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Aim. To study the relationship of karyotype, JAK2, CALR, and MPL driver mutations and ASXL1 mutation status with the progression and prediction of primary myelofibrosis (PMF). Materials & Methods. The trial included 110 PMF patients (38 men and 72 women), median age was 59 years (range 18-82) with median follow-up after diagnosis of 2.6 years (range 0.1-23). The patients were examined for JAK2, CALR, MPL, and ASXL1 mutations. Restriction fragment length polymorphism technique was used for the analysis of V617F substitution in JAK2 and 515 codon mutation in MPL. CALR (exon 9) and ASXL1 (exon 12) mutation tests were performed using Sanger direct sequencing. In 48 (44 %) out of 110 patients bone marrow cell karyotype was determined. Clinical and hematological parameters and median overall survival (OS) of patients were analyzed with regard to detected genetic aberrations and combinations of them. Results. JAK2, CALR, MPL mutations were detected in 55 (50 %), 28 (25.5 %), and 7 (6.4 %) out of 110 patients, respectively. Triple negative (TN) status was identified in 20 (18.2 %) out of 110 examined patients. ASXL1 mutations were detected in 22 (20 %) out of 110 patients. Out of 48 patients in 32 (66.7 %) normal karyotype, in 3 (6.3 %) favorable karyotype, in 4 (8.3 %) intermediate-prognosis karyotype, and in 9 (18.7 %) unfavorable karyotype were detected. The comparison of clinical and hematological parameters showed a number of significant differences. JAK2-positive patients had a higher hemoglobin level (median 129 g/L; p = 0.021). TN was associated with a high IPSS risk (p = 0.011), low hemoglobin level (median 101 g/L; p = 0.006), drop in platelet count (median 266 x 109/L; p = 0.041), increased lymphocyte count (median 26.9 х 109/L; р = 0.001). The detection of terminating mutations in ASXL1 correlated with palpable enlarged spleen (р = 0.050), reduced platelet count (median 184 х 109/L; р = 0.016), leukocyte count > 25 х 109/L (р = 0.046), and blast count > 1 % (р < 0.001). Univariate regression analysis showed that terminating mutations in ASXL1 (hazard ratio [HR] 2.9; р = 0.018), unfavorable karyotype (HR 8.2; р < 0.001), and TN (ОР 8.1; р < 0.001) had prognostic value for OS. ASXL1 mutation was associated with significantly worse OS in TN patients. Median OS of ASXL1-negative patients without high-risk chromosomal aberrations was significantly longer than in patients with high-risk karyotype and/ or ASXL1 mutation. Conclusion. Several genetic defects in tumor cells are associated with phenotypic manifestations of PMF. Based on the results of cytogenetic analysis and mutation determination of JAK2, CALR, MPL, and ASXL1, patients can be classified in different “genetic” risk groups when PMF is diagnosed.

Detection of FLT3 gene mutations in acute myeloid leukemia is now recognized as an unfavorable factor that affects the disease course, emerging the risk of relapses and overall survival shortening and disease-free survival of patients. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of mutations of the gene FLT3 and to assess their impact on clinical indicators, overall survival and disease-free survival in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. We compared complete blood count parameters, karyotype, duration of overall survival and disease-free survival in 199 patients with acute myeloid leukemia depending on the presence or absence of mutations of the FLT3 gene. Significant differences across these groups were discovered only in WBC and blasts between the group of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (FLT3+) and without mutations in the FLT3 gene (FLT3-). The differences between two groups were also identified in patients chromosomal aberrations. Significant differences (p=0,00024) in the duration of overall survival between groups of patients with acute myeloid leukemia with mutations of FLT3-ITD+, FLT3-TKD+ and FLT3- were demonstrated. Median overall survival was: 1 6 months for patients with mutation FLT3-ITD+ and 17 months for FLT3-TKD+ patients and not achieved for FLT3- patients. The use of modern molecular genetic methods of research in acute myeloid leukemia allows to improve the diagnosis of the disease, as well as to carry out risk stratification and individualize therapy. The use of targeted therapy for FLT3-positive patients who are not candidates for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation will increase the effectiveness of the treatment and improve the performance of overall survival and disease-free survival.

Aim. To evaluate the clinical experience of bosutinib use for treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients with intolerance and resistance to other tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), as well as to compare the obtained results with the data of clinical trials. Materials & Methods. The analysis was conducted on case history records of 51 CML patients (25 men and 26 women; median age was 56 years, range 28-86). By the beginning of bosutinib therapy 37 chronic phase, 8 acceleration phase, and 6 blast crisis patients were included in the study. Bosutinib was administered as second-line TKI treatment in 10 patients, as third-line treatment in 18 patients, and as fourth-line treatment in 23 patients. The causes for switching to bosutinib were poor tolerance of previous TKI therapy in 21 patients and resistance to previous TKI therapy in 30 patients. Results. The median duration of bosutinib treatment was 6 months (range 1-50). Bosutinib toxicity profile and its tolerance in common clinical practice corresponded to the data of clinical trials. Because of adverse events the therapy was discontinued only in 5 (10 %) patients. Complete hematological response was 88 % (persistent response was maintained in 76 % of patients); complete cytogenetic response (CCyR) was 39 %, (persistent response in 37 % of cases); major mo- lecular response (MMR) was 31 % (it was confirmed in 25 % of patients during the last follow-up visit). The efficacy of bosutinib in the real clinical setting was slightly higher compared to the results of clinical trials. This difference was associated with a disease phase, a reason for withdrawal of the previous TKI, line of treatment, BCR-ABL mutations, and the form of them. The therapy was continued in 22 (43 %) patients, most of them reached stable optimal response, both CCyR and MMR. Conclusion. Bosutinib appears to be an acceptable alternative to other TKIs having its specific mechanisms of action and adverse events. The efficacy and safety of bosutinib proved in routine clinical practice are sufficient to recommend it for use in national hematology.

Background. Myelofibrosis (primary myelofibrosis, postessential trombocythemia myelofibrosis, post-polycythemia myelofibrosis) is the most complex and pressing problem among all Ph-negative myeloproliferative diseases. The present article summarizes the author's experience of using new Janus kinase inhibitors in routine clinical practice, and compares the data with the results of other clinical research. Aim. To evaluate the use of ruxolitinib in patients with myelofibrosis. Materials & Methods. Our analysis includes 48 patients (21 men and 27 women) with histologically verified myelofibrosis (primary myelofibrosis in 36 cases, post-essential trombocythemia myelofibrosis in 10 cases, and post-polycythemia myelofibrosis in 2 cases) in a chronic stage. All patients received ruxolitinib. Median age at the start of therapy was 60 years (range from 35 to 79). Massive splenomegaly (> 10 cm below the costal margin) was found in 34 (71 %) of 48 patients. The initial dose of ruxolitinib was determined by the platelet level. The efficacy of the therapy was evaluated in accordance with ELN 2013 criteria. Results. Median duration of treatment was 18 months (range from 1 to 50 months). Symptoms of intoxication were relieved in 33 of 37 patients (89 %). The spleen size decreased in 64 % of patients. In 33 % of cases spleen size did not change, whereas an increase was observed in 3 % of patients. In the majority of patients hemoglobin level remained stable through the course of treatment. Three of 14 transfusion dependent patients did not require blood transfusions after 3 months of therapy. In patients with high thrombocyte levels prior to ruxolitinib therapy the mean level was approaching normal by the end of the 1st month of treatment. The median JAK2V617F mutant allele burden at the beginning treatment was 56.5 % (n = 20; 22.5-126.1 %). After 6 moths of treatment it accounted for 62.3 % (n = 11; 25.4-79.7 %) and in 12 months accounted for 47.4 % (n = 12; 14.2-102.2 %). By the time of the analysis 42 of 48 patients continued the ruxolitinib treatment (88 %). Death occurred in 4 patients. Overall 1-year (92 %) and 2-year (87 %) survival corresponds to the data of COMFORT-I, COMFORT-II and JUMP clinical trials. Conclusion. Ruxolitinib showed to be an effective treatment for myelofibrosis. The most pronounced and rapid effect ruxolitinib had on the spleen size and the symptoms of intoxication. The tolerability of ruxolitinib was satisfactory in the majority of patients. According to the author's data, ruxolitinib had a small impact on the JAK2V617F mutant allele burden. The overall survival rate in patients with myelofibrosis, receiving ruxolitinib in the clinical setting was similar to that of in the clinical trials.

Background. New medications, thrombopoietin mimetics which were recently introduced into clinical practice allowed to achieve clinical response in patients with chronic glucocorticoid-resistant idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). However, the high cost and the need for long-term administration necessitate a pharmacoeconomic analysis of the use of thrombopoietin receptors agonists in the treatment of ITP. Aim. To assess the cost-effectiveness of the use of thrombopoietin mimetics (romiplostim and eltrombopag) and immunosuppressive therapy in the treatment of chronic glucocorticoid-resistant ITP. Materials & Methods. The Markov modelling of diagnosis and treatment of ITP was conducted in accordance with the National guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of primary ITP. The cost-benefit analysis of the use of thrombopoietin receptors agonists (romiplostim and eltrombopag) and immunosuppressive therapy was performed. The time period (horizon) of the study was 5 years. Results. The therapy with thrombopoietin mimetics had higher costs but was shown to be more effective compared to immunosuppressive therapy. The cost-effectiveness for achieving 1 QALY in the treatment was 1.33 million rubles with eltrombopag, 4.2 million rubles with romiplostim, and 0.17 million rubles with immunosuppressive therapy. The lowest additional costs compared to immunosuppressive therapy had eltrombopag treatment, whereas romiplostim treatment doubled the additional costs. The threshold values of the ratio of thrombopoietin receptors agonists costs were determined for the cost-benefit analysis. The use of romiplostim is cost-effective at a price for 1 vial of 15-18 % less than for 1 package of eltrombopag. The total cumulative burden of treatment of chronic ITP for 5 years may be 7.18 billion rubles with the use of eltrombopag, 23.23 billion rubles with romiplostim, and 0.91 billion rubles with immunosuppressive therapy only. The results confirm the need for budgeting the diagnosis and treatment of ITP not as a part of general approach, but to consider ITP as an orphan disease. Conclusion. The developed pharmacoeconomic model can be used as an assessment tool of the costs of new diagnostic approaches and treatment strategies and optimizing budget expenditures.

This article is the 4th edition of the recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia. The group of authors reviewed and discussed relevant new publications, and included the significant remarks and comments of experts. Particular attention was paid to the control of risk factors for the development of arterial vascular events and their prevention, and adverse effects of the long-term therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors, which were being increasingly reported in recent years.

Background. Due to the significant increase in life expectancy and the quality of life in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) as well as the growing need for expensive tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), the analysis of cost-effectiveness and lifelong monitoring of patients is especially important. Aim. We present the results of a multicenter observational study “The Russian Registry of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in routine clinical practice (2011-2016)”. Materials & Methods. The study included Russian patients with CML, confirmed by the detection of a Ph-chromosome or a BCR-ABL transcript. The statistical analysis (July 1, 2016) included 7609 patients from 80 regions of the Russian Federation (covering 95 % of the population). The annual increase in the number of patients with newly diagnosed CML was 600-650 patients. At the time of the statistical analysis, 6995 (92 %) patients remained under observation, 473 (6 %) died and 141 (2 %) were withdrawn. The registry included 44 % of men and 56 % of women, the median age was 49 years (range 2-94 years). The peak incidence (46.3 %) occurred at the age of 40-60 years. The median disease duration by the time of the analysis was 6 years (range 0.1-30 years). Results. The disease was diagnosed in the chronic phase (CP), acceleration phase, and blast crisis in 6560 (93.8 %), 380 (5.5 %) and 47 (0.7 %) patients, respectively. The proportion of risk groups according to Sokal for low, intermediate and high risk in CP was 49 %, 30 %, and 21 %, respectively. TKI were administered to 6473 (92.5 %) patients. Imatinib and the second generation TKI (TKI2) were administered to 5570 (86 %) and 903 (14 %) patients, respectively. The total of 30.4 % of patients received the increased imatinib dose of 600-800 mg. In the TKI2 group, 558 (61.7 %) patients received nilotinib and 345 (38.2 %) patients received dasatinib. The proportion of patients with completed molecular genetic studies (MGS) in 2014, 2015 and the first 6 months of 2016 amounted to 61 %, 58 % and 23 %, respectively. The proportion of patients with cytogenetic studies (CS) for the same period was 28 %, 26 % and 7 %, respectively. No CS or MGS data were presented for 34 %, 35 % and 63 % of patients during this period. Optimal molecular response and major molecular response (MMR) for TKI therapy were observed in 23 % and 58 % of patients treated < 12 months and > 12 months, respectively. When nilotinib was used in the second line, MMR was obtained in 42 % of patients, and a deep molecular response was obtained in 25 % of patients (BCR-ABL < 0.01 %). Conclusion. The high efficacy of TKI therapy was observed in the majority of patients with the possibility of achieving a minimal residual disease. The problems concerning untimely monitoring and suboptimal administration of second line treatment were identified. In general, the CML patient registry allowed the data integration of data and information management of population with CML in Russia.

Background & Aims. The presence of different molecular genetic markers of clonality (mutations in JAK2, MPL, CALR) or their absence (triple negative status, TN) in essential thrombocythemia (ET) indicates a biological heterogeneity of the disease and can determine its clinical forms. The aim was to evaluate the association of molecular genetic markers with the clinical form and the prognosis of ET. Materials & Methods. We analyzed the data of 240 patients with ET at the age of 20-91 years (median age 58.7 years), who were observed in the Russian Research Institute of Hematology and Transfusiology from 1999 to 2016 (median observation period 37.2 months). Results. The JAK2V617F (JAK2+) mutation was found in 182 (75.9 %) of 240 patients. CALR (CALR+) mutations were found in 30 (12.5 %): type 1 (CALP7+) mutations in 13/30 (43.3 %) and type 2 (CALR2+) in 17/30 (56.7 %). MPL (MPL+) mutations were found in only 2 (0.8 %) of 240 patients. None of the mutations were detected in 26 (10.8 %) of 240 patients (TN status). Significantly higher platelet counts were observed in CALP7+ and CALR2+ subgroups during the primary diagnosis of ET compared with JAK2+ and TN groups. The mean platelet counts were 1252 * 109/L for CALR2+ and 1079 * 109/L for CALP7+ vs 841 * 109/L (p < 0.001; p = 0.06) and 775 * 109/L (p < 0.001; p = 0.04) for JAK2+ and TN, respectively. Thrombosis was diagnosed in 50 (27.4 %) of 182 patients of the JAK2+ subgroup, in 8 (30.7 %) of the 26 patients of the TN subgroup, and in 2 (18.2 %) of 11 patients of the CALP7+ subgroup. No thrombosis was found in the CALR2+ and MPL+ subgroups (p < 0.001). In general, the CALP7+ status was characterized as the most favorable in terms of prognosis (5-year overall survival rate of 100 %), compared to the least favorable TN status (5-year overall survival rate of 85 %). Conclusion. Mutations in the CALR gene were characterized by a more favorable prognosis in comparison with JAK2+and TN, as well as a decrease in the risk and frequency of thrombosis, despite higher platelet counts. TN-status of ET was associated with unfavorable prognosis.

Background. Thrombotic complications are one of the main problems of polycythemia vera (PV) treatment. They significantly impair the quality of life of these patients and may lead to the lethal outcome. A thrombotic event often precedes the diagnosis of this hematological disease. The pathogenesis of thrombosis in myeloproliferative neoplasms, PV, in particular, is a complex one. Prescription of antiaggregants in the absence of thrombosis and anticoagulants after a thrombotic event requires special attention and development of corresponding recommendations. The prescription of anticoagulants is impossible without taking into account the risks of hemorrhagic complications, which are also typical for myeloproliferative neoplasms. Aim. Assessment of the impact of hereditary thrombophilia genetic markers on the risk of thrombotic complications in patients with PV. Methods. The study examined 116 patients with PV, who were screened for markers of hereditary thrombophilia: factor V (G1691A, FV Leiden), prothrombin, methylene-tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), fibrinogen (F/), plasminogen activator inhibitor (PA/-1), and platelet fibrinogen receptor type ///A (GP///A). The incidence of these markers and their role in thrombosis in such patients was investigated. Results. The study provided data on the incidence of hereditary thrombophilia markers in patients with PV. Statistically significant differences in the incidence of these markers and homocysteine level were found between patients with thrombosis and without them. Conclusion. The information about the hereditary thrombophilia markers presence may be useful for the prescription of adequate antiaggregant and anticoagulant therapy for PV patients. Further research in this field is justified and it will probably demonstrate the relevance of hereditary thrombophilia markers as prognostic factors for thrombotic complications risk assessment.

Background & Aims. Interpretation of key aspects of pathogenesis of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and development and introduction of target therapy have changed the prognosis of this once fatal disease dramatically. Results of numerous clinical trials demonstrated substantial superiority of tyrosine kinase inhibitors over previous therapy techniques. At the same time, clinical trials had limitations in patient enrollment, as well as treatment conditions and duration. The analysis of our clinical experience in CML target therapy (over the period from 2003 till 2015) is an important argument for introduction of novel drugs into routine clinical practice. The aim of the study is to analyze our own experience in CML target therapy and to compare our results with clinical trials data. Methods. Outpatient’s cards and case histories of CML patients treated in the Russian Scientific Research Institute of Hematology and Transfusiology over last 12 years were analyzed in this work. Published results of multi-center clinical trials evaluating the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in CML were used for a comparative analysis. The primary morbidity rate and the prevalence of CML, results of first and subsequent treatment lines were studied with assessment of survival rates, adverse events, and the nature of the response (hematologic, cytogenetic and molecular). Results. The experience in treatment of 208 CML patients was analyzed. The use of imatinib led to clinical and hematological remission (complete hematologic response) was achieved in 95 % of patients. The frequency of complete cytogenetic responses (CCyR) was 69 %, and that of major molecular responses (MMR) was 58 %. The overall 5-year survival (OS) was 86.4 %, the 10-years OS was 67.5 %. The use of nilotinib during the second line permitted to achieve CCyR in 61 % of patients, and the MMR in 55 % of cases. The two-year OS was 96 % and the 5-year OS was 68 %. CCyR and MMR were achieved in 50 % patients treated with dasatinib during the second line. As for the third line, CCyR was achieved in 50 % of patients and MMR in 25 %. In case of previous imatinib and nilotinib resistance, CCyR was observed only in 36 % of patients and MMR in 18 % of cases. During second-line dasatinib treatment, the 2-year OS was 85 %, and the 5-year OS was 51 %; as for the third line, the results were 75 % and 50 %, respectively. The range and rates of adverse events of the therapy, in general, corresponded to results of clinical trials. Conclusion. The use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in treatment of CML permits to prolong patient’s life span and quality of life significantly. The use of nilotinib and dazatinib (in case of nilotinib intolerance and/or resistance) could be effective in most patients.