in median sAPRIL levels of patients who were receiving chemotherapy at the sampling time and the healthy controls, which indicates that sAPRIL levels might be influenced by treatment. For treatment-naïve patients, the best cut-off in predicting time to treatment was found at the sAPRIL level of 2.04 ng/mL, with 78% sensitivity and 63% specificity. Time to treatment was significantly earlier in the APRIL high group (n = 27) than in the APRIL low group (n = 20) (P = 0.010, log-rank test).

Conclusion

sAPRIL, a simple, promising blood test which can be measured by ELISA, will likely obtain a place in the wide range of prognostic markers in CLL. Prospective large-scale studies are required to validate and confirm the feasibility of the proposed cut-off level of 2.04 ng/mL as a predictor of time to treatment in treatment-naïve CLL patients.

Vincristine as an Adjunct to Therapeutic Plasma Exchange for Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura: A Single-Institution Experience

Background:

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura is a potentially life-threatening condition. Although the introduction of therapeutic plasma exchange has reduced mortality rates from over 90% to 10%-20%, approximately 40% of patients relapse, and outcomes may be fatal in refractory patients. There is clearly a need for additional therapeutic approaches.

Aims:

To describe the outcomes of relapsed/refractory thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura patients treated with vincristine as an adjunct to therapeutic plasma exchange.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Methods:

The medical records of all relapsed/refractory patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura treated with vincristine adjunct to therapeutic plasma exchange between October 2000 and December 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Diagnosis of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura was based on clinical history, physical examination, and laboratory examinations. Patient demographics, laboratory findings, initial date and duration of therapeutic plasma exchange, dosage and time of administration of vincristine, and outcomes were recorded.

Results:

The study included 15 patients [median age: 37 years (range: 26-65); 7 women and 8 men] with either relapsed or refractory thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura who were treated with vincristine as an adjunct to therapeutic plasma exchange for a total of 22 episodes. Eighty-seven percent of patients achieved remissions in 20 of 22 episodes, with a median duration of remission of 29.5 months (range: 3-105). After a median follow-up of 55 months, 11 patients were alive. Vincristine was well tolerated with no safety concerns.

Conclusion:

Vincristine offers a reasonable option for the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Further studies evaluating vincristine in the front-line setting and in the relapsed/refractory setting are needed to validate the role of vincristine in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura patients.

Retrospective Evaluation of Hairy Cell Leukemia Patients Treated with Three Different First-Line Treatment Modalities in the Last Two Decades: A Single-Center Experience

Objective:

In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical outcome, treatment responses, infectious complications, and survival rates of 71 hairy cell leukemia (HCL) cases.

Materials and Methods:

Sixty-seven patients received a first-line treatment and 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (cladribine-2-CdA) was administered in 31 cases, 19 patients received interferon-alpha (INF-α), splenectomy was performed in 16 cases, and rituximab was used in one.

Results:

Although the highest overall response rate (ORR) was observed in patients receiving 2-CdA upfront, ORRs were comparable in the 2-CdA, INF-α, and splenectomy subgroups. Relapse rates were significantly lower in patients who received first-line 2-CdA. The progression-free survival (PFS) rate with 2-CdA was significantly higher than in patients with INF-α and splenectomy, but we found similar overall survival rates with all three upfront treatment modalities. Infections including tuberculosis were a major problem.

Conclusion:

Although purine analogues have improved the ORRs and PFS, there is still much progress to make with regard to overall survival and relapsed/refractory disease in patients with HCL.