BCR::ABL1 levels at first month after TKI discontinuation predict subsequent maintenance of treatment-free remission: A study from the "GRUPPO TRIVENETO LMC"

We analyzed BCR::ABL1 expression at stop and in the first month after discontinuation in 168 chronic myeloid leukemia patients who stopped imatinib or 2nd generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (2G-TKIs) while in sustained deep molecular response. Patients were divided among those who maintained response (group 1, n = 123) and those who lost major molecular response (group 2, n = 45). Mean BCR::ABL1 RNA levels 1 month after discontinuation were higher in group 2 than in group 1 (p = 0.0005) and the difference was more evident 2 months after stop (p < 0.0001). The same trend was found both for imatinib and 2G-TKIs. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to determine a threshold value of BCR::ABL1 at 1 month after discontinuation identified a cut-off value of 0.0051%, with 92.2% specificity, 31.7% sensitivity and a likelihood ratio of 4.087.

Venetoclax in combination with hypomethylating agents in previously untreated patients with acute myeloid leukemia ineligible for intensive treatment: a real-life multicenter experience

The addition of venetoclax to hypomethylating agents (HMA-V) improved the outcome of patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) ineligible for intensive treatment. The aim of our study was to confirm data reported in literature, in a real-life multicenter experience. We retrospectively evaluated 56 naïve AML patients who received HMA-V at 8 different collaborating Hematology Units in the North-East of Italy, from September 2018 to October 2020. Patients received azacitidine or decitabine at standard dose, adding venetoclax starting from cycle 1-3. The median time-to-response was 2 cycles and composite complete remission rate (CCR) was 67.9%. Thirteen out of 38 responders (34.2%) relapsed, with a median response duration of 13.7 months. Transfusion independence (TI) was obtained in 27 (87.0%) and 28 (90.3%) out of 31 patients for red blood cells and platelets, respectively. Median OS was 12.3 months (95% CI, 8.1-16.5), and median PFS was 11.3 months (95% CI, 4.6-17.9). Cytogenetic risk was the only variable impacting on survival, while no differences were observed stratifying patients by age, bone marrow blasts, WHO classification or type of HMA. In conclusion, our real-life multicenter experience indicates that HMA-V treatment allows achieving good response rates in naïve AML patients, ineligible for intensive chemotherapy.

Next-generation sequencing improves BCR-ABL1 mutation detection in Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

BCR-ABL1 kinase domain mutation testing in tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-resistant Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) patients is routinely performed by Sanger sequencing (SS). Recently, next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based approaches have been developed that afford greater sensitivity and straightforward discrimination between compound and polyclonal mutations. We performed a study to compare the results of SS and NGS in a consecutive cohort of 171 Ph+ ALL patients. At diagnosis, 0/44 and 3/44 patients were positive for mutations by SS and NGS respectively. Out of 47 patients with haematologic resistance, 45 had mutations according to both methods, but in 25 patients NGS revealed additional mutations undetectable by SS. Out of 80 patients in complete haematologic response but with BCR-ABL1 ≥0·1%, 28 (35%) and 52 (65%) were positive by SS and NGS respectively. Moreover, in 12 patients positive by SS, NGS detected additional mutations. NGS resolved clonal complexity in 34 patients with multiple mutations at the same or different codons and identified 35 compound mutations. Our study demonstrates that, in Ph+ ALL on TKI therapy, NGS enables more accurate assessment of mutation status both in patients who fail therapy and in patients with minimal residual disease above 0·1%.

Safety and efficacy of switching from branded to generic imatinib in chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia patients treated in Italy

The use of generic drugs after patent expiration of their originators is a relative novelty in the treatment of chronic cancer patients in Western countries. In this observational study we analyzed a cohort of 294 Italian chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia patients treated frontline with branded imatinib (Glivec®) for at least 6 months and then uniformly switched to generic imatinib upon requirement of health authorities in early 2017. Median age at diagnosis was 57 years (range 19-87). Sokal risk was low/intermediate/high in 55%, 32% and 8% of cases, respectively. Median duration of branded imatinib treatment was 7.4 years (range 0.5-16.7). At a median follow-up of 7.5 months after switch to generic imatinib, 17% of patients reported new or worsening side effects, but grade 3-4 non-hematological adverse events were rare. Six patients switched back to branded imatinib, with improvement in the side effect profile, and 4 pts moved to bosutinib or nilotinib for resistance/intolerance. The majority of patients were in major (26%) or deep molecular response (66%) at the time of switch. Molecular responses remained stable, improved or worsened in 61%, 25% and 14% of patients, respectively. We conclude that switch to generic imatinib for patients who have been receiving branded imatinib appears to be effective and safe. Molecular responses may continue to improve over time. Some patients experienced new or worsened side effects but less than 5% of the whole cohort needed to switch back to branded imatinib or move to other treatments. Savings were around 3 million Euros.

Excellent outcomes of 2G-TKI therapy after imatinib failure in chronic phase CML patients

Second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (2G-TKIs) dasatinib and nilotinib produced historical rates of about 50% complete cytogenetic response (CCyR) and about 40% major molecular response (MMR) in chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) patients failing imatinib. Direct comparisons between dasatinib and nilotinib are lacking, and few studies addressed the dynamics of deep molecular response (DMR) in a "real-life" setting. We retrospectively analyzed 163 patients receiving dasatinib (n = 95) or nilotinib (n = 68) as second-line therapy after imatinib. The two cohorts were comparable for disease's characteristics, although there was a higher rate of dasatinib use in imatinib-resistant and of nilotinib in intolerant patients. Overall, 75% patients not in CCyR and 60% patients not in MMR at 2G-TKI start attained this response. DMR was achieved by 61 patients (37.4%), with estimated rate of stable DMR at 5 years of 24%. After a median follow-up of 48 months, 60% of patients persisted on their second-line treatment. Rates and kinetics of cytogenetic and molecular responses, progression-free and overall survival were similar for dasatinib and nilotinib. In a "real-life" setting, dasatinib and nilotinib resulted equally effective and safe after imatinib failure, determining high rates of CCyR and MMR, and a significant chance of stable DMR, a prerequisite for treatment discontinuation.

Insulin action on glucose and protein metabolism during L-carnitine supplementation in maintenance haemodialysis patients

BACKGROUND

Impaired protein anabolism and insulin resistance are characteristic features of maintenance haemodialysis patients. We have used a randomised, matched-paired, double-blind, placebo-controlled experimental design to determine the capability of intravenous L-carnitine supplementation to modify insulin resistance and protein catabolism in non-diabetic patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing chronic haemodialysis treatment.

METHODS

L-carnitine (20 mg x kg(-1)) (n = 9) or placebo (n = 10) were given intravenously at the end of seven consecutive dialysis sessions. Whole-body protein and glucose metabolism were assessed on interdialytic days by the L[1-(13)C]leucine and the [2,2-(2)H(2)]glucose kinetic models in the postabsorptive state and during euglicemic hyperinsulinemic clamp studies at baseline and at the end of the treatment period.

RESULTS

L-carnitine supplementation was associated with lower (P < 0.05) rates of leucine oxidation (-11 +/- 12%) and appearance from proteolysis (-6 +/- 2%) during the clamp studies than after placebo supplementation. The rates of glucose appearance in the postabsorptive state did not change significantly in the patients receiving L-carnitine treatment. Insulin-mediated glucose disappearance was improved by L-carnitine only in those patients (n = 5) (+18 +/- 3%, P < 0.05 vs placebo group, n = 5) with greater baseline insulin resistance, selected according to the median value of insulin sensitivity before treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

L-carnitine supplementation was associated with protein-sparing effects in maintenance haemodialysis patients during hyperinsulinemia.

Higher total ghrelin levels are associated with higher insulin-mediated glucose disposal in non-diabetic maintenance hemodialysis patients

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Insulin resistance is common in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) and it can contribute to exceedingly high mortality in MHD patients. Ghrelin is a gastric hormone whose total plasma concentration is increased in MHD. Emerging data suggest a potential role of ghrelin to modulate intermediate metabolism but the metabolic impact of ghrelin in chronic kidney disease is unknown. The current study aimed at assessing the potential relationships between ghrelin and insulin sensitivity in MHD.

METHODS

Total (T-Ghr) and acylated (A-Ghr) ghrelin as well as insulin-mediated glucose disposal [(M): hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp] were measured in non-diabetic non-obese ambulatory MHD patients (n=19, 16 Males). C-reactive protein (CRP) was also measured since systemic inflammation is associated with insulin resistance in non-renal patients and inflammation is negatively modulated by ghrelin in experimental models.

RESULTS

Compared to control subjects (C: n=9, 7 Males), MHD had similar body fat and resting energy expenditure but reduced M and increased CRP (P<0.05). MHD also had higher T-(P<0.05) but not A-Ghr. M was associated positively with T-Ghr and negatively with CRP in linear regression analysis in MHD. In stepwise multiple regression analysis only T-Ghr remained associated with M (P<0.05) in a model including A-Ghr and CRP.

CONCLUSIONS

Insulin sensitivity is associated negatively with systemic inflammation and positively with total plasma ghrelin in non-diabetic MHD patients. Based on available knowledge these results suggest a potential novel role of ghrelin in preserving insulin sensitivity in MHD.

Calorie restriction accelerates the catabolism of lean body mass during 2 wk of bed rest

BACKGROUND

Muscle inactivity and low energy intake commonly occur in persons with acute or chronic disease, in astronauts during space flight, and during aging.

OBJECTIVE

We used a crossover design to investigate the effects of the interactions of inactivity and calorie restriction on whole-body composition and protein kinetic regulation in 9 healthy volunteers.

DESIGN

Lean body mass (LBM) was measured by using dual-energy X-ray absorptionmetry before and at the end of 14-d periods of bed rest (B) and controlled ambulation (A) in patients receiving eucaloric (E) or hypocaloric (H) (approximately 80% of total energy expenditure) diets. Whole-body leucine kinetics were determined at the end of the 4 study periods by using a standard stable-isotope technique in the postabsorptive state and during a 3-h infusion of a 0.13 g x kg LBM(-1) x h(-1) amino acid mixture.

RESULTS

In the postabsorptive state, we found a significant (P = 0.04) bed rest x hypocaloric diet interaction for the rate of leucine oxidation, an index of net protein catabolism (A+E: 0.23 +/- 0.01; B+E: 25 +/- 0.01; A+H: 0.23 +/- 0.01; B+H: 0.28 +/- 0.01 micromol x min(-1) x kg LBM(-1)). Bed rest significantly (P < 0.01) decreased amino acid-mediated stimulation of nonoxidative leucine disappearance, an index of protein synthesis (A+E: 35 +/- 2%; B+E: 30 +/- 2%; A+H: 41 +/- 3%; B+H: 32 +/- 2%). B+H decreased LBM by 1.10 +/- 0.1 kg, which is significantly (P < 0.01) greater than the decrease seen with A+E, A+H, or B+E.

CONCLUSION

Calorie restriction enhanced the catabolic response to inactivity by combining greater protein catabolism in the postabsorptive state with an impaired postprandial anabolic utilization of free amino acids.