Effect of single-unit transfusion in patients treated for haematological disease including acute leukemia: A multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Retrospective studies in hematological unit have suggested that single red blood cell (1-RBC) unit transfusion policy may reduce the number of RBC used without negative clinical impact. METHOD: Acute leukemia patients requiring intensive chemotherapy or patients receiving autologous or allogeneic transplantation were randomly assigned to receive either single RBC (1-RBC arm) or double RBC (2-RBC arm) per transfusion with a hemoglobin trigger of 8 g/dL. The primary composite endpoint was the percentage of patients experiencing serious complications, such as a non-hematological adverse event grade ≥ 3 or intensive care admission or death. FINDINGS: A total of 981 and 592 RBC transfusions were required in the 1-RBC arm (n = 125) and the 2-RBC arm (n = 120), respectively. The mean pre-transfusion hemoglobin levels were 7.49 ± 0.83 g/dL in the 1-RBC arm and 7.46 ± 0.67 g/dL in the 2-RBC arm (p = 0.275). The predefined non-inferiority criteria was achieved with 28/125 patients reaching the primary endpoint in the 1-RBC arm (22.4 %) and 28/120 patients in the 2-RBC arm (23.3 %) (Risk difference 0.009; 95 %, Confidence interval [-0.0791 to 0.0978], p = 0.021). The median (IQR) of RBC units transfused per patient was 7 (4-12) in the 1-RBC arm and 8 (4-12) in 2-RBC arm. Hemoglobin levels at discharge were also comparable in both arms. INTERPRETATION: The results of this trial indicate that a single RBC transfusion policy is not inferior to a double RBC transfusion policy for patients receiving a bone marrow transplant or intensive chemotherapy in a hematological intensive care unit. However, the single RBC transfusion policy did not reduce the number of RBC units transfused per stay. FUNDING: This trial was funded by a grant from the French Ministry of Health.

Low dose Rituximab for pre-emptive treatment of Epstein Barr virus reactivation after allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

INTRODUCTION: The most used preemptive therapy for Epstein Barr virus reactivation post allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell (HSCT) transplant is Rituximab, 375 mg/m2, once weekly until EBV viremia negativity. There is no data suggesting such a high dose. OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that a lower dose of Rituximab would be as efficient with less toxicity. PATIENTS: In a retrospective, monocentric study, we analyzed 16 consecutive patients treated preemptively with low dose Rituximab for EBV reactivation post HSCT. Patients were treated with low Rituximab dose of 100 mg/m² weekly. Success was defined by a decrease of EBV viremia of 1 log10 and below 1000 UI/ml, and the absence of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD). RESULTS: Success rate was 93.4% (15/16). One (1/16, 6%) PTLD was diagnosed after preemptive therapy, despite a negative viremia. CONCLUSION: A low dose of Rituximab of 100 mg/m² per injection for pre-emptive therapy of EBV reactivation post HSCT is safe and effective for preventing PTLD. Prospective, randomized, multicentric trials with larger number of patient are needed to determine the best rituximab dose.

Rituximab salvage therapy in adults with immune thrombocytopenia: retrospective study on efficacy and safety profiles.

Splenectomy remains the preferred treatment for chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) after corticosteroid failure, despite the risks of despite surgical complications and infection. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of and tolerance to rituximab through a retrospective analysis of 35 refractory/relapsing ITP patients treated from 2004 to 2013. The median age of subjects was 46 years (14-80). Rituximab was given at a weekly dose of 375 mg/m(2) for 4 weeks. Median time from diagnosis to first infusion was 17 months (1-362) and follow-up was 47 months (2-133). The overall response rates at 1 and 2 years after the first infusion were 47 and 38 %, with complete response rates of 24 and 25 %, respectively. Median duration of response was 38 months (1-123), with 37 % of patients maintaining a durable response (>1 year). Twenty-nine percent of patients had undergone splenectomy. A durable response after rituximab was more frequently observed in patients undergoing second-line therapy than those in third or later (83 versus 35 %, P = 0.01). Forty-four percent of patients experienced mild hypogammaglobulinaemia after rituximab, and no clinical infection occurred. To conclude, rituximab should be considered as an alternative treatment to splenectomy. Its efficacy and safety profile should lead us to choose this medical option therapy before surgery for ITP patients.

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation for patients with mantle cell lymphoma who failed autologous stem cell transplantation: a national survey of the SFGM-TC.

Poly-chemotherapy plus rituximab followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (auto-SCT) is standard care for untreated young patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Despite this intensive treatment, transplant patients remain highly susceptible to relapse over time. The French SFGM-TC performed a national survey on reduced-intensity conditioning allogeneic stem cell transplantation (RIC-allo-SCT) for fit relapsed/refractory patients who failed after auto-SCT (n=106). Median times of relapse after auto-SCT, and from auto-SCT to RIC-allo-SCT were 28 months and 3.6 years, respectively. Sixty per cent of patients received at least three lines of treatment before RIC-allo-SCT. Conditioning regimens for RIC-allo-SCT were heterogeneous. Twenty patients experienced grade III/IV aGvHD, extensive cGvHD was reported in 28 cases. Median follow-up after RIC-allo-SCT was 45 months. Median PFS after RIC-allo-SCT was 30.1 months and median overall survival was 62 months. Treatment-related mortality (TRM) at 1 year and 3 years were estimated at 28% and 32%, respectively. A total of 52 patients died; major causes of death were related to toxicity (n=34) and MCL (n=11). Patients in good response before RIC-allo-SCT experienced a better PFS and OS. Our work highlights the need for new RIC-allo-SCT MCL-tailored approaches to reduce TRM, and early and late relapse.

HLA-matched allogeneic stem cell transplantation improves outcome of higher risk myelodysplastic syndrome A prospective study on behalf of SFGM-TC and GFM.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is considered the only a curative treatment in patients with higher risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), although demethylating agents (DMA) have been reported to improve survival. The advantage of HSCT over other treatment comes from retrospective studies and the aim of the current study was to prospectively test this hypothesis, analyzing in particular patients from the pre-transplant period to avoid the selection bias of performing transplantation. This study was conducted to compare overall survival in MDS patients candidates to transplantation according to donor availability. The majority of patients (76%) received a treatment with DMA after registration, 69% had a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical donor, 70% of whom were transplanted. Baseline patient and disease characteristics were similar according to donor availability. Four-year overall survival was significantly better in patients with an HLA matched donor (37%) compared to patients without donor (15%). There was also evidence that this overall survival advantage was because of transplantation. Mortality risk was decreased after transplantation but it became significant only after the second year post transplant, because of early transplant-related mortality. Our results appear to justify, in higher risk MDS, a transplantation approach in all potential candidates who have an HLA identical donor.

Predictive factors for a single successful cytapheresis session during the first mobilisation.

To avoid repeated apheresis, the objective of this study was to analyse the predictive factors for a single successful cytapheresis during the first mobilisation. The pre-collection characteristics of 170 lymphoma and 95 myeloma patients were analysed. Among 60 lymphoma patients who had less than 30 CD34 cells/mm(3) the day before the first apheresis, an increase in the CD34 cell count between Day -1 and Day 1 was predictive of first stem cell mobilisation success, with a sensitivity of 100% if the Day 1 was higher than 30/mm(3) (10/60 patients). Success rate of obtaining an appropriate number of stem cells in one apheresis was 120 among 170 patients.

Feasibility of the fludarabine busulfan 3 days and ATG 2 days reduced toxicity conditioning in 51 allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a single-center experience.

In reduced-toxicity conditioning hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, several studies failed to demonstrate the superiority of one conditioning over another. This study described 51 patients (median age of 58 years) allografted with the new FB3-ATG2 conditioning regimen for myeloid (66%) or lymphoid disease (33%). Comorbidity index ≥3 was noted in 23.5% of patients. Toxicities were close to those observed with RIC. One-year cumulative incidence of acute and chronic GVHD was 18.9% and 39.2%. The 2-year-NRM, DFS and OS were 25%, 57.5% and 66%. The FB3-ATG2 regimen is safe and efficient in both lymphoid and myeloid disorders. However, prospective comparative studies are needed.

[Vaccination post hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: which vaccines and when and, how to vaccinate? An SFGM-TC report]. / Vaccinations post-allogreffe de cellules souches hématopoïétiques: lesquels? Quand? Comment?

In the attempt to harmonize clinical practices between different French transplantation centers, the French Society of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cell Therapy (SFGM-TC) set up the third annual series of workshops which brought together practitioners from all member centers and took place in October 2012 in Lille. Here we report our results and recommendations regarding vaccination post Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation with practical focus on which vaccines to use and when and how to vaccinate?

Hematogones: an overview.

Hematogones were initially described as mysterious cells in bone marrow smears more than 70 years ago. These cells are normal bone marrow B-lymphocyte precursors with properties that overlap those of lymphoblasts. Their morphological and immunological features are described here with an update on the knowledge of hematogones in hematological and non-hematological disorders.

Treatment of adult ALL with central nervous system involvement at diagnosis using autologous and allogeneic transplantation: a study from the Société Française de Greffe de Moelle et de Thérapie Cellulaire.

To assess the role of hematopoietic SCT (HSCT) in adult ALL patients with central nervous system involvement at diagnosis, we retrospectively analyzed 90 patients who underwent autologous HSCT (auto-HSCT group; n=27) or allogeneic HSCT (allo-HSCT group; n=63) and reported to the Société Française de Greffe de Moelle et de Thérapie Cellulaire registry between 1994 and 2008. At the time of transplantation, 67 patients (74%) were in first CR, 15 (17%) in CR2 and 8 (9%) with progressive disease. The 5-year probabilities of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were 52% and 46% for the allo-HSCT and 37% and 33% for the auto-HSCT groups, respectively (P=NS). The TRM at 5 years was 29.8% for the allo-HSCT group and 3.7% for the auto-HSCT group. Using univariate analysis, a time for transplantation of <12 months, the remission status at transplantation, the use of high-dose TBI and the number of the transplant were all determined to be prognostic factors for improved DFS and OS probabilities. Using multivariate analysis, we demonstrated that both the use of high-dose TBI and the remission status had a favorable impact on OS. Although the DFS and OS were better in the allo-HSCT group, the differences were not statistically significant.

Evaluation of allogeneic hematopoietic SCT in younger adults with adverse karyotype AML.

To illustrate methodological issues, we compared donor vs no-donor to transplant vs no-transplant comparisons in a cohort of 107 patients aged 50 years with adverse karyotype AML in first CR. Adverse karyotypes were defined as -7, del(7q), -5, del(5q), t(9;22), 11q23, 3q26 or complex abnormalities. Mantel-Byar estimations and hematopoietic SCT (HSCT) as a time-dependent variable were used to compare transplant vs no-transplant cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR), relapse-free survival (RFS) and OS. In all, 52 patients had a sibling donor, but only 35 of them were transplanted in first CR, whereas 9 patients received HSCT from alternative stem cell sources. Donor-based analysis showed lower CIR in the donor group, not translating in prolonged RFS or OS. Conversely, transplant-based analysis showed that HSCT in the first CR improved the three CIR (multivariate hazard ratio (HR), 0.31; P<0.001), RFS (multivariate HR, 0.57; P=0.047) and OS (multivariate HR, 0.54; P=0.03) endpoints. At 5 years, OS was estimated at 33% in transplanted vs 18% in non-transplanted patients. The positive effect of HSCT was more pronounced in patients aged 35 years and/or in those transplanted in the more recent years. These results confirm that HSCT is likely the best curative option in younger patients with adverse karyotype AML.

Prognostic significance of DNA methyltransferase 3A mutations in cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemia: a study by the Acute Leukemia French Association.

Recently, DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) mutations have been identified in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the highest frequency being found within cytogenetically normal (CN) AML. In this study, diagnostic samples from 123 adults younger than 60 years with primary CN-AML homogeneously treated in the Acute Leukemia French Association-9801 and -9802 trials were screened for mutations in DNMT3A-conserved domains by direct sequencing. Patients were also assessed for the presence of FLT3 (fms-like tyrosine kinase receptor-3), NPM1 (nucleophosmin), CEBPA, WT1 (Wilms tumor 1), IDH1 (isocitrate dehydrogenase 1) and IDH2 mutations. Thirty-eight mutations were detected in 36 patients (29%): 36 nucleotide substitutions, mostly affecting amino-acid residue R882 and two frameshift deletions. DNMT3A mutations were significantly associated with the French-American-British subtypes M4/M5 and the presence of NPM1 mutations. In the whole cohort, DNMT3A mutated patients had a shorter event-free survival (5-year EFS: 13% vs 32%, P = 0.02) and overall survival (5-year OS: 23% vs 45%, P = 0.02) compared with DNMT3A wild-type patients. In multivariate analysis including age, white blood cell count, NPM1/FLT3-internal tandem duplication/CEBPA risk group and DNMT3A mutational status, the presence of a DNMT3A mutation remained an independent adverse prognostic factor for EFS and OS, suggesting that testing for DNMT3A mutations could help further improve risk stratification in CN-AML.

A retrospective series of gut aspergillosis in haematology patients.

Gut invasive aspergillosis is an extremely rare infection in immunocompromised patients. The goal of this retrospective multicentre study is to report on cases of gut aspergillosis in haematology patients, including clinical presentation, risk factors, and outcome. Twenty-one patients from nine centres were identified. Eight had isolated gut aspergillosis, with no evidence of other infected sites, and 13 had disseminated aspergillosis. Thirteen patients had acute leukaemia. Nine were allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients. Clinical symptoms and imaging were poorly specific. The galactomannan antigenaemia test result was positive in 16/25 (64%) patients, including in four of the eight cases of isolated gut aspergillosis. Five of 21 patients had a dietary regimen rich in spices, suggesting that, in these cases, food could have been the source of gut colonization, and then of a primary gut Aspergillus lesion. The diagnosis was made post-mortem in six patients. The mortality rate in the remaining patients at 12 weeks was 7/15 (47%). Gut aspergillosis is probably misdiagnosed and underestimated in haematology patients, owing to the poor specificity of symptoms and imaging. Patients with a persistently positive galactomannan antigenaemia finding that is unexplained by respiratory lesions should be suspected of having gut aspergillosis in the presence of abdominal symptoms, and be quickly investigated. In the absence of severe abdominal complications leading to surgery and resection of the lesions, the optimal treatment is not yet defined.

Long-term follow-up of an age-adapted C5R protocol followed by radiotherapy in 99 newly diagnosed primary CNS lymphomas: a prospective multicentric phase II study of the Groupe d'Etude des Lymphomes de l'Adulte (GELA).

BACKGROUND: This prospective multicentric phase II study aimed to confirm the results of the C5R protocol of high-dose methotrexate (MTX)-based chemotherapy (CT) for immunocompetent primary central nervous system lymphoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 99 patients received age-adapted CT (C5R protocol) followed by radiotherapy. Patients younger than 61 years (group 1, n = 45) received the full C5R with MTX, doxorubicin, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and cytarabine. Patients aged 61-70 years (group 2, n = 36) received reduced doses. Patients older than 70 years (group 3, n = 18) received four courses of MTX, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide. RESULTS: Median age was 63 years and 51% of patients had performance status of more than one. Seventeen patients died of toxicity during CT. Complete response was achieved in 56%, 53%, and 28% of patients in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. With a median follow-up of 83 months, the 5-year progression-free survival was 31%, 28%, and 11% and the 5-year overall survival 42%, 31%, and 17% for groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Leukoencephalopathy occurred in 32% of assessable patients, in both group 1 and groups 2-3. CONCLUSION: The C5R protocol was feasible in the multicentric setting with favorable long-term survival in patients younger than 60 years. Despite dose adaptation, results in older patients were disappointing.

Outcome of treatment after first relapse in adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia initially treated by the LALA-94 trial.

Fifty-four percent of adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who entered the LALA-94 trial experienced a first relapse. We examined the outcome of these 421 adult patients. One hundred and eighty-seven patients (44%) achieved a second complete remission (CR). The median disease-free survival (DFS) was 5.2 months with a 5-year DFS at 12%. Factors predicting a better outcome after relapse were any transplant performed in second CR (P<0.0001), a first CR duration >1 year (P=0.04) and platelet level >100 x 10(9)/l at relapse (P=0.04). Risk groups defined at diagnosis and treatment received in first CR did not influence the outcome after relapse. The best results were obtained in a subset of patients who were eligible for allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Geno-identical allogeneic SCT was performed in 55 patients, and 3 patients received donor lymphocyte infusions. Forty-four transplantations were performed from an unrelated donor (of which four were cord blood). We conclude that most adult patients with recurring ALL could not be rescued using current available therapies, although allogeneic SCT remains the best therapeutic option.