Decitabine Versus Hydroxyurea for Advanced Proliferative Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia: Results of a Randomized Phase III Trial Within the EMSCO Network
While use of Hydroxyurea for CMML may not be common practice, it is an option.
Phase II Study of Venetoclax Added to Cladribine Plus Low-Dose Cytarabine Alternating With 5-Azacitidine in Older Patients With Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Author(s): Tapan M. Kadia, MD1; Patrick K. Reville, MPH, MD2; Xuemei Wang, MS3; Caitlin R. Rausch, PharmD4; Gautam Borthakur, MD1; Naveen Pemmaraju, MD1; Naval G. Daver, MD1; Courtney D. DiNardo, MD, MSCE1; Koji Sasaki, MD, PhD1; Ghayas C. Issa, MD1; Maro Ohanian, MD1; Guillermo Montalban-Bravo, MD1; Nicholas J. Short, MD1; Nitin Jain, MD1; Alessandra Ferrajoli, MD1; Kapil N. Bhalla, MD1; Elias Jabbour, MD1; Koichi Takahashi, MD, PhD1; Rashmi Malla, BSN1; Kelly Quagliato, BS1; Rashmi Kanagal-Shamanna, MD5; Uday R. Popat, MD6; Michael Andreeff, MD, PhD1; Guillermo Garcia-Manero, MD1; Marina Y. Konopleva, MD, PhD1; Farhad Ravandi, MD1; and Hagop M. Kantarjian, MD1
Source: DOI: 10.1200/JCO.21.02823 Journal of Clinical Oncology 40, no. 33 (November 20, 2022) 3848-3857.
Dr. Anjan Patel's Thoughts
This seems like a potential future option for older/unfit patients with AML. Small study of 60 patients, treatment was CLAD 5mg/m2 D1-5 + sub-cut LDAC 20mg BID + venetoclax 400mg D1-21. Response rates were very high with CR of 93% and MRD-neg in 84% of patients.
PURPOSE
The combination of venetoclax and 5-azacitidine (5-AZA) for older or unfit patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) improves remission rates and survival compared with 5-AZA alone. We hypothesized that the addition of venetoclax to cladribine (CLAD)/low-dose araC (low-dose cytarabine [LDAC]) alternating with 5-AZA backbone may further improve outcomes for older patients with newly diagnosed AML.
METHODS
This is a phase II study investigating the combination of venetoclax and CLAD/LDAC alternating with venetoclax and 5-AZA in older (≥ 60 years) or unfit patients with newly diagnosed AML. The primary objective was composite complete response (CR) rate (CR plus CR with incomplete blood count recovery); secondary end points were overall survival, disease-free survival (DFS), overall response rate, and toxicity.
RESULTS
A total of 60 patients were treated; median age was 68 years (range, 57-84 years). By European LeukemiaNet, 23%, 33%, and 43% were favorable, intermediate, and adverse risk, respectively. Fifty-six of 60 evaluable patients responded (composite CR: 93%) and 84% were negative for measurable residual disease. There was one death (2%) within 4 weeks. With a median follow-up of 22.1 months, the median overall survival and DFS have not yet been reached. The most frequent grade 3/4 nonhematologic adverse events were febrile neutropenia (n = 33) and pneumonia (n = 14). One patient developed grade 4 tumor lysis syndrome.
CONCLUSION
Venetoclax and CLAD/LDAC alternating with venetoclax and 5-AZA is an effective regimen among older or unfit patients with newly diagnosed AML. The rates of overall survival and DFS are encouraging. Further study of this non–anthracycline-containing backbone in younger patients, unfit for intensive chemotherapy, as well as comparisons to standard frontline therapies is warranted.
Author Affiliations
1Departments of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; 2Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; 3Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; 4Department of Pharmacy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; 5Department of Hematopathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; 6Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TXRelated Articles
Dabrafenib plus trametinib in patients with relapsed/refractory BRAF V600E mutation–positive hairy cell leukemia
High ORR of 89%in patients with HCL using BRAF/MET combination therapy, MRD-neg in 69%. The adage that we have more drugs than patients with HCL still holds true for most of us.
Zanubrutinib Versus Ibrutinib in Relapsed/Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma: Interim Analysis of a Randomized Phase III Trial
Is ibrutininb’s days as a treatment for CLL over? Zanubrutinib is more effective and less toxic.
Zanubrutinib or Ibrutinib in Relapsed or Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Final PFS results of the ALPINE study of Zanubrutinib vs. Ibrutinib in patients with >=2L CLL/SLL. Zanubritinib was superior in terms of PFS with an HR of 0.49; at two years PFs were 78% vs. 66% in favor of Zanubritinib; improvement was seen across all subgroups. OS data is not mature yet, and that data will be interesting. Of note, the SEQUOIA study showed this drug was superior compared to Bendamustine + rituximab in the 1L setting.
Zanubrutinib Demonstrates Superior Progression-Free Survival (PFS) Compared with Ibrutinib for Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (R/R CLL/SLL): Results from Final Analysis of ALPINE Randomized Phase 3 Study
Two words: better and safer.
