Blood Cancer Journal最新文献

In March 2023 and 2024, a panel of international experts convened at the first and second Intercepting Blood Cancers (IBC) Workshops, with the aim of better appreciating the diagnostic challenges, pathophysiology, and potential therapeutic interventions for precursor malignant hematology conditions. Here, we report a summary of the proceedings from the sessions focused on monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (MBL)/chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). We highlight four main content areas: biology of MBL, clinical implications of MBL, progression of MBL and transformation from indolent CLL to aggressive disease, and opportunities for therapeutic intervention in early CLL. We additionally outline key consensus management recommendations and research goals.

Lymphoid neoplasms (LNs) are heterogeneous malignancies arising from lymphoid cells, displaying diverse clinical and molecular features. Although LNs are collectively frequent, individual subtypes are rare, posing challenges for genetic association studies. Indeed, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) explained only a fraction of the heritability. Shared genetic susceptibility and overlapping risk factors suggest a partially common etiology across subtypes. We employed a multi-trait GWAS strategy to improve discovery power by leveraging pleiotropy among LN subtypes. We defined LN phenoclusters based on cell of origin, somatic mutation profiles, and approved therapeutic agents. Using data from three large cohorts—the UK Biobank, Million Veteran Program, and FinnGen—we analyzed 31,937 LN cases and 1.2 million controls across 8 individual subtypes and 7 phenoclusters. We replicated the novel associations in two independent cohorts (All of Us and the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial) with 2892 LN cases and 165,791 controls. We identified 76 genome-wide significant loci for individual subtypes or subtype clusters, including 20 novel associations. We identified the subtypes contributing to each locus, putative candidate causal variants, and genes underlying the associations, and found enrichment of specific cell types, biological processes, and drugs associated with LN risk genes. Overall, this study identified new LN genetic risk loci and candidate genes, providing insights that may inform novel therapeutic approaches.

While CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy represents a transformative immunotherapy for relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma (r/r LBCL), more than 50% of patients ultimately progress or relapse. Recently, the International Metabolic Prognostic Index (IMPI) – incorporating age, stage, and metabolic tumor volume (MTV) – was shown to improve prognostication for LBCL frontline treatment. Here, we examine its utility to predict toxicity and survival in CAR-T recipients. This multicenter observational study spanning six international sites included 504 patients with available ¹⁸FDG-PET/CT imaging at last response assessment prior to lymphodepletion. Optimal CAR-adapted MTV thresholds were identified in a development cohort (n = 256) and incorporated into a CAR-T-specific IMPI (“CAR-IMPI”). The prognostic performance of CAR-IMPI was validated in an independent cohort (n = 248). CAR-IMPI risk categories, defined by the median (1.35) and terciles (1.07, 1.58), demonstrated significant discrimination for progression-free survival (PFS; p < 0.0001) and overall survival (OS; p < 0.0001) in both cohorts. Multivariate Cox regression confirmed CAR-IMPI as an independent predictor of survival, accounting for pre-lymphodepletion LDH and CRP, performance status, treatment center, and CAR-T product. Patients in the CAR-IMPI high-risk category experienced increased severity of CRS and ICANS, and higher rates of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions. In an exploratory analysis, combining CAR-IMPI with established indices of high-risk systemic inflammation (CAR-HEMATOTOX, InflaMix) further enhanced survival stratification. The CAR-IMPI may provide a potent and validated PET-based tool for risk stratification of clinical outcomes in patients with r/r LBCL receiving CD19 CAR-T therapy. Our data highlight the utility of combining clinical and radiological modalities, with implications for patient selection and the anticipated level-of-care for toxicity management.

The Iceland Screens, Treats, or Prevents Multiple Myeloma (iStopMM) risk stratification model, developed to predict ≥10% abnormal plasma cells in the bone marrow in monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) patients, was developed in a predominantly White and genetically homogeneous Icelandic population, lacking external validation. Our study aimed to externally validate this model in a racially and ethnically diverse Bronx population. The medical records of patients at Montefiore Medical Center (2002–2023) were searched to identify patients with MGUS who had undergone a bone marrow biopsy. For each patient, the iStopMM variables were entered into the iStopMM prediction model, and predicted, and actual plasma cell percentages were recorded. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve assessed the iStopMM model’s performance in predicting ≥10% plasma cells, and sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated. Of the initial 663 patients, 190 were included in the final cohort, of whom 52.6% were African-Americans, and 23.2% identified themselves as Hispanic/Latino, remarkably different from the homogenous population of the iStopMM study. The iStopMM predictive model was able to predict greater than or equal to 10% plasma cells on bone marrow biopsy with an AUROC of 0.78 (CI 0.71, 0.85). When set at a 10% threshold for predicting SMM or worse, the iStopMM model had a 93.3% sensitivity, 33.7% specificity, 55.3% PPV, and 85.0% NPV. This AUROC value of 0.778 suggests a reasonable discriminatory performance of the model in our racially and ethnically diverse Bronx population.

Management paradigms for newly-diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (ND-AML) in patients considered unfit to receive intensive chemotherapy have evolved with improved understanding of disease biology. In this setting, management requires clear delineation of goals of therapy that should include preservation of quality-of-life (QoL). Combination of venetoclax (Ven) and a hypomethylating agent (HMA) is the current standard-of-care in most circumstances with flexible options in regard to drug dose and duration of treatment as well as the addition (triplet combinations) or alternative use of targeted therapies, such as inhibitors of FLT3, IDH1, IDH2, or menin for patients with NPM1^MUT or KMT2A rearrangements (KMT2Ar). Response rates (CR/CRi:40-90%) and overall survival outcomes (3-year: 0–67%) following Ven-HMA therapy are highly variable and depend primarily on tumor genetics while achievement of complete response with (CR) or without count recovery (CRi) and consolidation with allogeneic stem cell transplant (ASCT) are essential in securing long-term survival. Favorable genomic predictors of response to Ven-HMA include NPM1^MUT, IDH2^MUT, and DDX41^MUT, and unfavorable TP53^MUT, FLT3-ITD, and K/NRAS^MUT. Favorable predictors of overall survival include IDH2^MUT, and unfavorable TP53^MUT, FLT3-ITD, K/NRAS^MUT, and KMT2Ar. Whether or not triplet regimens provide significant survival gain over Ven-HMA in genetically targetable subgroups remains to be determined. Particularly frail patients who are considered unfit for Ven-HMA might benefit from monotherapy targeting FLT3^MUT, IDH1/2^MUT, NPM1^MUTor KMT2Ar. Future research projects should focus on incorporating patient-reported outcomes in clinical trials, optimization of Ven-HMA dosing and treatment duration especially in triplet combinations and broadening the use of ASCT and clarification of its timing.