Abstract Over the history of myelodysplastic neoplasms (MDS), an increasing number of treatment modalities have become available. It is therefore important to assess whether these developments have translated into improved overall survival (OS) for patients. We analyzed data from 1,147 patients in the German MDS registry and observed a progressive improvement in median survival across three diagnostic periods: until 2000 (20 months), 2001–2010 (31 months), and after 2011 (57 months). Patients treated with allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) had the best prognosis with a median survival of 108 months. Over time, both the proportion of patients undergoing allogeneic SCT (6.3% vs. 22.1% vs. 40.0%) and the median age at transplantation (36.5 vs. 52 vs. 61 years) increased. Notably, OS also improved among patients treated with best supportive care (BSC) alone (17 vs. 31 vs. 64 months; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the period of first diagnosis had an independent positive effect on survival. The underlying reasons for this improvement remain unclear, but a multifactorial origin—including improved supportive measures and greater eligibility for allogeneic SCT—must be considered.

Second primary malignancies

A randomized inter-group trial comparing more intensive treatment strategies to a common standard arm 3 + 7 (CSA) was conducted in patients with non-M3 AML. Untreated patients ≥ 60 years were allocated to the CSA (n = 132) or to the study group arms (n = 1154) of the AMLCG (TAD/HAM versus HAM/HAM ± G-CSF followed by TAD and maintenance) and the OSHO (intermediate-dose ara-C/mitoxantrone followed by ara-C/mitoxantrone). Median age of the 1147 eligible patients was 69 (range 60–87) years. CR/CRi status at 90 days was not significantly different between the CSA (54

Subgroup analysis by randomization strata II

Discontinuations and dose reductions

Evolution of erythrocyte transfusion-dependent (RBC-TD) anaemia associated with haploinsufficiency of the ribosomal protein subunit S14 gene (RPS14) is a characteristic complication of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) with del(5q) [MDS. del(5q)]. Evaluating 39 patients with MDS.del(5q), <5% of anaemia progression was attributable to RPS14-dependent alterations of normoblasts, pro-erythroblasts, or CD34(+)CD71(+) precursors. Ninety-three percent of anaemia progression and 70% of the absolute decline in peripheral blood Hb value were attributable to disappearance of erythroblastic islands (Ery-Is). Ery-Is loss occurred independently of blast excess, TP53 mutation, additional chromosome aberrations and RPS14-dependent alterations of normoblasts and pro-erythroblasts. It was associated with RPS14-dependent intrinsic (S100A8(+)) and extrinsic [tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha)-overproduction] alterations of (CD169+) marrow macrophages (p < 0.00005). In a mouse model of RPS14 haploinsufficiency, Ery-Is disappeared to a similar degree: approximately 70% of Ery-Is loss was related to RPS14-dependent S100A8 overexpression of marrow macrophages, less than 20% to that of CD71(high)Ter119(-) immature precursors, and less than 5% to S100A8/p53 overexpression of normoblasts or pro-erythroblasts. Marked Ery-Is loss predicted reduced efficacy (erythrocyte transfusion independence) of lenalidomide therapy (p = 0.0006). Thus, erythroid hypoplasia, a characteristic complication of MDS.del(5q), seems to result primarily from a macrophage-associated failure of the erythropoietic niche markedly reducing the productive capacity of erythropoiesis as the leading factor in anaemia progression and evolution of RBC-TD in MDS.del(5q).

Participation in clinical trials may allow patients with MDS to gain access to therapies not otherwise available. However, access is limited by strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, reflecting academic or regulatory questions addressed by the respective studies. We performed a simulation in order to estimate the average proportion of MDS patients eligible for participation in a clinical trial. The simulation drew upon 1809 patients in the Dusseldorf MDS Registry whose clinical data allowed eligibility screening for a wide range of clinical trials. This cohort was assumed to be alive and available for study participation. The simulation also posited that all MDS trials (n = 47) conducted in our center between 1987 and 2016 were open for recruitment. In addition, study activities in the year 2016 were analyzed to determine the proportion of patients eligible for at least one of the 9 MDS trials open at that time. On average, each clinical trial was suitable for about 18 % of patients in the simulation cohort. Conversely, 34 % of the patients were eligible for at least one of the 9 clinical studies in 2016. Inclusion/exclusion criteria of studies initiated by the pharmaceutical industry excluded more than twice the fraction of patients compared with investigator initiated trials (potential inclusion of 10 % vs. 21 %, respectively). Karyotype (average exclusion rate 58 %), comorbidities (40 %), and prior therapies (55 %) were the main reasons for exclusion. We suggest that inand exclusion criteria should be less restrictive, in order to meet the needs of the real-life population of elderly MDS patients.

Abstract Purpose: For multiple myeloma, high-dose chemotherapy and autologous blood stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) followed by lenalidomide maintenance (LenMT) at 10–15 mg/day is considered standard of care. However, dose reductions due to side effects are common and median LenMT doses achieved over time may remain lower. Dose response during LenMT has never been investigated. Patients and Methods: In a multicenter, randomized, open-label trial, patients with multiple myeloma after ASCT and high-dose lenalidomide consolidation therapy (CT) at 25 mg/day were randomized to receive LenMT at either 25 or 5 mg/day. Primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Results: Ninety-four patients (median age, 58 years) were randomized to either arm, with 22% having International Staging System (ISS) stage 3 and 22% being in complete remission (CR). After median follow-up of 46.7 months, median doses of 14.5 and 5 mg/day were achieved in the two arms; 53% of dose reductions occurring during CT. In the high- and the low-dose arm, median PFS was 44.8 and 33.0 months (HR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.44–0.97; P = 0.032), 36% and 23% of patients had stringent CR as best response (P = 0.08), and 4-year OS was 79% and 67% (P = 0.16), respectively. Hematologic toxicity, grade ≥3 neutropenia, and infections were initially more common with LenMT 25 mg, but decreased after dose adjustments. SPM incidence and quality-of-life (QoL) scores in both arms were similar. Conclusions: LenMT dose correlated with efficacy and toxicity. High rates of dose reductions during CT argue against a high starting dose. However, continuous up- and down-titration for each patient to the current maximum tolerated dose is prudent.

Intensive chemotherapy (IC) used to be a common treatment approach for patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) or acute myeloid leukemia after MDS (sAML). We conducted a retrospective analysis of 299 patients, including a matched pair analysis comparing 96 patients receiving IC with 96 patients not undergoing IC, in order to evaluate the impact of IC on overall survival (OS) and to identify factors that influence remission rates and OS. Complete remission (CR) after first induction chemotherapy was reached in 50% of patients. Parameters influencing the probability of achieving CR were blast count in the bone marrow (< 30%), age < 65 years, presence of Auer rods, duration of antecedent MDS shorter than 6 months, and timing of IC in relation to first diagnosis. The difference in survival time was not significantly better for patients receiving IC (median OS 12.7 months vs. 7 months). Parameters favorably influencing survival were the presence of Auer rods, age below 60 years, blast count below 30%, IC given shortly after first diagnosis, and achievement of CR. On multivariate analysis, achieving CR, presence of Auer rods, and percentage of blasts below or above 30% significantly influenced median survival. Relapse occurred in 63% of patients after a median of 9.9 months with a median survival of 7.6 months. Considering the high relapse rate and short survival, we conclude that intensive chemotherapy is not promising for high-risk MDS or sAML.

The study analyzes the clonal architecture and the abnormalities involved in a series of 191 patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and 2-3 clonal abnormalities. All patients were extracted from an international database. The patients were classified into six clonal subtypes (2A-3C) based on the number of abnormalities and the presentation of unrelated clones (UC) and/or a clonal evolution. UC were detected in 23/191 patients (12%). The composition of UC showed great variability. The only recurrent combination of abnormalities was del(5q) and+8 in 8 of 23 patients (35%). In patients with clonal evolution, the clone size of the primary and secondary clone varied: Patients with -7 and+8 in the primary clone showed a larger primary and a smaller secondary clone (-7: median 74% vs 10%; +8 73% vs 18%) while patients with del(5q) in the primary clone showed a smaller primary and a larger secondary clone (33% vs 61%). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed no significant differences regarding overall or AML-free survival between the clonal subtypes. Only the subtype 3C (3 abnormalities and clonal evolution) was an independent risk factor for developing AML (Hazard Ratio 5.5 as compared to subtype 2A, P<.05). Finally, our study confirms that the number of abnormalities clearly defines a significant risk factor for overall- as well as AML-free survival. Importantly, in patients with more than one clone, the calculation of the number of abnormalities in the entire sample instead of the number of abnormalities per clone allows a higher prognostic accuracy.

8016 Background: While Len MT after high-dose therapy (HDT) and autologous blood stem cell transplantation (aBSCT) is standard of care in pts with MM, optimal dosage has not been established. Methods: In this prospective, randomized, open label, multicenter phase III trial 188 pts (ITT population) were included 3 months after first-line HDT and aBSCT and were equally randomized to receive either 25 (n = 94, arm A) or 5 mg (n = 94, arm B) Len (21 of 28 days cycle) MT until disease progression following a uniform 6 months 25mg Len CT. Results: Patients characteristics were equally distributed with a median age of 58 years (range: 30-72). Len CT could be completed in 86 % pts and Len MT was applied for one year in 72 % and 61 % pts in arm A and B (2 years: 44 % vs. 34 %; 3 years: 27 % vs. 15 %). In arm A 51 %, 22 %, 10 % and 3 % pts continued 25 mg Len without dose reductions / discontinuations after CT, 1, 2 and 3 years MT. Dose reductions were mainly due to hematologic AEs (68 %), especially grade 3 neutropenia (56 %). Overall toxicity was higher in the 25 mg arm and infections (≥ grade 2) were the major AE during MT (1st year: 62 % vs. 42 %, 2nd year: 44 % vs. 36 %, 3rd year: 44 % vs. 28 %). The incidence of second primary malignancies was similar in both arms. Response rates improved during CT with an increase of sCR from 8 % to 21 % (p = 0.0001). During MT, 36 % and 23 % of pts. in arm A and B achieved sCR as best response (p = 0.08). After a median follow-up of 46.7 months the primary endpoint event-free survival (EFS) from randomization was significantly different with a median EFS of 44.8 and 33.0 months for arm A and B (HR 0.65, range: 0.44-0.97; p = 0.032). This was confirmed by Landmark analysis including only patients who entered MT (HR 0.63; p = 0.042). Overall survival (OS) was not different with a median 4-year-OS of 79 % and 67 % for arm A and B (p = 0.16). Conclusions: Low-dose Len is associated with significantly shorter EFS compared to the concept of upholding high-dose Len. Still, the rate of toxicity observed and the need for dose reductions in most patients requires reconsideration of the high-dose schedule and awaiting of long-term OS. Support: Celgene. Clinical trial information: NCT 00891384.

Abstract Introduction The LenaMain study is a prospective, randomized, open label, multicenter phase III trial which included 188 patients 3 months after first-line high dose treatment and autologous stem cell transplantation (NCT number: NCT00891384). Patients were equally randomized to receive either 25 (n = 94, arm A) or 5 mg (n = 94, arm B) lenalidomide maintenance until disease progression following a uniform 6 months of 25 mg lenalidomide consolidation. Final analysis after follow-up of 46.7 months was presented at ASCO 2018 (#8016) demonstrating an extended event-free survival for arm A (11.8 months, p=0.032) and an about 10% increase of grade 3/4 infections per year as main toxicity. Here we report analysis of quality of life (QoL) data as secondary endpoint of the study. Materials & Methods The EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (QLQ-C30) was collected at baseline and then monthly at every new cycle. The Global Health Status/Quality of Life (GHS/QoL) scale, the utility score and seven subscales (fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, physical functioning, role functioning, disease symptoms, and adverse effects of treatment) were compared between groups using a mixed model for repeated measures. Results Baseline questionnaire compliance was excellent (95.7%) and declined over time (82%, 76%, 71%, 54%, 49% after consolidation and after year 1, 2, 3 and 4 of maintenance, respectively). At baseline, GHS/QoL (67/67) and utility (0.73/0.72) scores for arm A/B were generally high and did not differ between both arms. The median GHS/QoL change between consolidation baseline and maintenance baseline was -1%. GHS/QoL scores appear constant for both treatment arms at most time points in the first 2 years of maintenance. Relevant improvements ≥ 5 points were observed in 30% of patients while improvements ≥ 15 points were observed in 20% of patients. During the same time a similar percentage of patients had relevant ≥ 5 and ≥15 point deteriorations, with a general tendency for a slight increase at the end of year 2. Notably, a greater number of deteriorations was found in the 5 mg lenalidomide arm. Mean GHS/QoL was constant during maintenance with a slight decrease of <2 over the 1st year, reaching borderline relevance after the 2nd year with a mean change of -6 which was mainly driven by the 5 mg lenalidomide treatment arm (25 mg arm: -4 vs. 5 mg arm: -8). Utility values remained constant during maintenance (change from baseline 0.003, p=0.9 at year 1; 0.02, p=0.7 at year 2) and the overall pattern in the change over time does not appear to show any clear differences between the two treatment arms. Looking at QLQ-C30 subgroup domains after two years of maintenance, we observed a significantly higher change from baseline for diarrhea in the 25 mg lenalidomide arm, which may be a long-term drug-related effect. Conversely, role functioning was also significantly better in patients treated within the 25 mg lenalidomide arm. Other subgroups did not show significant differences after the second year. Overall GHS/QOL scores were not significantly different in patients with CR vs. ≥ vgPR. Similarly, there was no statistical difference in patients on treatment for 1, 2, 3 or 4 years of maintenance or in patients suffering from grade 3/4 adverse events or not. Thus, neither disease activity, nor duration of treatment nor high-grade toxicity biased our results. Conclusion The LenaMain trial shows that maintenance treatment with 25 mg lenalidomide vs. 5 mg significantly prolongs event-free survival. QoL, as secondary objective, was not different between both treatment arms, even showing a trend for improved QoL in the 25 mg lenalidomide treatment arm. Thus, QoL was not governed by the higher rate of infectious toxicity during high-dose lenalidomide maintenance. Disclosures Boquoi: Amgen: Honoraria, Other: Travel grant; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria; Janssen: Other: Travel grant; Celgene: Other: Travel grant. Goldschmidt:Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Chugai: Honoraria, Research Funding; ArtTempi: Honoraria; Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Mundipharma: Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Adaptive Biotechnology: Consultancy. Rummel:Gilead: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Roche: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Mundipharma: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Astellas: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Eisai: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Symbio: Honoraria. Kroeger:Sanofi: Honoraria; JAZZ: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Neovii: Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; Riemser: Honoraria, Research Funding. Mai:Celgene: Other: travel grant; Janssen: Honoraria, Other: Travel grant; Takeda: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel grant, Research Funding; Onyx: Other: travel grant; Mundipharma: Other: travel grant. Kobbe:Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Roche: Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria, Other: Travel Support, Research Funding. Fenk:Amgen: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria, Other: Travel grant, Research Funding; Bristol-Meyers Squibb: Honoraria, Other: travel grant; Janssen: Honoraria.

The most frequent germline mutations responsible for non syndromic congenital sideroblastic anemia are identified in ALAS2 and SLC25A38 genes. Iron overload is a key issue and optimal chelation therapy should be used to limit its adverse effects on the development of children. Our multicentre retrospective descriptive study compared the strategies for diagnosis and management of congenital sideroblastic anemia during the follow-up of six patients with an ALAS2 mutation and seven patients with an SLC25A38 mutation. We described in depth the clinical, biological and radiological phenotype of these patients at diagnosis and during follow-up and highlighted our results with a review of available evidence and data on the management strategies for congenital sideroblastic anemia. This report confirms the considerable variability in manifestations among patients with ALAS2 or SLC25A38 mutations and draws attention to differences in the assessment and the monitoring of iron overload and its complications. The use of an international registry would certainly help defining recommendations for the management of these rare disorders to improve patient outcome.

Based on centrally diagnosed 3528 patients in the Düsseldorf registry, we validated the new proposals for the classification of the MDS by the WHO working group: 256 patients were diagnosed as MDSSLD (7,3%), 978 MDSMLD (27,7%), 227 MDS RS SLD (6,4%); 321 MDS RS MLD (9,1%), 159 MDS del(5q) (4,5%), 481 MDSEB 1 (13,6%), 620 MDSEB 2 (17,6%), and 148 MDS-U (4,2%). 352 patients (16,9% of the non blastic types) changed the category, mainly moving from RCMD to MDS RS MLD, RCUD and RCMD to MDS del(5q). Median survival times of the refined groups differed from more than 60 months in the MDSSLD (RS) groups, 37 months in the MDSMLD (RS) groups, 79 months of the MDS del(5q) group and 21 and 11 months in the MDSEB 1 and 2 groups, respectively. The difference between the groups with regard to the risk of AML evolution was also impressing. No major changes were made with regard to the MDS-U categories. In summary, the proposals of the WHO group for the classification of MDS are thoughtful, taking into account biologic parameters of the diseases, a more precise wording, to some extend pragmatic and feasible.

The role of bone marrow dysplastic erythroid precursors (EP) in both MDS and AML has been the subject of considerable debate over the past several decades. We have analyzed a large series of adults with MDS and focused on whether any% of EP identified in the bone marrow aspirates of over 1400 patients selected from the Dusseldorf, Germany adult MDS Registry has prognostic relevance. The data was examined for varying% of blasts, the WHO prognostic MDS subtypes and the IPSS-R. We did not identify any adjustment of bone marrow blast percentage by%EP, incuding the 50% rule" developed by the FAB leukemia working group, to have a meaningful impact on outcome, either leukemic risk of progression or overall survival. There was a trend for a%EP<15% to actually have a worse survival than any other EP subset. We can no longer recommend the application of the "50% rule" in the calculation of the% of myeloblasts in bone marrow aspirates.

In a study of elderly AML patients treated with the hypomethylating agent decitabine (DAC), we noted a surprisingly favorable outcome in the (usually very unfavorable) subgroup with two or more autosomal monosomies (MK2+) within a complex karyotype (Lübbert et al., Haematologica 97:393-401, 2012). We now analyzed 206 myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients (88 % of 233 patients randomized in the EORTC/GMDSSG phase III trial 06011, 61 of them with RAEBt, i.e. AML by WHO) with cytogenetics informative for MK status.. Endpoints are the following: complete/partial (CR/PR) and overall response rate (ORR) and progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Cytogenetic subgroups are the following: 63 cytogenetically normal (CN) patients, 143 with cytogenetic abnormalities, 73 of them MK-negative (MK−), and 70 MK-positive (MK+). These MK+ patients could be divided into 17 with a single autosomal monosomy (MK1) and 53 with at least two monosomies (MK2+). ORR with DAC in CN patients: 36.1 %, in MK− patients: 16.7 %, in MK+ patients: 43.6 % (MK1: 44.4 %, MK2+ 43.3 %). PFS was prolonged by DAC compared to best supportive care (BSC) in the CN (hazard ratio (HR) 0.55, 99 % confidence interval (CI), 0.26; 1.15, p = 0.03) and MK2+ (HR 0.50; 99 % CI, 0.23; 1.06, p = 0.016) but not in the MK−, MK+, and MK1 subgroups. OS was not improved by DAC in any subgroup. In conclusion, we demonstrate for the first time in a randomized phase III trial that high-risk MDS patients with complex karyotypes harboring two or more autosomal monosomies attain encouraging responses and have improved PFS with DAC treatment compared to BSC.

Im Jahr 1997 wurde durch den Zusammenschluss der führenden Leukämie-Studiengruppen in Deutschland das Kompetenznetz Akute und Chronische Leukämien (KNL) gegründet. Wichtige Resultate sind neue Kooperationsstudien und Forschungsprojekte, die Fortführung und Erweiterung bestehender und die Gründung neuer nationaler Studiengruppen, die Verbesserung der Studieninfrastruktur sowie die Einrichtung von Patientenregistern und Biomaterialbanken. 2003 führte das Konzept des KNL zur Gründung des European LeukemiaNet (ELN). In der Folge wurden in internationaler Kooperation zahlreiche europäische Managementleitlinien erarbeitet und mehrere länderübergreifende Projekte und Studien durchgeführt. Ziel des Netzes ist die Heilung der Leukämien durch kooperative Forschung.

Erythropoiesis is arranged in erythroblastic islands (Ery-Is),[1][1] the specialized niche known for more than 50 years[2][2] in which erythroid precursors proliferate and differentiate. However, the significance of erythropoiesis in anemia, the leading symptom of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS),

Patients with myelodysplastic syndromes face a poor prognosis. The exact causes of death have not been described properly in the past. We performed a retrospective analysis of causes of death using data of 3792 patients in the Düsseldorf registry who have been followed up for a median time of 21 months. Medical files as well as death certificates were screened and primary care physicians were contacted. Death after AML evolution, infection, and bleeding was considered to be clearly disease-related. Further categories of causes of death were heart failure, other possibly disease-related reasons, such as hemochromatosis, disease-independent reasons as well as cases with unclear causes of death. Median age at the time of diagnosis was 71 years. At the time of analysis, 2877 patients (75.9 %) had deceased. In 1212 cases (42.1 %), the exact cause of death could not be ascertained. From 1665 patients with a clearly documented cause of death, 1388 patients (83.4 %) succumbed directly disease-related (AML (46.6 %), infection (27.0 %), bleeding (9.8 %)), whereas 277 patients (16.6 %) died for reasons not directly related with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), including 132 patients with cardiac failure, 77 non-disease-related reasons, 23 patients with solid tumors, and 45 patients with possibly disease-related causes like hemochromatosis. Correlation with IPSS, IPSS-R, and WPSS categories showed a proportional increase of disease-related causes of death with increasing IPSS/IPSS-R/WPSS risk category. Likewise, therapy-related MDS were associated with a higher percentage of disease-related causes of death than primary MDS. This reflects the increasing influence of the underlying disease on the cause of death with increasing aggressiveness of the disease.