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The article presents a case study of an older woman who initially presented with dysplasia and she developed acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) and was treated with all-trans retinoic acid and arsenic trioxide (ATRA/ATO). Information about treatment-related acute myeloid leukaemia (tAML) and treatment-related myelodysplastic syndrome is presented.

Decitabine has been explored as a reduced-intensity therapy for older or unfit patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). To better understand the risk of infections during decitabine treatment, we retrospectively examined the culture results from each infection-related serious adverse event that occurred among 85 AML and myelodysplastic syndromes ( MDS) patients treated in a prospective clinical study using 10-day cycles of decitabine at Washington University School of Medicine. Culture results were available for 163 infection-related complications that occurred in 70 patients: 90 (55.2%) events were culture-negative, 32 (19.6%) were gram-positive bacteria, 20 (12.3%) were gram-negative bacteria, 12 (7.4%) were mixed, 6 (3.7%) were viral, 2 (1.2%) were fungal, and 1 (0.6%) was mycobacterial. Infection-related mortality occurred in 3/24 (13%) of gram-negative events, and 0/51 gram-positive events. On average, nearly one third of patients experienced an infection-related complication with each cycle, and the incidence did not decrease during later cycles. In summary, in patients receiving 10-day decitabine, infectious complications are common and may occur during any cycle of therapy. Although febrile events are commonly culture-negative, gram-positive infections are the most frequent source of culture-positive infections, but gram-negative infections represent a significant risk of mortality in AML and MDS patients treated with decitabine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of posttransplant cyclophosphamide (PT-Cy) has contributed significantly to the success of haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Furthermore, several studies have shown promising results in the human leukocyte antigen-matched setting. However, the use of high-dose cyclophosphamide has been associated with the development of cardiomyopathy. There is a paucity of data concerning posttransplant cardiac complications in patients undergoing PT-Cy-based HCT.Methods: A retrospective analysis of 176 patients undergoing HCT with PT-Cy was performed. The overall survival, left ventricular ejection fractions, brain natriuretic peptide levels, and cardiac comorbidities were reviewed. The associations between comorbidities and the onset of heart failure were assessed with a Cox proportional hazards model.Results: Pretransplant cardiomyopathy was found in 16 patients (9.1%) but had no effect on their posttransplant overall survival. Thirty-five patients (21.9%) developed posttransplant cardiomyopathy, which correlated with increased mortality, but this was not statistically different from the frequency-matched non-PT-Cy cohort. The majority of these cardiomyopathies occurred in the setting of an infectious milieu. An age greater than 60 years and an HCT comorbidity index score equal to or greater than 4 were the only risk factors that correlated with posttransplant cardiomyopathy.Conclusions: The presence of pretransplant cardiomyopathy does not negatively affect overall survival for patients who undergo HCT with PT-Cy. Furthermore, cardiomyopathy in PT-Cy patients is not caused by PT-Cy but is mostly concurrent with infectious complications and is associated with reduced overall survival. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors do not fully predict the occurrence of posttransplant cardiomyopathy. Future research is required to unravel predictive factors for cardiomyopathy after PT-Cy-based HCT. Cancer 2017;123:1800-1809. © 2017 American Cancer Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The use of T-cell replete haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplant (haplo- HCT) has increased substantially since the introduction of post-transplant cyclophosphamide ( PTCy) regimens. Limited data exist concerning infectious complications of haplo- HCT utilizing mobilized peripheral blood ( PB) hematopoietic cells. Methods This retrospective cohort study included all adult patients at our institution undergoing PB haplo- HCT with PTCy between June 2009 and June 2015. Infections were microbiologically confirmed. Invasive fungal infections ( IFI) classified as 'proven' or 'probable' by standard definitions were included. Results In total, 104 patients were identified. Median follow-up was 218 days (range: 6-1576). A total of 322 episodes of infection were recorded. Eighty-nine percent of patients experienced at least one infection. Median time to first infection was 22 days. Patients experiencing at least one bacterial, viral, and IFI were 62%, 72%, and 6%, respectively. The majority (69%) of bacterial infections were caused by enteric organisms. Seven cases of Staphylococcus aureus infection were recorded, with one bacteremia case. Cytomegalovirus ( CMV) viremia occurred in 54/71 (76%) at-risk patients at a median time of 24 days. Sixteen (15%) patients developed CMV disease. Nineteen percent (20/104) of patients developed BK polyomavirus-associated cystitis. Six (6%) patients experienced a total of seven IFI. Infection was the primary cause of death for 12% (6/51) of patients and was a secondary cause for 41%. Conclusion In PB haplo- HCT patients, a high incidence of CMV viremia and disease was observed. Infections with enteric bacteria were common. Fungal and staphylococcal infections were uncommon. Further studies are needed to compare infectious complications in haplo- HCT with other transplant modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Objective To evaluate single fixed dosing versus weight-based dosing strategies for rasburicase to determine the minimum dose required to mitigate hyperuricemia in the treatment or prevention of tumor lysis syndrome. Design Retrospective medical record review Setting Academic medical center Patients A total of 373 patients with a diagnosis of a hematologic malignancy or solid tumor and who received at least one dose of rasburicase over a 6-year period between January 1, 2005, and February 18, 2011; 180 patients received single doses of 3 mg (38 patients), 6 mg (99 patients), or 7.5 mg (43 patients), and 193 patients received weight-based dosing. Measurements and Main Results Tumor lysis syndrome laboratory data were recorded at baseline and monitored up to 72 hours after initial rasburicase administration. Median baseline plasma uric acid levels were 6.85 mg/dl, 8.80 mg/dl, 8.00 mg/dl, and 9.20 mg/dl, respectively, in the 3-mg, 6-mg, 7.5-mg, and weight-based dosing groups. Treatment success was defined as a normalized plasma uric acid level (< 7.5 mg/dl) within 24 hours after receiving rasburicase. The mean weight-based dose was 0.16 mg/kg. Six rasburicase treatment failures occurred; two were in the 3-mg group, one was in the 6-mg group, and three were in the weight-based dosing group. At 24 hours after rasburicase administration, no statistically significant differences in treatment success were noted among groups (92.9% vs 97.6% vs 100.0% vs 98.0% in the 3-mg, 6-mg, 7.5-mg, and weight-based dosing groups, respectively, p=0.1238). Conclusion The efficacy of all single fixed doses and weight-based dosing strategies evaluated in this study appear to be comparable in normalizing plasma uric acid levels within 24 hours of rasburicase administration. Although use of a 3-mg rasburicase dose may be the most cost-effective treatment strategy in managing hyperuricemia secondary to tumor lysis syndrome, the 6-mg dose resulted in lower sustained uric acid levels after rasburicase administration. Further analysis of patient specific factors contributing to the need for repeat rasburicase administration should be conducted in larger, prospective clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) Study 19802, a phase 2 study, evaluated whether dose intensification of daunorubicin and cytarabine could improve disease-free survival (DFS) in adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and whether high-dose systemic and intrathecal methotrexate could replace cranial radiotherapy for central nervous system (CNS) prophylaxis. METHODS: One hundred sixty-one eligible, previously untreated patients ages 16 to 82 years (median age, 40 years) were enrolled, and 33 (20%) were aged ≥60 years. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-eight patients (80%) achieved complete remission (CR). Dose intensification of daunorubicin and cytarabine was feasible. At a median follow-up of 10.4 years for surviving patients, the 5-year DFS rate was 25% (95% confidence interval, 18%-33%), and the overall survival (OS) rate was 30% (95% confidence interval, 23%-37%). Patients aged <60 years who received the 80 mg/m2 dose of daunorubicin had a DFS of 33% (95% confidence interval, 22%-44%) and an OS of 39% (95% confidence interval, 29%-49%) at 5 years. Eighty-four patients (52%) relapsed, including 9 patients (6%) who had isolated CNS relapses. The omission of cranial irradiation did not result in higher than historic CNS relapse rates. CONCLUSIONS: Intensive systemic, oral, and intrathecal methotrexate dosing permitted the omission of CNS irradiation in adult patients with ALL. This intensive approach using higher doses of daunorubicin and cytarabine failed to result in an overall improvement in DFS or OS compared with historic CALGB studies. Future therapeutic strategies for adults with ALL should be tailored to specific age and molecular genetic subsets. Cancer 2013. © 2012 American Cancer Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Objective. To describe the characteristics and clinical outcomes of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients who received adjunctive cytomegalovirus intravenous immune globulin (CMV-IVIG) for probable or proven CMV disease. Design. Retrospective cohort study. Setting. Large, university-affiliated, tertiary-care medical center. Patients. Thirty-five adult HSCT recipients who received at least one dose of CMV-IVIG for adjunctive treatment of probable or proven CMV disease between January 1, 1999, and December 31, 2007. Measurements and Main Results. All-cause mortality at hospital discharge was the primary outcome. All patients received an allogeneic HSCT. Twenty-six patients (74%) had pneumonitis, nine (26%) had enteritis, and 29 (83%) had CMV viremia. All patients received concomitant antiviral therapy; 31 (89%) received ganciclovir, and 14 (40%) received foscarnet. All-cause mortality at hospital discharge was 49% (17 patients). Patient characteristics associated with mortality included requiring intubation for CMV pneumonia (11 [79%] of 14 nonsurvivors vs 3 (25%) of 12 survivors, p=0.016) and earlier disease onset after HSCT (median 48 days for nonsurvivors vs 106 days for survivors, p<0.001). In the multivariate analysis, only requiring intubation for CMV pneumonia remained a significant risk factor for increased mortality. A low rate of adverse events was attributed to CMV-IVIG, with mild hypertension (two patients [6%]) and erythema and chills (one patient [3%]) being the most common. Conclusion. The mortality rate in our study population was similar to previous reports in the literature and may be somewhat lower than rates reported with antiviral monotherapy. Our analysis suggests that factors associated with mortality include the need for intubation and, possibly, earlier onset of CMV disease after HSCT. Treatment with CMV-IVIG appears to be well tolerated in HSCT recipients. These findings support further trials of CMV-IVIG efficacy in this setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Objective. To compare clinical outcomes of patients receiving an alternative dosage of meropenem with those of patients receiving imipenem-cilastatin or the traditional dosage of meropenem after failure of or intolerance to cefepime for treatment of febrile neutropenia. Design. Retrospective, single-center cohort study. Setting. 1250-bed urban academic medical center. Patients. One hundred twenty-seven adults with neutropenic fever who received either imipenem-cilastatin or meropenem; imipenem-cilastatin was the preferred carbapenem until September 1, 2006, after which meropenem became the formulary carbapenem. Measurements and Main Results. Of the 127 patients, 40 received imipenem-cilastatin 500 mg every 6 hours between September 1, 2005, and August 31, 2006; 87 patients received meropenem between September 1, 2006, and August 31, 2007:29 received a traditional dosage of meropenem 1 g every 8 hours, and 58 received an alternative dosage of meropenem 500 mg every 6 hours. Primary outcomes of time to defervescence (median 3 vs 2 vs 3 days), need for additional antibiotics (20% vs 17% vs 14%), and time to receipt of additional antibiotics (median 5 vs 2 vs 1 days) were not significantly different among the imipenem-cilastatin, traditionally dosed meropenem, and alternatively dosed meropenem groups, respectively. In addition, significant differences in secondary outcomes, which were treatment duration (median 10 vs 8 vs 8 days), seizure rate (0% vs 0% vs 0%), in-hospital mortality (5% vs 7% vs 7%), and 30-day mortality (13% vs 7% vs 14%), were not identified among the three groups, respectively. Conclusion. The alternative meropenem dosage of 500 mg every 6 hours yielded similar patient outcomes, including time to defervescence, need for additional antibiotics, duration of therapy, and mortality, when compared with the traditional meropenem dosage and imipenem-cilastatin in adults with febrile neutropenia. In addition, no adverse effects on clinical outcomes were observed with the alternative dosage of meropenem. (Pharmacotherapy 2009;29(8):914-923) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pharmacokinetics of valspodar (PSC 833), a selective second-generation P-glycoprotein modulator, was evaluated as part of a Phase I study to modulate paclitaxel therapy in 15 patients with refractory malignancies. Valspodar was given intravenously at 1.42 mg/kg/h for 2 hours, followed by a 27-hour continuous infusion at 0.42 mg/kg/h. Serial blood samples were obtained after intravenous infusion of valspodar and paclitaxel. Valspodar disposition was best described by a linear two-compartment model. The median (range) valspodar clearance was 0.40 ml/min/kg (0.07-1.40 ml/min/kg). The 20-fold interpatient variability in valspodar clearance was not correlated with age, body weight, or gender but might be associated with coadministered medications that were metabolized via cytochrome P450 3A mediated elimination. Valspodar whole-blood concentrations were maintained above the target threshold of 1000 ng/ml for a median of 32 hours. The pharmacokinetic model generated from this study allows for application in future studies to optimize the use of valspodar. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]