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Summary: We assessed the susceptibility of secondary acute myeloid leukaemia (sAML) to graft‐versus‐leukaemia effects. Data from 2414 sAML patients in first (n = 2194) or second (n = 220) complete remission were included. They were given grafts from human leucocyte antigen (HLA)‐matched sibling (MSD, n = 1085), 10/10 unrelated donor (MUD, n = 1066) or 9/10 mismatched unrelated donor (MMUD, n = 263). The 100‐day incidence of grade II‐IV acute graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) was 25% while 2‐year incidence of chronic GVHD was 38%. Relapse rates declined steadily by duration of follow‐up and were significantly lower in patients with chronic GVHD (P < 0·001). Limited (hazard ratio [HR] = 0·66, P < 0·001) and extensive (HR = 0·52, P < 0·001) chronic GVHD were associated with a lower incidence of relapse. Each grade III‐IV acute (HR = 7·04, P < 0·001) as well as limited (HR = 1·42, P = 0·03) and extensive (HR = 3·97, P < 0·001) chronic GVHD were associated with higher non‐relapse mortality (NRM). This translated to better overall survival (OS; HR = 0·61, P < 0·001) in patients with limited chronic GVHD. In contrast, grade III‐IV acute and extensive chronic GVHD were associated with worse OS (HR = 3·16, P < 0·001 and HR = 1·21, P = 0·03, respectively). Further, in comparison to HLA‐identical sibling recipients, MUD recipients had a lower risk of relapse (HR = 0·82, P = 0·03) but higher NRM (HR = 1·38, P = 0·004). In conclusion, these data demonstrate that sAML is susceptible to graft‐versus‐leukaemia effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) and chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML) can progress to secondary acute myeloid leukaemia (sAML). We compared the outcome of 4214 sAML patients who received allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT) from an unrelated (62%) or human leucocyte antigen (HLA)‐identical sibling donor (38%) according the underlying disease: MDS (n = 3541), CMML (n = 251) or MPN (n = 422). After a median follow up of 46·5 months, the estimated 3‐year progression‐free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for the entire group was 36% (34–37%) and 41% (40–43%), respectively. The cumulative incidence of relapse and non‐relapse mortality (NRM) was 37% (35–39%) and 27% (26–29%), respectively. In a multivariable analysis for OS, besides age (P < 0·001), unrelated donor (P = 0·011), cytomegalovirus ± constellation (P = 0·007), Karnofsky index ≤ 80 (P < 0·001), remission status (P < 0·001), peripheral blood as stem cell source (P = 0·009), sAML from MPN (P = 0·003) remained a significant factor in comparison to sAML from MDS, while worse outcome of sAML from CMML did not reach statistical significance (P = 0·06). This large registry study demonstrates a major impact of the underlying disease on outcome of sAML after allo‐HSCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The best approach for allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantations (allo HCT) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia ( CLL) is unknown. We therefore analysed the impact of procedure- and centre-related factors on 5-year event-free survival ( EFS) in a large retrospective study. Data of 684 CLL patients who received a first allo HCT between 2000 and 2011 were analysed by multivariable Cox proportional hazards models with a frailty component to investigate unexplained centre heterogeneity. Five-year EFS of the whole cohort was 37% (95% confidence interval [ CI], 34-42%). Larger numbers of CLL allo HCTs (hazard ratio [ HR] 0·96, P = 0·002), certification of quality management ( HR 0·7, P = 0·045) and a higher gross national income per capita ( HR 0·4, P = 0·04) improved EFS. In vivo T-cell depletion ( TCD) with alemtuzumab compared to no TCD ( HR 1·5, P = 0·03), and a female donor compared to a male donor for a male patient ( HR 1·4, P = 0·02) had a negative impact on EFS, but not non-myeloablative versus more intensive conditioning. After correcting for patient-, procedure- and centre-characteristics, significant variation in centre outcomes persisted. In conclusion, further research on the impact of centre and procedural characteristics is warranted. Non-myeloablative conditioning appears to be the preferable approach for patients with CLL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In AML, cooperation of mutations suppressing differentiation ('class-II-mutations') with 'class-I-mutations' increasing cell proliferation is frequent. In rare cases of myeloid malignancies, the BCR-ABL1 fusion was reported to cooperate as class-I-mutation with class-II-mutations, but most cases had to be classified as blast phase of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). We identified five cases of Philadelphia positive subclones in AML occurring in coincidence with other genetic lesions: 1:220 patients with inv(16)/ CBFB-MYH11 (0·5%), 2:272 AML cases with t(8;21)/ RUNX1-RUNX1T1 (0·7%), 1:1029 NPM1-mutated AML (0·1%), and one patient with s-AML following MDS with a 5q-deletion. Four patients had m-BCR (e1a2) BCR-ABL1 transcripts; one case only had an M-BCR (b3a2) breakpoint. These cases allow some interesting conclusions: The BCR-ABL1 rearrangement apparently can cooperate with the NPM1 mutation similar to other class-I-mutations. The identification of Philadelphia positive subclones in <1% of patients with CBF-leukaemias fits well with previous observations that most CBF-AML are accompanied by activating mutations in genes enhancing proliferation. Since we observed the occurrence of the Philadelphia positive subclones at diagnosis, at relapse, or throughout the disease, the time point of the emergence of Philadelphia subclones seems variable in AML. Clinical research should further concentrate on Philadelphia positive subclones in AML to assess the clinical impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]