Real-world study of the efficacy and safety of belantamab mafodotin (GSK2857916) in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma based on data from the nominative ATU in France: the IFM 2020-04 study.

Belantamab mafodotin (BM) is an anti-BCMA antibody-drug conjugate (GSK2857916) that represents an alternative option in multiple myeloma. We sought to assess the efficacy and safety of BM in a real-world setting in patients who benefited from an early access program. We conducted an observational, retrospective, multicenter study. Eligibility criteria were treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) in monotherapy in adult patients who have received at least three lines of therapy previously, including at least one immunomodulatory agent (IMiD), a proteasome inhibitor (PI) and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, and whose disease progressed during the last treatment period. The primary endpoint of the study is to assess the overall survival (OS). Between November 2019 and December 2020, 106 patients were treated with BM; 97 were eligible for the efficacy evaluation and 104 for safety. The median age was 66 (range, 37-82) years. High-risk cytogenetics were identified in 40.9% of patients. Fifty-five (56.7%) patients were triple-class refractory and 11 (11.3%) were penta-class refractory. The median number of prior lines of treatment was five (range, 3-12). The median number of BM cycles administered was three (range, 1-22). The overall response rate at best response was 38.1% (37/97). The median OS was 9.3 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.9-15.3), and median progression-free survival was 3.5 months (95% CI: 1.9-4.7). The median duration of response was 9 months (range, 4.65-10.4). Treatment was delayed for 55 (52.9%) patients including 36.5% for treatment-related toxicity. Ophthalmic adverse events, mainly grade ≤2, were the most common toxicity (48%). The occurrence of keratopathy was 37.5%. Overall, our data are concordant with the results from DREAMM-2 in terms of efficacy and safety on a non-biased population.

Isolated intraocular relapses of primary cerebral lymphomas: An LOC network study.

Most relapses of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) occur in the brain and are associated with a poor prognosis. Isolated intraocular relapses (IIORs) are rare and poorly described. We retrospectively selected from the French Lymphome Oculo-Cérébral database PCNSL patients who initially presented with cerebral localization and who experienced IIOR during the course of the disease. Of the 1472 patients included in the database, 55 patients presented an IIOR. Their median age was 68 years, and median Karnofsky Performance Status 80. IL-10 levels in the aqueous humor and/or in the vitreous were increased in 42/46 patients. 45/55 patients received systemic chemotherapy, and 11/55 received high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (HCT-ASCT) as consolidation treatment. After a median follow-up of 69 months, 42/55 patients had relapsed, including 90% of the patients who did not receive HCT-ASCT at IIOR and 40% of the patients who received HCT-ASCT at IIOR (p < 0.001). The first relapse after the initial IIOR was exclusively in the eye in 23/42 patients, and 29/42 patients had a subsequent brain relapse during the course of the disease. The median progression-free survival, brain-free survival and overall survival from IIOR were 12.2, 48.6 and 57.1 months, respectively. Isolated intraocular relapse is not exceptional in the course of PCNSL and deserves systematic ophthalmological follow-up. Its prognosis is much better than the prognosis of brain relapse, with an evolution close to that of primary vitreoretinal lymphoma. With the exception of patients who received HCT-ASCT at IIOR, almost all patients subsequently relapsed, often with other IIORs.

Reduced-dose WBRT as consolidation treatment for patients with primary CNS lymphoma: an LOC network study.

The optimal consolidation strategy for primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) remains controversial. Preventing radio-induced neurotoxicity of consolidation treatment through reduced-dose whole-brain radiotherapy (rdWBRT) at a dose of 23.4 Gy is an interesting alternative to conventional WBRT in patients aged <60 years. From the LOC Network (Network for Oculo-cerebral Lymphomas) database, we retrospectively selected patients with PCNSL aged <60 years who showed complete (CR) or unconfirmed CR after high-dose methotrexate-based chemotherapy and had received consolidation rdWBRT as the first-line treatment. If available, prospective neuropsychological follow-ups were reported. Twenty-nine patients diagnosed between 2013 and 2018 met the study selection criteria. Nine (31%) patients experienced relapse during the follow-up, with a median time from radiotherapy to recurrence of 8.7 months (interquartile range, 4-11.5). Five of those patients received salvage treatment and consolidation with intensive chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation. Progression-free survival rates were 89% (95% confidence interval [CI] 79%-100%), 72% (95% CI, 56%-88%), and 69% (95% CI, 52%-85%) at 1, 2, and 5 years, respectively. Overall survival rates were 100%, 89% (95% CI, 79%-100%), and 86% (95% CI, 74%-99%) at 1, 2, and 5 years, respectively, and were consistent with those observed for standard-dose WBRT (sdWBRT). No prognostic factor was identified. The results of the 36-month neuropsychological follow-up for a subset of patients appeared reassuring, with most patients exhibiting maintenance of or improvements in their baseline conditions. Our results, combined with phase 2 study results, support the use of rdWBRT instead of sdWBRT as a consolidation treatment in <60-year-old patients showing CR after induction treatment.

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: MRI findings in HIV-infected patients are closer to rituximab- than natalizumab-associated PML.

OBJECTIVES: To compare brain MRI findings in progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) associated to rituximab and natalizumab treatments and HIV infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective, multicentric study, we analyzed brain MRI exams from 72 patients diagnosed with definite PML: 32 after natalizumab treatment, 20 after rituximab treatment, and 20 HIV patients. We compared T2- or FLAIR-weighted images, diffusion-weighted images, T2*-weighted images, and contrast enhancement features, as well as lesion distribution, especially gray matter involvement. RESULTS: The three PML entities affect U-fibers associated with low signal intensities on T2*-weighted sequences. Natalizumab-associated PML showed a punctuate microcystic appearance in or in the vicinity of the main PML lesions, a potential involvement of the cortex, and contrast enhancement. HIV and rituximab-associated PML showed only mild contrast enhancement, punctuate appearance, and cortical involvement. The CD4/CD8 ratio showed a trend to be higher in the natalizumab group, possibly mirroring a more efficient immune response. CONCLUSION: Imaging features of rituximab-associated PML are different from those of natalizumab-associated PML and are closer to those observed in HIV-associated PML. KEY POINTS: • Nowadays, PML is emerging as a complication of new effective therapies based on monoclonal antibodies. • Natalizumab-associated PML shows more inflammatory signs, a perivascular distribution "the milky way," and more cortex involvement than rituximab- and HIV-associated PML. • MRI differences are probably related to higher levels of immunosuppression in HIV patients and those under rituximab therapy.

Management and outcome of primary CNS lymphoma in the modern era: An LOC network study.

OBJECTIVE: Real-life studies on patients with primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) are scarce. Our objective was to analyze, in a nationwide population-based study, the current medical practice in the management of PCNSL. METHODS: The French oculo-cerebral lymphoma network (LOC) database prospectively records all newly diagnosed PCNSL cases from 32 French centers. Data of patients diagnosed between 2011 and 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: We identified 1,002 immunocompetent patients (43% aged >70 years, median Karnofsky Performance Status [KPS] 60). First-line treatment was high-dose methotrexate-based chemotherapy in 92% of cases, with an increasing use of rituximab over time (66%). Patients <60 years of age received consolidation treatment in 77% of cases, consisting of whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) (54%) or high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (HCT-ASCT) (23%). Among patients >60 years of age, WBRT and HCT-ASCT consolidation were administered in only 9% and 2%, respectively. The complete response rate to initial chemotherapy was 50%. Median progression-free survival was 10.5 months. For relapse, second-line chemotherapy, HCT-ASCT, WBRT, and palliative care were offered to 55%, 17%, 10%, and 18% of patients, respectively. The median, 2-year, and 5-year overall survival was 25.3 months, 51%, and 38%, respectively (<60 years: not reached [NR], 70%, and 61%; >60 years: 15.4 months, 44%, and 28%). Age, KPS, sex, and response to induction CT were independent prognostic factors in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms the increasing proportion of elderly within the PCNSL population and shows comparable outcome in this population-based study with those reported by clinical trials, reflecting a notable application of recent PCNSL advances in treatment.

Dasatinib and low-intensity chemotherapy in elderly patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive ALL.

Prognosis of Philadelphia-positive (Ph(+)) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in the elderly has improved during the imatinib era. We investigated dasatinib, another potent tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in combination with low-intensity chemotherapy. Patients older than age 55 years were included in the European Working Group on Adult ALL (EWALL) study number 01 for Ph(+) ALL (EWALL-PH-01 international study) and were treated with dasatinib 140 mg/day (100 mg/day over 70 years) with intrathecal chemotherapy, vincristine, and dexamethasone during induction. Patients in complete remission continued consolidation with dasatinib, sequentially with cytarabine, asparaginase, and methotrexate for 6 months. Maintenance therapy was dasatinib and vincristine/dexamethasone reinductions for 18 months followed by dasatinib until relapse or death. Seventy-one patients with a median age of 69 years were enrolled; 77% had a high comorbidity score. Complete remission rate was 96% and 65% of patients achieved a 3-log reduction in BCR-ABL1 transcript levels during consolidation. Only 7 patients underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. At 5 years, overall survival was 36% and up to 45% taking into account deaths unrelated to disease or treatment as competitors. Thirty-six patients relapsed, 24 were tested for mutation by Sanger sequencing, and 75% were T315I-positive. BCR-ABL1(T315I) was tested by allele-specific oligonucleotide reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 43 patients and detection was associated with short-term relapses. Ten patients (23%) were positive before any therapy and 8 relapsed, all with this mutation. In conclusion, dasatinib combined with low-intensity chemotherapy was well-tolerated and gave long-term survival in 36% of elderly patients with Ph(+) ALL. Monitoring of BCR-ABL1(T315I) from diagnosis identified patients with at high risk of early relapse and may help to personalize therapy.

Loss of major molecular response as a trigger for restarting tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy in patients with chronic-phase chronic myelogenous leukemia who have stopped imatinib after durable undetectable disease.

PURPOSE: More than half of patients with chronic-phase chronic myelogenous leukemia (CP-CML) in complete molecular response (CMR) experience molecular relapse after imatinib discontinuation. We investigated loss of major molecular response (MMR) as a criterion for resuming therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A multicenter observational study (A-STIM [According to Stop Imatinib]) evaluating MMR persistence was conducted in 80 patients with CP-CML who had stopped imatinib after prolonged CMR. RESULTS: Median time from imatinib initiation to discontinuation was 79 months (range, 30 to 145 months);median duration of CMR before imatinib discontinuation was 41 months (range, 24 to 96 months); median follow-up after discontinuation was 31 months (range, 8 to 92 months). Twenty-nine patients (36%) lost MMR after a median of 4 months off therapy (range, 2 to 17 months). Cumulative incidence of MMR loss was estimated as 35% (95% CI, 25% to 46%) at 12 months and 36% (95% CI, 26% to 47%) at 24 months, whereas probability of losing CMR was higher. Fluctuation of BCR-ABL transcript levels below the MMR threshold (≥ two consecutive positive values) was observed in 31% of patients after imatinib discontinuation. Treatment-free remission was estimated as 64% (95% CI, 54% to 75%) at 12 and 24 months and 61% (95% CI, 51% to 73%) at 36 months. Median to time to second CMR was estimated as 7.3 months in re-treated patients. CONCLUSION: Loss of MMR is a practical and safe criterion for restarting therapy in patients with CML with prolonged CMR.

Comparable humoral response after two doses of adjuvanted influenza A/H1N1pdm2009 vaccine or natural infection in allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: The present study evaluated immunogenicity and tolerance of two-dose influenza A/H1N1pdm09 vaccination in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients, and compared the vaccine-induced humoral response to that triggered by natural infection in another group of HSCT patients. METHODS: Adult allogeneic HSCT recipients vaccinated with two doses of influenza A/H1N1pdm09 vaccine, separated by 3 weeks, and patients with proven influenza A/H1N1pdm09 infection were included. Antibody responses were measured by hemagglutination-inhibition assay 1) on days 0, 21, 42 and 6 months after the first vaccine injection in vaccinated patients and 2) before pandemic and after influenza A/H1N1pdm09 infection, in patients presented natural infection. RESULTS: At baseline, 3% of 59 recipients of adjuvanted vaccine and 0% of 20 infected patients were seroprotected (antibody titer≥1/40). Seroprotection rate observed 42 days after vaccination was not different from that observed after natural infection (66% and 60% respectively, p=0.78). In vaccinated patients, seroprotection rate increased significantly from 54% to 66% between day 21 and 42 (p=0.015). Moreover, after 6 months, seroprotection rate in 21 vaccinated patients was similar to that observed in 10 infected patients evaluated at least 76 days after infection (D76-217) (60% and 81% respectively, p=0.2). In multivariate analysis, no immunosuppressive treatment or chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and longer time between transplantation and vaccination/infection were associated with a stronger humoral response. The adjuvanted vaccine was safe with low rate of GVHD worsening. CONCLUSION: In HSCT recipients, two doses of influenza A/H1N1pdm09 adjuvanted vaccine were safe and induced a humoral response comparable to that triggered by natural infection in these patients.

Karyotypic abnormalities in myelofibrosis following polycythemia vera.

Polycythemia vera (PV) is a chronic myeloproliferative disease characterized by an increase of total red cell volume; in 10% to 15% of cases, bone marrow fibrosis complicates the course of the disease after several years, resulting in a hematologic picture mimicking myelofibrosis with myelocytic metaplasia (MMM). This condition is known as post polycythemic myelofibrosis (PPMF). Among 30 patients with PPMF followed in Northern France, 27 (90%) expressed one or two abnormal clones in myelocytic cell cultures. Of these, 19 (70%) had partial or complete trisomy 1q. This common anomaly either resulted from unbalanced translocations with acrocentric chromosomes, that is, 13, 14, and 15, or other chromosomes, that is, 1, 6, 7, 9, 16, 19, and Y, or from partial or total duplication of long arm of chromosome 1. A single patient had an isochromosome 1q leading to tetrasomy 1q. In all cases, a common trisomic region spanning 1q21 to 1q32 has been identified. Given that most patients had previously received chemotherapy or radio-phosphorus to control the polycythemic phase of their disease, this study illustrates the increased frequency of cytogenetic abnormalities after such treatments: 90% versus 50% in de novo MMM. Moreover, karyotype can be used to distinguish PPMF-where trisomy 1q is the main anomaly-from primary MMM where trisomy 1q is rare and deletions 13q or 20q are far more common. Whether trisomy 1q is or is not a secondary event remains a matter of debate, as well as the role of cytotoxic treatments.