These results indicate a benefit of preSF TH as compared with postSF TH based on the following parameters: decrease in cytokine levels, less platelet activation, maintenance of higher pH, and more efficient use of stored platelets (27% of postSF TH were lost because of plugging of filters). These results apply particularly to the Autopheresis C systems with its high initial WBC content.

The treatment of older, unfit patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is challenging. Based on preclinical data of Bruton tyrosine kinase expression/phosphorylation and ibrutinib cytotoxicity in AML blasts, we conducted a randomized phase 2 multicenter study to assess the tolerability and efficacy of the addition of ibrutinib to 10-day decitabine in unfit (ie, Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Comorbidity Index ≥3) AML patients and higher risk myelodysplasia patients (HOVON135/SAKK30/15 trial). In total, 144 eligible patients were randomly (1:1) assigned to either 10-day decitabine combined with ibrutinib (560 mg; sequentially given, starting the day after the last dose of decitabine) (n = 72) or to 10-day decitabine (n = 72). The addition of ibrutinib was well tolerated, and the number of adverse events was comparable for both arms. In the decitabine plus ibrutinib arm, 41% reached complete remission/complete remission with incomplete hematologic recovery (CR/CRi), the median overall survival (OS) was 11 months, and 2-year OS was 27%; these findings compared with 50% CR/CRi, median OS of 11.5 months, and 2-year OS of 21% for the decitabine group (not significant). Extensive molecular profiling at diagnosis revealed that patients with STAG2, IDH2, and ASXL1 mutations had significantly lower CR/CRi rates, whereas patients with mutations in TP53 had significantly higher CR/CRi rates. Furthermore, multicolor flow cytometry revealed that after 3 cycles of treatment, 28 (49%) of 57 patients with available bone marrow samples had no measurable residual disease. In this limited number of cases, measurable residual disease revealed no apparent impact on event-free survival and OS. In conclusion, the addition of ibrutinib does not improve the therapeutic efficacy of decitabine. This trial was registered at the Netherlands Trial Register (NL5751 [NTR6017]) and has EudraCT number 2015-002855-85.

Supplementary table 1. Summary of the method agreement between DBS and DPS sampling for Bu measurement. *Passing-bablok regression was performed to test the influence of Hct and day of conditioning on the linear relation between DPS and DBS levels. Hematocrit and day of conditioning did not influence linear relationship between the DBS and DPS Bu levels within the paired samples analyzed in this study. CI: Confidence interval (Bootstrap confidence interval with 1000 iterations; random number seed 978). Deming regression was used to test the method agreement between DPS and DBS for Bu levels. parameter Passing-bablok regression Deming regression

The GRAAPH-2005 International study for adults with newly diagnosed chromosome Philadelphia positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was designed to compare an imatinib-based induction regimen with an imatinib-HyperCVAD induction regimen and to evaluate the role of imatinib prior to stem cell transplantation (SCT). The protocol enrolled patients > 18 years and < 60 years. Among 118 enrolled patients from May 2006 onwards, 83 had a follow-up long enough to allow at least induction and consolidation evaluation. Median age was 42 years; 60% were male. A 7-day prephase steroid regimen (prednisone 60 mg/m2/day) allowed identification of the BCR/ABL transcript. In arm A (imatinib-based), imatinib 800 mg was given days 1–28, only combined with vincristine (2 mg at days 1, 8, 15, 22) and dexamethasone (40 mg at days 1–2, 8–9, 15–16, and 22–23). In arm B (imatinib-HyperCVAD), imatinib 800 mg was given days 1–14 of each course, combined with adriamycin (50 mg/m2 at day 4), cyclophosphamide (300 mg/m2/12h at day 1, 2, 3), vincristine (2 mg at days 4 and 11), and dexamethasone (40 mg at days 1–4 and 11–14) in the induction course, and combined with high-dose methotrexate (1 g/m2 at day 1) and high-dose cytarabine (3 g/m2/12h at days 2 and 3) in the salvage/consolidation course. Salvage/consolidation course was similar for patients initially following arm A. Four intrathecal infusions (methotrexate + cytarabine + methylprednisolone) were included within induction/consolidation courses. Complete hematological remission (CR) rate at the end of the two courses of induction/consolidation was 100% with arm A (42 patients of whom 2 after salvage course) and 95% with arm B (39/41 patients; all after induction course): overall 97.5% vs 70% in the pre imatinib era (LALA-94 trial). One patient died during the first course and 2 during the second course (of which 1 in CR after the induction course). Overall, median number of days to response was 37 (range, 28–136 days). Minimal residual disease (MRD) was centrally evaluated by quantitative RT-PCR at the end of induction (MRD-1) and at the end of salvage/consolidation chemotherapy (MRD-2). Molecular disease was undetectable in 11% at the time of MRD-1 and in 18% at the time of MRD-2, and at a level < 0.1% in 40% at the time of MRD-1 and in 60% at that of MRD-2. Although this did not translate into significant difference in terms of survival, monitoring of MRD (< 0.1%) documented that arm B was capable of inducing a deeper marked clearance of leukemic cells than arm A at the end of salvage/consolidation chemotherapy: 35% in arm A and 45% in armB (p = 0.3) for MRD-1, and 48% in arm A and 72% in arm B (p = 0.05) for MRD-2. After the two phases of induction/consolidation, patients received intensification by allogeneic SCT using related or unrelated donor stem cells or autologous SCT when a donor was not available and MRD < 0.1%. In absence of potential SCT, they underwent repeated cycles of imatinib-HyperCVAD regimen. Of the 61 patients with enough follow-up after induction/consolidation courses, 52 (85%) actually received SCT: 41 allogeneic SCT (of which 25 from related- and 16 from unrelated-donor) and 11 autologous SCT. Overall survival (OS) was 62% at 2-year (68% and 54% in arm A and arm B, respectively; p = 0.3), which differ significantly from the 29% observed in the pre imatinib era (LALA-94 trial). Disease-free survival (DFS) was 43% at 2-year (54% and 32% in arm A and arm B, respectively; p = 0.7). After a median follow-up of 12.6 months (95% CI, 10.6–15 months), 18 relapses (22%) were observed. Eighteen patients have died after induction/consolidation phase: 8 patients with progressive disease and 10 patients in CR (1 from septic shock waiting for allogeneic SCT, and 9 from toxicity during allogeneic SCT). The preliminary data of this study suggest that an imatinib-based regimen induces a high rate of hematological CR, similar to a more intensive (HyperCVAD) regimen. However the rate of molecular response has a tendency to be lower with imatinib-based regimen. The combination of imatinib with chemotherapy allows a majority of patient to have consolidation with SCT.

572 Aim. In recent series of adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the GRAALL (ASH 2009, abstract 577) and other cooperative groups have confirmed the strong prognostic value of Ig/TCR minimal residual disease (MRD) on patient outcome. Despite this, age, WBC, CNS involvement, recurrent chromosomal translocations, and early response to steroids and chemotherapy remain frequently used to tailor post-remission therapy and envision allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) in most adult ALL trials. We updated our MRD study, now with 262 patients who all achieved complete remission (CR) after the first induction and were assessed for MRD after induction (MRD1, at 6 weeks) and consolidation (MRD2, at 12 weeks). One hundred and fifty-eight patients had Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-negative B-cell precursor ALL (BCP-ALL), while 104 had T-cell ALL (T-ALL). Since 107 of the BCP-ALL (68%) were studied for IKZF1 deletion and 90 of the T-ALL patients (87%) for NOTCH1/FBXW7 mutations, we were able to reassess the MRD significance according to these newly described oncogenic markers. These two covariates (i.e. MRD and IKZF1/NOTCH1/FBXW7 genetics) allowed us to redefine a much simpler yet more powerful stratification of disease risk in both BCP- ALL and T-ALL subsets. Methods. All 262 patients studied (median age, 31.5 years) were treated in the GRAALL-2003 and GRAALL-2005 trials. Although they were younger and had more frequently circulating blasts, other characteristics and outcome did not differ from patients treated in the same trials but not assessed for MRD. Ig/TCR MRD levels were determined according to Euro-MRD guidelines (Leukemia 2007;21:604). IKZF1 deletions were assessed by multiplex multi-fluorescent PCR. NOTCH1/FBXW7 mutations were assessed as previously described (Blood 2009;113:3918). Multivariate backward stepwise selection Cox models were used for the cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR), disease-free (DFS) and overall survival (OS) endpoints, after censoring transplanted patients at SCT. Models were always adjusted on age (35-year cutoff), WBC (30 and 100 G/L cutoff for BCP- and T-ALL, respectively), CNS involvement, and trial. Additional BCP-specific covariates included CD20 expression, t(4;11) and t(1;19) translocations, and IKZF1 deletion. Additional T-specific covariates included cortical immunophenotype according to the EGIL classification, TLX1 overexpression, and NOTCH1/FBXW7 mutation. Finally, allogeneic SCT was re-evaluated in the newly defined risk subsets, as a time-dependent covariate. Results. An initial multivariate analysis revealed that among blood response after 1 week of steroid, bone marrow response after 2 weeks of therapy, and molecular response at both MRD1 and MRD2 time-points, the MRD2 level was the main and sole independent predictor of relapse (P=0.003). In BCP-ALL patients, persistent MRD2 and IKZF1 deletion were the only two independent factors identified, the presence of at least one factor defining 51% high-risk patients with 52% versus 15% CIR (HR, 3.8; P= 0.008), 41% versus 81% DFS (HR, 3.6; P= 0.005), and 54% versus 80% OS (HR, 3.9; P= 0.015) at 4 years. Allogeneic SCT in first CR significantly decreased relapse incidence and prolonged DFS in these new high-risk BCP-ALL patients (HR, 0.23 and 0.40; P= 0.016 and 0.05, respectively). In T-ALL patients, persistent MRD2 and lack of NOTCH1/FBXW7 mutation were the only two independent factors identified, the presence of at least one factor defining 49% high-risk patients with 64% versus 12% CIR (HR, 6.4; P= 0.002), 36% versus 88% DFS (HR, 6.4; P= 0.002), and 41% versus 95% OS (HR, 7.3; P= 0.015) at 4 years. SCT had no significant effect on relapse incidence and DFS in these new high-risk T-ALL patients. Conclusion. In adult patients with Ph-negative ALL treated with the pediatric-inspired GRAALL regimen, IKZF1 deletion in BCP-ALL, NOTCH1/FBXW7 mutation in T-ALL, and MRD at 3 months in both subsets replace all classical risk factors, leading to a new simplified prognostic scoring system based only on IKZF1 and NOTCH1/FBXW7 genetics and MRD clearance. This new risk score identifies approximately half of the patients as good-risk, with a relapse incidence as low as 10–15%. It will be validated and used prospectively in the next generation of GRAALL trials, to stratify both new drug evaluation and SCT in first CR. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.