IntroductionAlthough conventional cytotoxic treatments for myeloid cancers can have differing proximal actions, e.g., topoisomerase inhibition (daunorubicin) or termination of DNA chain synthesis (cytarabine), a final common pathway converges onto p53 (TP53), a master regulator of apoptosis (cytotoxicity) (reviewed in ref. 1). As such, TP53 mutation or deletion is associated with resistance to cytotoxic treatments in vitro (2, 3) and in vivo: TP53-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treated with daunorubicin and/ or cytarabine had a response rate of 33% compared with 81% for TP53 WT AML, while TP53-mutated myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) had a response rate of 8% versus 60% for MDS with WT TP53 (4). The poorest-risk MDS and AML subtypes, e.g., MDS and AML with complex cytogenetic abnormalities, have the highest rate of TP53 mutations, exceeding 70% in some series (5). Even if TP53 itself is not mutated, alterations in other key p53-system BACKGROUND. Mutational inactivation in cancer of key apoptotic pathway components, such as TP53/p53, undermines cytotoxic therapies that aim to increase apoptosis. Accordingly, TP53 mutations are reproducibly associated with poor treatment outcomes. Moreover, cytotoxic treatments destroy normal stem cells with intact p53 systems, a problem especially for myeloid neoplasms, as these cells reverse the low blood counts that cause morbidity and death. Preclinical studies suggest that noncytotoxic concentrations of the DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) inhibitor decitabine produce p53-independent cellcycle exits by reversing aberrant epigenetic repression of proliferation-terminating (MYC-antagonizing) differentiation genes in cancer cells. METHODS.In this clinical trial, patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (n = 25) received reduced decitabine dosages (0.1-0.2 mg/kg/day compared with the FDA-approved 20-45 mg/m 2 /day dosage, a 75%-90% reduction) to avoid cytotoxicity. These well-tolerated doses were frequently administered 1-3 days per week, instead of pulse cycled for 3 to 5 days over a 4-to 6-week period, to increase the probability that cancer S-phase entries would coincide with drug exposure, which is required for S-phase-dependent DNMT1 depletion. RESULTS.The median subject age was 73 years (range, 46-85 years), 9 subjects had relapsed disease or were refractory to 5-azacytidine and/or lenalidomide, and 3 had received intensive chemoradiation to treat other cancers. Adverse events were related to neutropenia present at baseline: neutropenic fever (13 of 25 subjects) and septic death (1 of 25 subjects). Blood count improvements meeting the International Working Group criteria for response occurred in 11 of 25 (44%) subjects and were highly durable. Treatment-induced freedom from transfusion lasted a median of 1,025 days (range, 186-1,152 days; 3 ongoing), and 20% of subjects were treated for more than 3 years. Mutations and/or deletions of key apoptosis genes were frequent (present in 55% of responders and in 36% of nonresponders). Noncytotoxic DNMT1 depletion was confirmed b...

Cytotoxic chemotherapy dosages are traditionally calculated according to body surface area (BSA). No guidelines exist for chemotherapy dosing of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients at extremes of weight. We investigated the efficacy and safety of chemotherapy dosed according to BSA based on actual body weight (ABW) among under/normal weight, overweight, and obese AML patients. AML patients (excluding acute promyelocytic leukemia) treated with anthracycline and cytarabine-based remission induction chemotherapy from 2002 to 2009 at Cleveland Clinic were divided into three body mass index (BMI) groups: under/normal weight (BMI 24.9), overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9), and obese (BMI 30.0). Among 247 AML patients, 81 (33%) were under/normal weight, 81 (33%) were overweight, and 85 (34%) were obese. Complete remission (CR) rates were similar among these groups (69.1, 79.0, and 76.5%, respectively; P 5 0.321), as was median survival (10.7, 16.7, and 14.2 months, respectively, P 5 0.352) and 30-day mortality (3.7, 2.5, 7.1%, respectively, P 5 0.331). There was no difference among groups in days to neutrophil or platelet recovery, hospitalization days for induction chemotherapy, and bacteremia. After adjustment for confounders (age, sex, BMI, white blood cells, cytogenetic risk, etiology, and bacteremia), overall survival was significantly shorter for normal weight compared to overweight (P 5 0.006) and obese (0.038) patients. Response rates and adverse events were not significantly different among AML patients of all weight classes when induction chemotherapy was dosed according to ABW. Induction chemotherapy in these patients can be safely dosed using ABW. Am. J.

The ED FNP is a significant quality initiative with sustainable interventions, and was able to demonstrate value by decreasing TTA compared to both historical and DA controls in cancer patients presenting to the ED.

Knowledge of oncology emergencies is critical to the understanding of these emergent syndromes in oncology patients. Each of these disease states requires careful evaluation of the patient's symptoms, monitoring parameters for conditions and supportive care measures and interventions.

Disclaimer In an effort to expedite the publication of articles related to the COVID-19 pandemic, AJHP is posting these manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time. Purpose A study was conducted to compare an intravenous (IV) gravimetric technology–assisted workflow (TAWF) platform to an IV robotic system. In the study we reviewed both IV technology platforms using the same gravimetric quality assurance system, which allowed for direct comparison. Methods All oncology preparations compounded from January 2016 through December 2018 using either system were included in our retrospective analysis. Final preparation accuracy, IV system precision, and workflow throughput (analyzed using lean process methodologies) were evaluated. Results Data analysis indicated that use of the IV gravimetric TAWF system was associated with a significantly lower percentage of accuracy errors compared to the IV robotics system (1.58% vs 2.47%, P < 0.001), with no significant difference in absolute precision (1.12 vs 1.12 P = 0.952). Lean analysis demonstrated that overall completion time (17:49 minutes vs 24:45 minutes) and compound preparation time (2:39 minutes vs 6:07 minutes) were less with the IV gravimetric TAWF vs the IV robotics system. Conclusion Implementation of either an IV gravimetric TAWF system or IV robotics system will result in similar compounding accuracy and precision. Preparation time was less with use of the IV gravimetric TAWF vs the IV robotic system, but the IV robotic system required less human intervention. Both systems ensure medication safety for patients, although the IV robotic system has increased safeguards in place. Therefore, the primary driver for implementing these systems is alternative factors such as cost of systems implementation and maintenance, employee safety, and drug waste.