Discontinuation of Maintenance Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Philadelphia Chromosome-Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia outside of Transplant

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Bachar Samra ◽  
Hagop M. Kantarjian ◽  
Koji Sasaki ◽  
Ahmad S. Alotaibi ◽  
Marina Konopleva ◽  
...  

<b><i>Background:</i></b> The addition of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) to chemotherapy has dramatically improved outcomes of patients with Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). When allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is performed, maintenance TKI is generally given for a fixed duration. However, the optimal duration of TKI outside of HSCT remains unknown, and the common practice is to continue indefinitely. Here, we report characteristics and outcomes of 9 patients treated with chemotherapy + TKI without HSCT and later discontinued TKI. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Among 188 patients with Ph-positive ALL who did not undergo HSCT, 9 of them discontinued maintenance TKI mainly due to side effects. Patients were closely monitored with serial PCR testing for the BCR-ABL1 transcript. Major molecular response (MMR) was defined as BCR-ABL1 transcript ≤0.1% on the international scale for p210 transcripts and a 3-log reduction from baseline for p190 transcripts. Deep molecular remission (DMR) was defined as the absence of quantifiable BCR-ABL1 transcripts with a sensitivity of 0.01%. Molecular relapse was defined as loss of MMR. Treatment-free remission (TFR) was defined from time of TKI discontinuation to molecular relapse, last follow-up, or death from any cause. <b><i>Results:</i></b> At the time of TKI discontinuation, transcript level was undetected in 6 patients, &#x3c;0.01% in 2 patients, and 0.01% in another patient. Prior to discontinuation, the median duration of TKI therapy and of DMR was 70 and 47 months, respectively. No morphological relapse occurred. Three patients (33%) had molecular relapse at a median of 6 months. All 3 resumed TKI therapy, and 2 of them regained DMR after a median of 13 months. After a median follow-up of 49 months, the median TFR was not reached, and the 4-year TFR rate was 65%. The median duration of DMR in patients with and without molecular relapse was 22 and 58 months, respectively (<i>p</i> = 0.096). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> TKI discontinuation outside of HSCT in Ph-positive ALL in the setting of compelling toxicity may be safe only among a highly selected group of patients with deep and prolonged DMR undergoing close and frequent monitoring. Validation of these findings in prospective clinical trials is highly needed.

Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 3819-3819 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bachar Samra ◽  
Hagop M. Kantarjian ◽  
Koji Sasaki ◽  
Marina Y Konopleva ◽  
Rita Khouri ◽  
...  

Background: Treatment of Ph+ ALL has significantly improved since the addition of TKIs to chemotherapy, with improvement in complete molecular remission (CMR) and overall survival (OS) rates. However, the optimal duration of TKI is not yet established and the common practice is to continue indefinitely unless allogeneic stem cell transplant (ASCT) is performed. In pediatric setting, when TKIs were discontinued after 2 years of maintenance, high rates of relapse were seen, fortunately salvaged with ASCT and other approaches (Slayton WB et al; JCO. 2018 and Schultz KR; Leukemia 2014). In chronic myeloid leukemia, patients (pts) who achieve deep and sustained molecular remissions on TKI may be able to stop therapy successfully. Herein, we reviewed outcome of pts with Ph+ ALL treated with chemotherapy + TKI without ASCT who later discontinued TKI mainly due to adverse events. Methods: We reviewed 240 pts treated at our institution on sequential protocols with Hyper-CVAD chemotherapy + TKI (dasatinib [n=100], ponatinib [n=84], or imatinib [n=56]) between 2001 and 2019. We identified 9 pts (4%) in whom TKI was discontinued, 4 (44.5%) post dasatinib therapy, 4 (44.5%) post imatinib therapy, and 1 (11%) post ponatinib. We analyzed their characteristics and outcomes including molecular relapse rates and treatment-free remission (TFR). Pts were closely monitored with monthly PCR for the first 3 months, then every other month for 3 months, then every 3 months thereafter. Molecular relapse was defined as the loss of MMR (PCR>0.1%) or positivity of PCR at two assessments within a 2-week period. TKI was resumed upon molecular relapse. TFR was defined from the date of TKI discontinuation to molecular relapse or last-follow-up. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. Results: Baseline characteristics are summarized in table 1. The median follow up from the time of diagnosis was 138 months (range: 40-190). The median age at diagnosis was 60 years (range: 20-80). Transcript type was p190 BCR-ABL1 in 7 pts (78%). Median time to CMR was 3 months (range: 0.4-120). Median duration of TKI therapy prior to discontinuation was 70 months (range: 23-143). Median duration of CMR before TKI stop was 52 months (range: 22-141). Reasons for stopping TKI were side effects in 8/9 pts, and physician's choice in 1 pt (after completing 2+ years of maintenance). At the time of TKI stop, 8 pts were in CMR, and 1 pt with low positive transcript level (0.01%). Median follow-up post TKI discontinuation was 37 months (range: 9-75). None of the pts had morphological relapse. Three pts (33%) had molecular relapse within a median of 6 months (range: 0.8-13.2 months). All 3 resumed TKI therapy: 2 of them regained MMR after a median of 4 months (range: 4.0-4.6 months); third pt continues to respond; the BCR-ABL1 transcripts down from 17.68% to 0.36% after 7 months (Table 2). Six pts remain alive and 3 pts died of disease-unrelated causes. The median TFR was not reached; 3-y TFR was 65% (Figure 1). Though the number of pts was only 9, the duration of CMR had a tendency of successful TFR (P=0.062; HR, 0.09; [95% CI, 0.009-1.119] with duration of CMR for 2 years, and P=0.137; HR, 0.15; [95% CI, 0.01-1.80] with duration of CMR for 3 years, as a binomial variable). The median duration of CMR in pts who relapsed and who did not relapse was 22 months (range, 0-39.9) and 58 months (range, 30.9-140.6), respectively (P= 0.096). Conclusions: Our anecdotal experience reflects the feasibility of stopping TKI in a subset of pts with Ph+ ALL and sustained molecular remissions. Longer follow up and validation of these findings on a larger cohort are highly needed before attempting to discontinue TKI. Disclosures Kantarjian: Astex: Research Funding; Ariad: Research Funding; Jazz Pharma: Research Funding; AbbVie: Honoraria, Research Funding; Cyclacel: Research Funding; Immunogen: Research Funding; Actinium: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; BMS: Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria; Agios: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Honoraria, Research Funding; Daiichi-Sankyo: Research Funding. Sasaki:Otsuka: Honoraria; Pfizer: Consultancy. Konopleva:Ascentage: Research Funding; Reata Pharmaceuticals: Equity Ownership, Patents & Royalties; Agios: Research Funding; Ablynx: Research Funding; Cellectis: Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; F. Hoffman La-Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Calithera: Research Funding; Stemline Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Forty-Seven: Consultancy, Honoraria; Eli Lilly: Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Kisoji: Consultancy, Honoraria; Astra Zeneca: Research Funding; Genentech: Honoraria, Research Funding. O'Brien:Acerta: Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Sunesis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Kite: Research Funding; GlaxoSmithKline: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy, Research Funding; Eisai: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Astellas: Consultancy; Aptose Biosciences, Inc: Consultancy; Amgen: Consultancy; Alexion: Consultancy; TG Therapeutics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Vaniam Group LLC: Consultancy; Verastem: Consultancy; Regeneron: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company: Consultancy, Research Funding. Kadia:Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Jazz: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Bioline RX: Research Funding; BMS: Research Funding; Amgen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Genentech: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pharmacyclics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Takeda: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AbbVie: Consultancy, Research Funding. Jabbour:Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; Adaptive: Consultancy, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding; Cyclacel LTD: Research Funding.


Chemotherapy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingying Ma ◽  
Quanchao Zhang ◽  
Peiyan Kong ◽  
Jingkang Xiong ◽  
Xi Zhang ◽  
...  

With the advent of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has entered a new era. The efficacy of TKIs compared with other ALL treatment options is emphasized by a rapid increase in the number of TKI clinical trials. Subsequently, the use of traditional approaches, such as combined chemotherapy and even allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), for the treatment of ALL is being challenged in the clinic. In light of the increased use of TKIs in the clinic, several questions have been raised. First, is it necessary to use intensive chemotherapy during the induction course of therapy to achieve a minimal residual disease (MRD)-negative status? Must a patient reach a complete molecular response/major molecular response before receiving allo-HSCT? Does MRD status affect long-term survival after allo-HSCT? Is auto-HSCT an appropriate alternative for allo-HSCT in those Ph+ ALL patients who lack suitable donors? Here, we review the recent literature in an attempt to summarize the current status of TKI usage in the clinic, including several new therapeutic approaches, provide answers for the above questions, and speculate on the future direction of TKI utilization for the treatment of Ph+ ALL patients.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
chunping wu ◽  
mengting zeng ◽  
yuanzhong chen ◽  
yong wu

Abstract Purpose: To compare the outcomes of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in combination with reduced-dose chemotherapy with those of standard induction chemotherapy and to compare the outcomes between TKIs with chemotherapy regimen and transplantation in adults with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors in combination with chemotherapy. These patients were divided into the TKIs with reduced-dose chemotherapy group (62 patients) and the TKIs with standard chemotherapy group (143 patients). In further treatment, patients were divided into the transplant group (55 patients) and the non-transplant group (143 patients).Results: The complete remission rate (88.7% vs 83.9%, P=0.372) and early mortality rate (3.2% vs 3.5%, P=0.922) were similar between the TKIs with reduced-dose chemotherapy group and the TKIs with standard chemotherapy group. The proportions of lung infection (P=0.047) and bloodstream infection (P=0.024) and the proportion of patients with >21 days of hospitalization (P<0.001), on >4 types of antibiotics (P=0.003), and on restrictive tigecycline and/or polymyxin (P=0.031) were higher in the standard chemotherapy group than in the TKIs with reduced-dose chemotherapy group. For cost analysis, the total costs and antimicrobial costs were higher in the standard chemotherapy group than in the TKIs with reduced-dose chemotherapy group. The 3-year overall survival rates and 3-year disease-free survival rates were significantly better in the transplant group than in the non-transplant group. Conclusion: An induction regimen combining TKIs with reduced-dose chemotherapy and transplantation in first CR remains a good option for patients with Ph+ALL.


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