Maintenance therapy with alternating azacitidine and lenalidomide in elderly fit patients with poor prognosis acute myeloid leukemia: a phase II multicentre FILO trial

The outcome of adult patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph− ALL) relapsing after pediatric-inspired front-line therapy is ill known. Here 229 relapsing Ph− ALL younger adults (18–63 years) treated within the Group for Research on Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (GRAALL)-2003/-2005 trials were considered. Salvage regimens consisted of potentially curative therapies in 194 cases, low-intensity therapies in 21, allogeneic stem cell transplant (allo-SCT) in 6 and best supportive care in 8. Overall, 77 patients received allo-SCT after relapse. The median follow-up was 3.1 years. A second complete remission (CR2) was achieved in 121 patients (53%). In multivariate analysis, only younger age <45 years ( P =0.008) and CR1 duration ⩾18 months ( P =0.009) predicted CR2. Overall survival (OS) at 2 and 5 years was 19.3% (14–24%) and 13.3% (8–18%), respectively. In CR2 patients, disease-free survival (DFS) at 2 and 5 years was 29.0% (21–38%) and 25% (17–33%). In multivariate analysis, CR1 duration ⩾18 months and allo-SCT after relapse were associated with longer DFS ( P <0.009 and P =0.004, respectively) and longer OS ( P =0.004 and P <0.0001, respectively). In conclusion, although younger adults relapsing after pediatric-inspired ALL therapies retain a poor outcome, some of them may be cured if CR1 duration ⩾18 months and if allo-SCT can be performed in CR2. New therapies are definitely needed for these patients.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation provides the best chance of long-term survival for patients with AML, but is associated with an unpredictable risk of treatment-related mortality. From January 2000 to December 2010, we compared the outcomes for patients with AML aged 35 and over using reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC, N=60) or conventional myeloablative conditioning (MAC) regimen (N=72) transplantation. The median follow-up was 47 months (10–134). The 4-year cumulative incidence of non-relapse mortality was 21%. After adjusting for cytogenetic risk, gender donor/recipient mismatch and CD34+ cells, non-relapse mortality was significantly lower with the RIC regimen (P=0.027). The 4-year cumulative incidence of relapse was 38% and no difference was observed in the adjusted relapse rate between the two groups. The 4-year OS rate was 46%. Using both Cox regression and inverse probability-of-treatment weighted (IPTW) method, a similar OS rate was found with both regimens (adjusted hazard ratios for conventional vs reduced of 1.14 (95% CI 0.67–1.93, P=0.64) with Cox regression, and 1.14 (95% CI 0.55–2.34, P=0.73) with IPTW). Until prospective trials are completed, this study supports the use of a reduced-intensity regimen prior to transplantation for patients with AML aged 35 and over.

The impact of allelic HLA matching in patients with AML and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) who receive allogeneic PBSC after a reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimen is unclear. From January 2000 to December 2010, 108 consecutive patients with AML ( n =63) and MDS ( n =45) received PBSC after RIC in our center, either from siblings ( n =70) or from matched unrelated donors (MUD; 10/10 high resolution, n =38). Conditioning regimen was fludarabine based in 95% of patients and GvHD prophylaxis was mostly cyclosporine plus mycophenolate. Patient characteristics were similar between sibling and MUD for age (median 57 years), gender and disease distribution. Conditioning regimen (more anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) in MUD), donor age (younger for MUD) and number of CD34+ cells infused (higher in MUD) were different. The median follow-up was 36 months (range 2–72). Engraftment, GvHD, TRM, relapse rate and OS at 3 years were comparable between sibling and MUD. After adjustment for age, cytogenetic risk, ATG and number of CD34+ cells infused, donor type still did not influence OS. In patients with AML or MDS, HSCT from MUD using PBSC after a RIC regimen led to similar outcomes than from Siblings.

We are reporting the case of a woman who has been Suffering from sciatica for several months. A neurolymphomatosis of the sciatic nerve was found. In this report, we present the characteristics of this lesion in conventional imaging and in FDG PET.

In elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treated intensively, no improvement has been shown in the last 20 years. We performed a retrospective study in 847 patients over 60 years old, prospectively enrolled in 3 trials conducted in France between 1995 and 2005, with the aim to investigate prognostic factors for complete remission (CR) achievement and survival. Induction therapy consisted in the association of Idarubicin 8mg/m2 d1-5 and Cytarabine 100mg/m2 d1-7 (Group I, 339 patients) or the same drugs with the addition of lomustine (10mg\m2 orally at day 1)(Group II, 508 patients). Consolidation therapy consisted of anthracycline and cytarabine courses at lower doses, preceded or not by a first course with intermediate dose cytarabine. The patients' characteristics were similar between the two groups concerning sex, WBC count, ECOG, and cytogenetics, yet patients were older in Group II versus Group I (55% versus 45% over 69 years of age, p<0.0001).The CR rate was significantly higher for patients in Group II compared to Group I (67 % vs 57%, p= 0.002). The toxic death rate was not different between groups. In multivariate analysis, three good prognostic factors emerged for achieving complete remission: good or intermediate cytogenetics (p<0.0001), ECOG < 2 (p<0.0001), and adjunction of lomustine to induction chemotherapy (p=0.002). The median overall-survival was significantly improved for patients treated with lomustine (12.7± 2.2 months vs 8.7± 2.7 months, p=0.004). In multivariate analysis, five prognostic factors affected positively overall survival: adjunction of lomustine to induction chemotherapy (p < 0.0001), age < 69 years (p =0.001), ECOG < 2 (p =0.001), FAB other than AML0,6 or 7 (p = 0.004) and good or intermediate cytogenetics(p = 0.007). The median event-freesurvival was also improved for patients treated with lomustine (10.7± 2.2 months vs 7± 2.7 months, p=0.002). Event-free-survival was affected by the same prognostic factors as overall survival. We conclude that lomustine might be added in standard induction therapy as it allowed to obtain both better CR rate and survival in this retrospective study.

From 11/01 until 04/05, 832 patients (median age 46, 18–60) with AML (previous diagnosis of myelodysplasia or myeloproliferative disorder, and M3 excluded) were included in prospective phase III AML 2001 trial. After achieving CR, research to identify an HLA-identical sibling was performed for all patients as they received low dose consolidation (Daunorubicin (D): 60 mg/m2 × 2d OR Idarubicin (I): 12 mg/m2 × 2d plus SC ARAC 100 mg/m2 ×7d). 33 % patients had a donor then could proceed to a T-replete alloSCT: either conventional if age ≤ 50 (bone marrow graft; conditioning regimen: TBI (12 Gy 6 fractions over 3d) - cyclophosphamide (60 mg/kg × 2d); GvHD prophylaxis: ciclosporin-methotrexate d1+3+6) = arm M; or NST if age 51–60 (peripheral blood; Busulfan (oral Bu 4–8 mg/kg over 2d) - Fludarabin (30 mg/m2 × 4d) – Thymoglobulin® (2,5 mg/kg × 2d); ciclosporin alone), AFTER intensive consolidation (D: 60 mg/m2 × 2d OR I: 12 mg/m2 × 2d plus ARAC 3 g/m2 × 8 doses over 4d) = arm m. A small group of patients with a donor but low-risk prognostic features (favorable cytogenetics, no hyperleucocytosis, CR after 1 induction = 3% CR1 patients) didn't receive 1st line alloSCT but intensive consolidation then a 2nd HD ARAC course; alloSCT was therefore considered at relapse = arm C.

The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway has been shown to be frequently activated in blast cells from patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and to contribute to survival and proliferation of these cells. Of the 8 distinct mammalian isoforms of PI3K, it is the class I PI3Ks (p110alpha, p110beta, p110gamma, and p110delta) that are responsible for Akt activation. It is not known which PI3K isoform is critical in AML. Here we show that the p110delta isoform of PI3K is consistently expressed at a high level in blast cells from AML, in contrast to the other class I isoforms, the expression of which was very variable among patients. IC87114, a p110delta-selective inhibitor, suppressed both constitutive and Flt-3-stimulated Akt activation in blasts to the same extent as Ly294002, an inhibitor of all PI3K isoforms. Moreover, IC87114 inhibited AML cell proliferation without affecting the proliferation of normal hematopoietic progenitor cells. These observations identify p110delta as a potential therapeutic target in AML.

AMLs constitute an heterogeneous group of hematopoietic stem cell disorders of rather poor prognosis. Abnormal activation of signaling pathways including STAT, MAPK and NF-KB have been described in AMLs and could constitute new targets for therapy. In this study, we focused on the PI3K/AKT and mTOR/P70S6K activity in primary blast cells purified from the bone marrow of patients with primary (n = 54) or secondary (n =10) AMLs. Patients with de novo AMLs were issued from the AML2001 French Multicenter Trial directed by the GOELAMS. The FAB classification was the following: M0 (n = 8), M1 (n = 10) M2 (n = 21), M4 (n = 10), M4eo (n = 2), M5 (n = 11), unknown AML (n = 2). In 58% of these patients, a constitutive activation of PI3K/AKT was detected in blast cells by western blot analysis showing AKT and FOXO3a phosphorylation, and confirmed by immunofluorescence confocal microscopy and flow cytometry analysis in CD34+ blast cells. Constitutive GAB1/2 phosphorylation was detected in all PI3K+ patients. However, we did not find any correlation between PI3K activation and FLT3 gene mutations. PTEN and SHIP-1 expression was normal in all tested PI3K+ patients. Proliferation (3H thymidine incorporation) was significantly increased in PI3K+ samples compared to PI3K- samples (p=0.001). The mTOR/P70S6K pathway was activated and the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin selectively reduced proliferation of PI3K+ samples. We determined the expression of the alpha, beta and delta isoforms of the catalytic sub-unit of PI3K (p110) in leukemic cells and found that p110 delta was the only consistently expressed isoform. In 8 PI3K+ samples tested, IC87114 (ICOS Corporation), a specific p110delta inhibitor compound used at 10μM totally suppressed AKT and FOXO3a phosphorylation. IC87114 inhibited proliferation of PI3K+ leukemic cells whereas it did not induce apoptosis. IC87114 did not significantly impaired the proliferation of PI3K- blast cells. Interestingly, IC87114 did not inhibit the proliferation or clonogenicity of CD34+ cord blood cells cultured in SCF, FLT3L and TPO used as controls.