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A 17-year-old boy presented with a 1-week history of proptosis of the left eye. Physical examination revealed a tumor involving the periorbital region. A 17-year-old boy presented with a 1-week history of proptosis of the left eye. Physical examination revealed a tumor involving the periorbital region (Panel A). Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an orbital mass (Panel B). Laboratory test results included a hemoglobin level of 89 g per liter, a platelet count of 90,000 per cubic millimeter, and a leukocyte count of 1100 per cubic millimeter. Morphologic examination of a bone marrow aspirate revealed 30% myeloblasts (Panel C, arrow). There were no circulating myeloblasts. A biopsy specimen of the orbital mass showed myeloid sarcoma. Myeloid sarcoma is a tumor composed of myeloid blasts . . .

Data on outcome in older (≥70 years) patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia after treatment with arsenic trioxide (ATO) compared with standard chemotherapy (CTX) is scarce. We evaluated 433 patients (median age, 73.4 years) treated either with ATO+ all-trans retinoic acid (ATO/ATRA; n = 26), CTX/ATRA + ATO during consolidation (CTX/ATRA/ATO; n = 148), or with CTX/ATRA (n = 259). Median follow-up for overall survival (OS) was 4.8 years. Complete remissions (CR) were achieved in 92% with ATO/ATRA and 82% with CTX/ATRA; induction death rates were 8% and 18%, respectively. For analysis of postremission outcomes we combined the ATO/ATRA and CTX/ATRA/ATO groups (ATO/ATRA ± CTX). Cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) was significantly lower after ATO/ATRA ± CTX compared with CTX/ATRA (P < 0.001). The same held true when restricting the analysis according to the treatment period after the year 2000. OS of patients in CR1 was not different between ATO/ATRA ± CTX compared with CTX/ATRA (P = 0.20). High (>10 × 109/l) white blood cell (WBC) counts at diagnosis were associated with higher CIR (P < 0.001) compared with lower WBC in the CTX/ATRA group, but not in the ATO/ATRA ± CTX group (P = 0.48). ATO, when added to ATRA or CTX/ATRA is feasible and effective in elderly patients for remission induction and consolidation, particularly in patients with high WBC at diagnosis.

Background To investigate the multi-drug resistant bacteria (MDRB) colonization rate in hematological patients hospitalized for any cause using a multi-body-site surveillance approach, and determine the extent to which this screening strategy helped anticipate MDRB bloodstream infections (BSI). Methods Single-center retrospective observational study including 361 admissions documented in 250 adult patients. Surveillance cultures of nasal, pharyngeal, axillary and rectal specimens (the latter two combined) were performed at admission and subsequently on a weekly basis. Blood culture samples were incubated in an automated continuous monitoring blood culturing instrument (BACTEC FX). Results In total, 3463 surveillance cultures were performed (pharyngeal, n = 1201; axillary-rectal, n = 1200; nasal, n = 1062). MDRB colonization was documented in 122 out of 361 (33.7%) admissions corresponding to 86 patients (34.4%). A total of 149 MDRB were isolated from one or more body sites, of which most were Gram-negative bacteria, most frequently non-fermenting (n = 83) followed by Enterobacterales (n = 51). BSI were documented in 102 admissions (28%) involving 87 patients. Overall, the rate of BSI caused by MDRB was significantly higher ( p  = 0.04) in the presence of colonizing MDRB (16 out of 47 admissions in 14 patients) than in its absence (9 out of 55 admissions in 9 patients). Colonization by any MDRB was independently associated with increased risk of MDRB-BSI (HR, 3.70; 95% CI, 1.38–9.90; p  = 0.009). Conclusion MDRB colonization is a frequent event in hematological patients hospitalized for any reason and is associated with an increased risk of MDRB BSI. The data lend support to the use of MDRB colonization surveillance cultures for predicting the occurrence of MDRB BSI in this cohort.

Background/Objectives: After first-line treatment, elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) often become unfit to continue intensive chemotherapy despite having achieved a response. This trial aimed to determine the efficacy of maintenance treatment with azacitidine in AML patients who are ineligible to continue intensive treatment after remission. Methods: A single-arm, multicenter, phase II clinical trial (EudraCT: 2010-020432-18) including patients with AML with complete (CR) or partial remission (PR) after one or two cycles of intensive induction chemotherapy and ineligible to continue intensive treatment was conducted. Efficacy was measured as the response rate, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS), and was assessed in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population (all patients). Quality of life was also assessed. Results: Thirty-two patients were included, with a mean age of 73.3 years (SD 3.8) (53.1% male); sixteen patients (50.0%) reached the sixth treatment cycle. The best response was CR in 11 patients (68.8%) and PR in 2 patients (12.5%) at cycle six, and CR in 15 patients (46.9%) and PR in 5 patients (15.6%) overall. The median PFS was 6.7 months (95% CI 3.1–8.7), and OS was 11.5 months (95% CI 6.6–15.9). The daily function (p = 0.0296), cognitive function (p = 0.0412), and social function (p = 0.0275) scales of the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire significantly improved. Thirty-one patients (96.9%) experienced adverse events; six (1.9%) were serious. Conclusions: Azacitidine is a safe and well-tolerated maintenance treatment option for AML patients unfit for intensive therapy following a response to induction, although the single-arm phase II design precludes direct causal inference. Patients achieved promising results regarding PFS and remission rates, with improved quality of life.

Azacitidine (AZA) is a DNA hypomethylation agent administered in myeloid neoplasms; however, there is still a lack of established predictors of response. We studied 113 patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (n = 85) or acute myeloid leukemia (n = 28) who received AZA to assess the predictive value on response of clinical features, cytogenetics, and molecular markers. Overall, 46 patients (41%) responded to AZA. Platelet doubling after the first AZA cycle was associated with a better response (68% vs. 32% responders, P = 0.041). Co-occurrence of chromosome 7 abnormalities and 17p deletion was associated with a worse response (P = 0.039). Pre-treatment genetic mutations were detected in 98 patients (87%) and methylation of CDKN2B and DLC-1 promoters were detected in 50 (44%) and 37 patients (33%), respectively. Patients with SF3B1 mutations showed a better response to AZA (68% vs. 35% responders, P = 0.008). In contrast, subjects with mutations in transcription factors (RUNX1, SETBP1, NPM1) showed a worse response (20% vs. 47% responders, P = 0.014). DLC-1 methylation pre-treatment was associated with poor clinical features and its reduction post-treatment resulted in a better response to AZA in MDS patients (P = 0.037). In conclusion, we have identified several predictors of response to AZA that could help select the best candidates for this treatment.

The treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is adjusted according to cytogenetic risk factors and molecular markers. Cytarabine remains the main drug to treat AML, and several studies have explored the prognostic relevance of the genotype of cytarabine metabolizing enzymes in AML. Glucuronidation has been identified to be relevant in the cytarabine clearance, but there are still few data concerning the clinical impact of genetic polymorphisms known to condition the activity of UDP-glucuronosyl transferases in AML patients. Here we report the association between the UGT1A1 rs8175347 genotype and the clinical outcome of 455 intermediate-risk cytogenetic AML patients receiving cytarabine-based chemotherapy. Patients with the UGT1A1*28 homozygous variant (associated to a lower UGT1A1 activity) had a lower overall survival (OS) (25.8% vs. 45.5%; p: 0.004). Multivariate analysis confirmed this association (p: 0.008; HR: 1.79; 95% CI: 1.16–2.76). Subgroup analysis showed the negative effect of the UGT1A1*28 homozygous genotype on OS in women (14.8% vs. 52.7%; p: 0.001) but not in men. This lower OS was associated with longer neutropenia after consolidation chemotherapy and with higher mortality without previous relapse, suggesting an association between a low glucuronidation activity and mortal toxic events.

CD200 is a glycoprotein that binds with its receptor CD200R, providing immunosuppressive signals to T and NK cells. CD200 is expressed by normal stem cells and progenitors committed to B-lymphopoiesis and myeloid development. CD200 biological relevance in acute leukemias is only partially understood. The study included a consecutive series of four hundred thirty-one patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Immunophenotype was established by multiparametric flow cytometry, and the genetic diagnosis was performed by PCR-based methods and a targeted resequencing method covering 42 genes. 66% of AML patients expressed CD200 being significantly associated with CD34 reactivity. The frequency of CD200 positivity was higher in cases with core-binding factor genetic lesions such as RUNX1-RUNX1T1 (81.3%) fusions and CBFB-MHY11 (63.2%) rearrangements and also with biallelic CEBPA mutations (100%). The molecular AML group with the lowest CD200 reactivity (19.1%) corresponded to AML with NPM1 mutations. RNA seq showed no uniform pattern of infiltrating cells in CEBPA mutated AML. Deconvolution analysis may be used to assess the immunoregulatory mechanisms of AML. CD200 expression could help identify the more immature compartment and, combined with other markers, single out CEPA-mutated AML.

Midostaurin added to intensive chemotherapy is the standard of care for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with FLT3 mutations (FLT3mut). We analyzed the impact of midostaurin in 227 FLT3mut-AML patients included in the AML-12 prospective trial for fit patients ≤70 years (#NCT04687098). Patients were divided into an early (2012–2015) and late (2016–2020) cohorts. They were uniformly treated except for the addition of midostaurin in 71% of late group patients. No differences were observed in response rates or the number of allotransplants between groups. Outcome was improved in the late period: 2-year relapse incidence decreased from 42% vs 29% in early vs late group (p = 0.024) and 2-year overall survival (OS) improved from 47% vs 61% (p = 0.042), respectively. The effect of midostaurin was evident in NPM1mut patients (n = 151), with 2-yr OS of 72% (exposed) vs 50% (naive) patients (p = 0.011) and mitigated FLT3-ITD allelic ratio prognostic value: 2-yr OS with midostaurin was 85% and 58% in low and high ratio patients (p = 0.049) vs 67% and 39% in naive patients (p = 0.005). In the wild-type NPM1 subset (n = 75), we did not observe significant differences between both study periods. In conclusion, this study highlights the improved outcome of FLT3mut AML fit patients with the incorporation of midostaurin.

Given the heterogeneity of acute myeloid leukemia patients, it is necessary to identify patients considered fit for intensive therapy but who will perform poorly, and in whom alternative approaches deserve investigation. We analyzed 1034 fit adults ≤70 years intensively treated between 2012 and 2022 in the CETLAM group. Young adults ( ≤ 60 years) presented higher remission rates and improved survival than older adults above that age (CR 79% vs. 73%; p  = 0.03 and 4-yr OS 53% vs. 33%; p  < 0.001). Remission and survival outcomes varied among different genetic subsets. An especially adverse genetic group included complex, monosomal karyotype, TP53 alterations (deleted/mutated), and MECOMr . Transplant feasibility in this very adverse risk group was low, and OS and EFS at 4 years were 14% and 12%, in contrast to 70% and 57% in the favorable group and 38% and 32% in all other patients. We integrated clinical and genetic data into the Intensive Chemotherapy Score for AML (ICSA) with 6-risk categories with significantly different remission rates and OS, validated in another cohort of 581 AML patients from a previous CETLAM protocol. In summary, we identified groups of fit patients that benefit differently from an intensive approach which may be helpful in future treatment decisions.