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Background. The Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome (chr.) is the hallmark of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and typically results from the reciprocal translocation t(9;22)(q34;11.2). Complex variant translocations (CVT) involving one or more additional chr. are identified in less than 5% of newly diagnosed CML. There are conflicting reports about the prognostic impact of CVT in the achievement of optimal response to tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), and very few studies addressed the role of frontline treatment with imatinib or second generation (2G)-TKI in patients with CVT. Aims. To assess the response to imatinib or 2G-TKI in a large cohort of newly diagnosed CML with CVT, and to explore the impact of the different chr. translocations on outcome. Methods. This observational retrospective study was conducted in 19 hematologic centers in the framework of Campus CML, a network of Italian physicians involved in the management of CML patients. All newly diagnosed CML from 2000 to 2019 were evaluated and patients with CVT were selected for the present analysis. Karyotypes were defined according to the 2016 International System for Human Cytogenetic Nomenclature. Responses to frontline treatment were retrospectively categorized according to the 2013 ELN recommendations, as they include cytogenetic milestones. Deep molecular response (DMR, i.e. MR4or better) was defined as BCR-ABLIS ratio ≤0.01% or undetectable disease with ≥10,000 ABL copies. Patients with DMR lasting ≥2 years and at least a Q-PCR test every 6 months were defined as stable DMR responders. Failure-free survival (FFS) was calculated from the start of frontline TKI treatment to progression to advanced phase, death, or switch to other treatments for resistance. For FFS calculation, patients were censored at TKI stop for treatment-free remission (TFR) or in case of switch for intolerance only. Differences between subgroups according to the partner chr. were presented for descriptive purposes. Results. CVT were identified in 109 (3.2%) patients from a whole population of 3,361 subjects with newly diagnosed CML. Ninety-five out of 109 patients (87%) exhibited three-way translocations, with chr. 1, 4, 6, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15 and 17 representing the most common additional partners (figure). Four- and five-way translocations were identified in 13 and 1 patients, respectively. Additional chr. abnormalities (ACA) in the Ph+ cells were observed in 15/109 (13.8%) patients and were more common in older individuals (p=0.018). Overall, median age at diagnosis was 50.6 years (range 20-90). Risk distribution according to the ELTS score was 54%, 28% and 8% for L, I and H risk, respectively (10% missing). Cytogenetic result was available before the choice of frontline treatment in 45% of cases and represented a decisive factor in 28% of them (i.e. clinicians selected a 2G-TKI or high-dose imatinib, according to the available options). Frontline TKI treatment was imatinib in 80 cases (73%) and 2G-TKI (nilotinib n=22, dasatinib n=6, bosutinib n=1) in the remaining cases. The frequency of optimal response at 3, 6 and 12 months was 48%, 45% and 53%, respectively, for imatinib-treated patients, and 76%, 83% and 76%, respectively, for the 2G-TKI cohort (p The subtype of CVT had an impact on response and long-term outcome. Patients with CVT involving chr. 1, 4, 6, 11 or 12 had a higher frequency of MMR at 12 months than patients with CVT involving chr. 10, 14, 15 or 17 (75.8% vs 30.4%, respectively, p=0.001), higher frequency of stable DMR (48.7% vs 22.2%, respectively; p=0.04) and tended to have better median FFS (p=0.07), regardless of the type of frontline TKI and of the ELTS score. Conclusions. Due to its retrospective nature, this study does not allow to define which is the optimal therapy for CML harboring CVT at diagnosis. However, our data reinforce the usefulness of bone marrow karyotyping in CML. The observed differences between partner chr. may also depend on the breaking points, which are variable. Further dissection of CVT will help to identify which are associated to a poor response to TKIs. Figure Disclosures D'Adda: Incyte: Other: Advisory board; Novartis: Other: Advisory board; Pfizer: Other: Advisory board. Galimberti:Novartis: Speakers Bureau; Incyte: Honoraria. Crugnola:Celgene: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; BMS: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria. Bocchia:Incyte: Honoraria; CELGENE: Honoraria. Krampera:Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Breccia:Incyte: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria; Abbvie: Consultancy; Bristol-Myers Squibb/Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria. Saglio:Novartis: Research Funding; Ariad: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Roche: Research Funding.

Background. Comorbidities have a well-established prognostic value in the majority of hematologic neoplasms. However, the impact of comorbidities on adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has been poorly investigated to date. Aims. In this retrospective study of a monocentric cohort of 112 adults with Philadelphia-negative (Ph-neg) ALL consecutively diagnosed between 1990 and 2018 we aimed to assess the association between comorbidities at diagnosis and remission rate, the frequency and severity of adverse events (AE) during frontline treatment, and long-term outcome. Patients and methods. Patients were included, regardless of age, if treated within or according to clinical protocols aimed at curing. Patients initially treated with low-intensity/palliative care were not considered. Ph-positive patients were excluded, as their treatment modalities markedly changed over years due to the availability of tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Patients were defined as high risk if one or more of the following features were present: WBC >30x109/L for B-cell precursor (BCP) or >100x109/L for T-cell precursor (TCP), pro-B, early or mature T ALL phenotype, high risk cytogenetics (according to the ESMO 2016 guidelines), or central nervous system involvement. Comorbidities recorded at diagnosis were classified according to the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Classification and grading of AE was performed according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0. Responses were defined according to the ESMO 2016 guidelines. Minimal residual disease (MRD) was assessed by 6- or 8-colour flow cytometry with a 10-4 sensitivity. Variables tested for association with complete remission (CR) and MRD-negative status were: age group (stratified into quartiles), gender, phenotype (BCP or TCP), WBC, karyotype, risk class, and CCI score. Event-free survival (EFS) was calculated from the first CR to relapse or death. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from diagnosis until death. EFS and OS were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results. Median age at diagnosis was 43 years (range 14-75). BCP and TCP were 78% and 22%, respectively. Overall, 51 patients (46%) were considered as standard risk, 46 (41%) as high risk, and 15 (13%) were unclassifiable due to the lack of cytogenetics. CCI score distribution was as follows: 0 (n=66; 59%), 1 (n=18; 16%), 2 (n=9; 8%), and ≥3 (n=19; 17%). CR after induction therapy was obtained by 95/112 patients (85%). CCI was the only variable significantly associated to CR achievement (0-1 vs ≥2: 91% vs 68%; p=0.012). MRD status at the end of induction was evaluable in 64 out of 95 patients in CR and was negative in 28 (44%). No pretreatment variable predicted for the achievement of MRD complete response. Eight patients (7%) died before the first response evaluation; early death rate was significantly higher in patients with CCI ≥2 than in patients with CCI 0-1 (21% vs 2%; p=0.003). Conversely no differences in AE frequency and severity were observed according to CCI (p=0.847) or age group (p=0.881). After a median follow-up of 35 months, 46 patients (41%) were alive. OS was significantly longer in patients with CCI 0-1 as compared to CCI ≥2 (median 87 months, 95%CI: 31 to not reached vs 13 months, 95%CI: 5-36; p43 years: 81% vs 44%; p=0.014) and tended to be higher in patients treated with blinatumomab or inotuzumab rather than with standard chemotherapy (82% vs 55%, p=0.17). While there were no differences in CR2 according to CCI group, median survival after first relapse was 12.1 months (95%CI: 7.83-15.24) for CCI 0-1 vs 6.92 months (95%CI: 2.49-12.59) for CCI≥2(p=0.021). Conclusions. Comorbidities have a significant prognostic impact in intensively-treated adults with Ph-neg ALL. Patients with low comorbidities (CCI 0-1) had superior CR rates and less incidence of toxic death after induction, and pre-treatment high risk features did not have a detrimental impact in this group. Figure Disclosures Krampera: Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Bonifacio:Incyte: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria.