Venetoclax in combination with chidamide and dexamethasone in relapsed/refractory primary plasma cell leukemia without t(11;14):A case report

BACKGROUND Conventional therapies for primary plasma cell leukemia(pPCL)are usually ineffective,with a short remission time with the use of multiple myeloma medications,showing aggressiveness of pPCL.B-cell lymphoma-2 inhibitor venetoclax is usually used for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma(RRMM)with t(11;14).There are very few studies published on the use of venetoclax in pPCL without t(11;14).Similarly,histone deacetylase inhibitors are considered effective for the treatment of RRMM,but there are no reports on their use in pPCL.CASE SUMMARY A 57-year-old woman with severe anemia,thrombocytopenia,multiple bone destruction,impaired renal function,and 42.7%of peripheral plasma cells is reported.After multiple chemotherapy regimens and chimeric antigen receptor Tcell treatment,the disease progressed again.The patient had very good partial response and was maintained for a long time on venetoclax in combination with chidamide and dexamethasone therapy.CONCLUSION The success of venetoclax-chidamide-dexamethasone combination therapy in achieving a very good partial response suggested that it can be used for refractory/relapsed pPCL patients who have been exhausted with the use of various drug combinations and had poor survival outcomes.

Pomolidomide for relapsed/refractory light chain amyloidosis after resistance to both bortezomib and daratumumab:A case report

BACKGROUND Immunoglobulin light chain(AL)amyloidosis is a rare disease characterized by deposition of ALs essentially in any organ or tissue,with cardiac involvement being very frequent(61%).Early diagnosis is of high importance because early initiation of treatment in AL amyloidosis may improve outcomes.Despite the administration of immunotherapeutic agents,in particular bortezomib and daratumumab,which have improved the outcomes of AL amyloidosis,antiplasma cell therapy remains suboptimal for some patients.CASE SUMMARY We report the case of a 55-year-old man presenting with heart failure who was diagnosed with cardiac AL amyloidosis by an endomyocardial biopsy.He experienced a short-term hematological remission with no organ response after being administered a bortezomib-daratumumab containing regimen.The treatment was switched to pomolidomide due to pulmonary involvement and progressive pleural effusion,in which flow cytometry analysis showed abnormal plasma cells.After two cycles of this regimen,the pleural effusion was controlled effectively with no recurrence.CONCLUSION This case emphasizes the crucial role of endomyocardial biopsy in early diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis and suggests that pomolidomide may be an effective treatment for patients with AL amyloidosis that is relapsed/refractory to both bortezomib and daratumumab.

Chidamide,Decitabine,Cytarabine,Aclarubicin,and Granulocyte Colony-stimulating Factor Therapy for Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia:A Retrospective Study from a Single-Center

Objective Preclinical evidence and clinical trials have suggested synergistic effects of epigenetic modifiers in combination with cytotoxic agents for the treatment of leukemia.However,their efficacy in patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia(R/R AML)remains unclear.Methods Clinical data of R/R AML patients who received a CDCAG regimen(chidamide,decitabine,cytarabine,aclarubicin,and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor)from July 1,2018 to October 31,2021 at our center were retrospectively assessed,and the safety and efficacy of the CDCAG regimen were evaluated.Patients were followed up until November 30,2021,with a median follow-up of 21.6 months(95%CI:10.0–33.2 months).Results A total of 67 patients were enrolled.Two patients died within 3 weeks after the initiation,and therefore only 65 patients underwent the assement for clinical response and survival.It was found that 56.9%patients achieved complete remission with a median overall survival(OS)of 9.6 months.The median OS of responders was 25.9 months,while that of non-responders was 5.0 months(P<0.0001).Patients with gene mutations had a superior overall response rate(ORR)(80.4%vs.45.5%,P=0.043)compared to those without gene mutations.The presence of DNA methyltransferase 3 A(DNMT3A),ten-eleven translocation-2(TET2),and isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2(IDH1/2)mutations did not affect the response rate(88.2%vs.68.9%,P=0.220)and reflected a better OS(not attained vs.9.0 months,P=0.05).The most common non-hematologic adverse events were pulmonary infection(73.1%),followed by febrile neutropenia(23.9%)and sepsis(19.4%).Conclusions The CDCAG regimen was effective and well-tolerated in R/R AML patients,increasing the potential for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.Moreover,patients with DNMT3A,TET2,and IDH1/2 mutations might benefit from this regimen.

An Evaluation of the Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Ixazomib for Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of ixazomib in the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma(RRMM).Methods:The clinical data of 20 patients with RRMM admitted to the hospital from January 2020 to January 2022 were analyzed retrospectively.All patients were treated with ixazomib-based chemotherapy regimen(IRD regimen 13 cases;ID regimen 7 cases).The objective response rate(ORR)and adverse events(AEs)were observed.Results:All 20 patients received two to seven courses of treatment,in which the median was three courses.One patient had CR,four patients had VGPR,seven patients had PR,two patients had SD,and six patients had PD.The ORR was 60.00%(12/20),and 25.00%(5/20)of them had VGPR or more.The ORR of patients with previous treatment lines≥3,ISS stage III,and high-risk cytogenetic was lower than that of patients with previous treatment lines<3,ISS stage I/II,and low-risk cytogenetics.The main AEs include anemia,thrombocytopenia,neutropenia,nausea and vomiting,diarrhea,constipation,and respiratory tract infection,most of which are grade I/II.Conclusion:Ixazomib is effective in the treatment of RRMM in some patients,and the AEs are controllable.Patients who had received less than 3 lines of treatment in the past,with ISS stage I to II and low-risk cytogenetics had better treatment effect.

Efficacy and Prognosis of Venetoclax Combined with Hypomethylating Agents in the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and prognosis of venetoclax combined with hypomethylating agents(HMAs)in the treatment of relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia(AML).Methods:From June 2021 to February 2022,14 patients with relapsed/refractory AML were treated with venetoclax combined with HMAs,among which nine patients were treated with venetoclax+azacytidine,while five patients were treated with venetoclax+decitabine.The efficacy of the treatments was observed,and the patients were followed up.Results:All patients received one to five courses of treatment,in which the median course of treatment was three;four cases achieved CR and another four achieved PR,with NR in six cases;there was no treatment-related death.There were seven deaths up to the end of the follow-up period,all of which were progressive deaths at the end of the disease,and the overall survival rate was 50.00%.All the patients experienced different degrees of nausea,vomiting,and myelosuppression(Grade Ⅱ–Ⅳ),nine patients had Grade 3–4 hematological adverse reactions,and seven patients had infection.Conclusion:Venetoclax combined with hypomethylating agents is effective in the treatment of relapsed/refractory AML,with good prognosis,and some patients may even achieve CR.Although bone marrow suppression is serious with this combination,it is well tolerated.

Long-term complete response to anti-programmed-death-1 monotherapy in a patient with relapsed and refractory ovarian adenocarcinoma: A case report

BACKGROUND Ovarian cancer is the most common malignant tumor of the female reproductive system,and the survival rate of patients with relapsed and refractory ovarian cancer is very low.CASE SUMMARY Here,we report a case of high-grade serous papillary adenocarcinoma of the ovary that was successfully treated with immunotherapy.Radical surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy for the 56-year-old patient were successful;however,her tumor relapsed.Subsequent second-line chemotherapy,targeted agents,and other treatments were ineffective,as the tumor continued to recur and metastasize.Anti-programmed cell death-1(PD-1)monotherapy(tislelizumab)completely alleviated the tumor,and the multiple metastatic tumors disappeared.To date,the patient has used anti-PD-1 for 32 months,experiencing no disease progression and maintaining good health without additional treatment.CONCLUSION This case suggests that anti-PD-1 immunotherapy may have long-term positive effects on outcomes in some refractory recurrent solid tumors.Further research is needed to identify patients most likely to respond to anti-PD-1 therapy.

Chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells for the immunotherapy of patients with EGFR-expressing advanced relapsed/refractory non-small cell lung cancer

The successes achieved by chimeric antigen receptor-modified T （CAR-T） cells in hematological malignancies raised the pos- sibility of their use in non-small lung cancer （NSCLC）. In this phase I clinical study （NCT01869166）, patients with epidermal growth factor receptor （EGFR）-positive （〉50% expression）, relapsed/refractory NSCLC received escalating doses of EGFR-targeted CAR-T cell infusions. The EGFR-targeted CAR-T cells were generated from peripheral blood after a 10 to 13-day in vitro expansion. Serum cytokines in peripheral blood and copy numbers of CAR-EGFR transgene in peripheral blood and in tissue biopsy were monitored periodically. Clinical responses were evaluated with RECISTI.1 and im- mune-related response criteria, and adverse events were graded with CTCAE 4.0. The EGFR-targeted CAR-T cell infusions were well-tolerated without severe toxicity. Of 11 evaluable patients, two patients obtained partial response and five had stable disease for two to eight months. The median dose of transfused CAR＋ T cells was 0.97x 10^7 cells kg J （interquar- tile range （IQR）, 0.45 to 1.09x 10^7 cells kg 1）. Pathological eradication of EGFR positive tumor cells after EGFR-targeted CAR-T cell treatment can be observed in tumor biopsies, along with the CAR-EGFR gene detected in tumor-infiltrating T cells in all four biopsied patients. The EGFR-targeted CAR-T cell therapy is safe and feasible for EGFR-positive advanced re- lapsed/refractory NSCLC.

Programmed cell death protein-1 inhibitor combined with chimeric antigen receptor T cells in the treatment of relapsed refractory non- Hodgkin lymphoma: A case report

BACKGROUND Chimeric antigen receptor T cell(CART)therapy has benefited many refractory lymphoma patients,but some patients experience poor effects.Previous studies have shown that programmed cell death protein-1(PD-1)inhibitors can improve and prolong the therapeutic effect of CAR-T cell treatment.CASE SUMMARY A 61-year-old male presented with 15-d history of diarrhea and lower-limb edema.A large mass was detected in the pelvis,and pathology indicated non-Hodgkin diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.After three cycles of the R-CHOP chemotherapeutic regimen,the patient showed three subcutaneous nodules under the left armpit and both sides of the cervical spine.Pathological examination of the nodules indicated DLBCL again.The patient was diagnosed with relapsed and refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.We recommended CAR-T cell treatment.Before treatment,the patient’s T cell function and expression of immune detection points were tested.Expression of PD-1 was obviously increased(52.7%)on cluster of differentiation(CD)3+T cells.The PD-1 inhibitor(3 mg/kg)was infused prior to lymphodepleting chemotherapy with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide.CAR-CD19 T cells of 3×10^(6)/kg and CAR-CD22 T cells 1×10^(6)/kg were infused,respectively.The therapeutic effect was significant,and the deoxyribonucleic acid copy numbers of CAR-CD19 T cells and CAR-CD22 T cells were stable.Presently,the patient has been disease-free for more than 12 mo.CONCLUSION This case suggests that the combination of PD-1 inhibitors and CAR-T cellsimproved therapeutic efficacy in B-cell lymphoma.

Phase Ⅱ open-label study of recombinant circularly permuted TRAIL as a single-agent treatment for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma

Background: Despite the recent development of new therapies, multiple myeloma(MM) remains an incurable disease. Thus, new, efective treatments are urgently needed, particularly for relapsed or refractory MM(RRMM). In an earlier phase I study, a novel form of recombinant human Apo2L/tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand(TRAIL) that is currently in clinical development for the treatment of hematologic malignancies, i.e., circularly permuted TRAIL(CPT), was well tolerated at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg per day and showed promising preliminary activity in patients with RRMM. This phase II, open-label, multicenter study further investigated the eicacy and safety of 2.5-mg/kg per day CPT as single-agent therapy for patients with RRMM.Methods: Patients with RRMM were treated once daily with CPT(2.5 mg/kg, intravenously) for 14 consecutive days for each 21-day cycle. Clinical response and toxicity were assessed after each treatment cycle.Results: Twenty-seven patients received CPT. Using the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation criteria, we calculated the overall response rate of 33.3% with 1 near-complete response(n CR) and 8 partial responses(PRs). The clinical beneit rate(48.1%) included 1 nCR, 8 PRs, and 4 minimal responses. The most common treatmentrelated adverse events(TRAEs) were fever, aspartate aminotransferase elevation, alanine aminotransferase elevation, leucopenia, rash, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia. We graded toxicity using the Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events, version 3.0, and determined that 37.0% of patients had at least 1 grade 3–4 TRAE.Conclusions: CPT as a single agent can elicit a response in patients with RRMM and is well tolerated. Further clinical investigation is warranted.

Impact of prophylactic/preemptive donor lymphocyte infusion and intensified conditioning for relapsed/refractory leukemia:a real-world study

Prophylactic/preemptive donor lymphocyte infusion(p/pDLI)and intensified conditioning have shown promising results in experimental studies of refractory/relapsed acute leukemia(RRAL),but real-world data remain scarce.We conducted a multicenter,population-based analysis of 932 consecutive patients.The three-year leukemia-free survival(LFS)rates were 56%for patients receiving both p/pDLI and intensified myeloablative conditioning(MAC)(intenseMAC)and 30%for those who received neither therapy per landmark analysis.Multivariable analyses were run separately for acute myeloid leukemia(AML)and acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL),and p/pDLI treatment was linked to significantly higher LFS than non-DLI for both AML and ALL patients without increasing the nonrelapse mortality.IntenseMAC was associated with significantly lower relapse and higher LFS than nonintensified MAC despite higher nonrelapse mortality rates in ALL,while there was no impact of intenseMAC observed in AML.p/pDLI achieved superior outcomes in both matched-sibling donor(MSD)and haploidentical donor transplantation,while intenseMAC only influenced MSD outcomes.Data suggest that RRAL patients receiving“total therapy”by way of p/pDLI and intensified conditioning treatment have an improved chance for LFS,with p/pDLI being safer with a more extensive impact relative to intenseMAC.Patients with RRAL can tolerate both interventions and achieve a reasonable outcome.

Sintilimab for relapsed/refractory extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma: a multicenter, single-arm, phase 2 trial (ORIENT-4)

This study(ORIENT-4)aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of sintilimab,a humanized anti-PD-1 antibody,in patients with relapsed/refractory extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma(r/r ENKTL).ORIENT-4 is a multicenter,single-arm,phase 2 clinical trial(NCT03228836).Patients with r/r ENKTL who failed to at least one asparaginase-based regimen were enrolled to receive sintilimab 200 mg intravenously every 3 weeks for up to 24 months.The primary endpoint was the objective response rate(ORR)based on Lugano 2014 criteria.Twenty-eight patients with r/r ENKTL were enrolled from August 31,2017 to February 7,2018.Twenty-one patients(75.0%,95%CI:55.1–89.3%)achieved an objective response.With a median follow-up of 30.4 months,the median overall survival(OS)was not reached.The 24-month OS rate was 78.6%(95%CI,58.4–89.8%).Most treatment-related adverse events(TRAEs)were grade 1–2(71.4%),and the most common TRAE was decreased lymphocyte count(42.9%).Serious adverse events(SAEs)occurred in 7(25.0%)patients,and no patient died of adverse events.Sintilimab is effective and well tolerated in patients with r/r ENKTL and could be a novel therapeutic approach for the control of ENKTL in patients.

Anti-BCMA CAR-T Cell Therapy in Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma Patients with Impaired Renal Function

Anti-B cell maturation antigen(BCMA)chimeric antigen receptor(CAR)T-cell therapyis effective and well-tolerated for refractory or relapsed multiple myeloma(RRMM).The purposcof the present study was to analyze efficacy in RRMM patients with renal impairment treated byanti-BCMA CAR-T cell therapy.A total of 59 RRMM patients were selected,and divided intoimpaired renal function(lRF)group[basclinc cstimated giomerular filtration rate(eSFR)<90 m/min/1.73 m^2(n=18)]and normal renal function(NRF)group(baseline eGFR≥90 mL/min/1.73 m,n=41).For patients with IRF,eGFR at the 6th month post-CAR-T cells infusion was significantlyhigher than the baseline(P<0.05).The multivariate analysis showed that light chain type and beta-2 micro-globulin(bcta-2M)were associated factors with the decrease of serum creatinine.Medianprogression-free survival(PFS)in the NRF group and IRF group was 266 days and 181 daysrespectively.Overall survival(OS)in the NRF group and lRF group was 877 days and 238 daysrespectively.There was no significant difference in the objective response rate(ORR)between thelRF group and the NRF group.It is suggested that CAR-T cells therapy could improve the renalfunction during the treatment of RRMM.The renal function could be more significantly improvedin RRMM patients with light chain type than with other types.

Preferential loss of mismatch repair function in refractory and relapsed acute myeloid leukemia： potential contribution to AML proqression

Acute myeloid leukemia （AML） is an aggressive hematological cancer. Despite therapeutic regimens that lead to complete remission, the vast majority of patients undergo relapse. The molecular mechanisms underlying AML development and relapse remain incompletely defined. To explore whether loss of DNA mismatch repair （MMR） function is involved in AML, we screened two key MMR genes, MSH2 and MLH1, for mutations and promoter hypermethylation in leukemia specimens from 53 AML patients and blood from 17 non-cancer controls. We show here that whereas no amino acid alteration or promoter hypermethylation was detected in all control samples, 18 AML patients exhibited either mutations in MMR genes or hypermethylation in the MLH1 promoter. In vitro functional MMR analysis revealed that almost all the mutations analyzed resulted in loss of MMR function. MMR defects were significantly more frequent in patients with refractory or relapsed AML compared with newly diagnosed patients. These observations suggest for the first time that the loss of MMR function is associated with refractory and relapsed AML and may contribute to disease Datho8enesis.

Treatment of refractory/relapsed extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma with decitabine plus anti-PD-1:A case report

BACKGROUND Extranodal natural killer/T cell lymphoma,nasal type(ENKL) is a highly aggressive malignancy characterized by its association with Epstein-Barr virus(EBV) and extranodal involvement,which shows a poor clinical outcome.Although L-asparaginase-based chemotherapy has improved the response rates of relapsed/refractory(R/R) ENKL,relapse occurs in up to 50% of patients with disseminated disease.CASE SUMMARY Immune evasion has emerged as a critical pathway for survival in ENKL and may be effectuated via STAT3-driven upregulation of programmed cell death ligand 1(PD-L1) or other molecular pathways.Anti-PD-1 is effective for R/R ENKL with EBV-driven upregulation of PD-L1 expression.Anti-PD-1 combined with decitabine showed positive preliminary results in a patient with R/R ENKL and resistance to anti-PD-1.CONCLUSION The treatment experience,in this case,demonstrated the potential ability of decitabine combined with PD-1 inhibitor to treat R/R ENKL,thus providing a new treatment strategy for this tumor.

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy: a promising treatment modality for relapsed/refractory mantle cell lymphoma

Mantle cell lymphoma(MCL)is a distinct histological type of B-cell lymphoma with a poor prognosis.Several agents,such as proteasome inhibitors,immunomodulatory drugs,and inhibitors of B cell lymphoma-2 and Bruton’s tyrosine kinase have shown efficacy for relapsed or refractory(r/r)MCL but often have short-term responses.Chimeric antigen receptor(CAR)T-cell therapy has emerged as a novel treatment modality for r/r non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.However,long-term safety and tolerability associated with CAR T-cell therapy are not defined well,especially in MCL.In this report,we described a 70-year-old patient with r/r MCL with 48-month duration of follow-up who achieved long-term remission after CAR T-cell therapy.CAR T-cell-related toxicities were also mild and tolerated well even in this elderly patient.This report suggested that CAR T-cell therapy is a promising treatment modality for patients with MCL,who are generally elderly and have comorbid conditions.

Current updates in management of relapsed/refractory small cell lung cancer

Small cell lung cancer(SCLC)is an aggressive subtype of neuroendocrine tumor.It is characterized by a rapid doubling time and early development of metastatic disease.Despite being responsive to initial chemotherapy,most of the patients will have relapse of the disease within a few months.The prognosis of SCLC is dismal with a 5-year survival rate of less than 5%.For that reason,management of SCLC has been an active area of research.The utilization of immunotherapy has provided promising results in treatment of SCLC in the front-line setting.Therefore,utilization of immunotherapy and targeted therapy is being studied in the setting of relapsed/refractory disease,and currently,different clinical trials are exploring new drugs and further options.In this review,we will explore the latest updates in management of relapsed/refractory SCLC.

Outcomes of splenectomy in relapsed/refractory autoimmune hemolytic anemia

Objective To evaluate the outcomes of splenectomy in the treatment of relapsed/refractory autoimmune hemolytic anemia(AIHA).Methods Retrospective analysis was performed in 30 cases with relapsed/refractory AIHA who were treated with splenectomy in our hospital.The pre-and post-operative blood routine indexes and responses were followed up.Results Among the 30 relapsed/refractory AIHA patients,20 were pure AIHA(including 13 patients with warm antibody AIHA,2 with warm-cold double antibody AIHA and 5 with Coombs negative AIHA)and 10 were Evans syndrome.The short-term response was evaluated 10-14 days after operation,and the overall response rate(ORR)of short-term response was 90%[12 cases in complete response(CR),6 cases in partial response(PR)]in 20 therapeutic evaluable cases.Among 13 patients with long-term follow-up data,except 3 patients with Evans syndrome died(2 cases were refractory to splenectomy,1 case relapsed after surgery),the ORR of 10 patients with relapsed/refractory pure AIHA at 6 months and 12 months were 90%(9/10)and 70%(7/10),respectively,with a median follow-up of 14(4-156)months.At the end of followup,3 cases had maintained CR for more than 3 years.Conclusion The short-term response of splenectomy as a second-line treatment for relapsed/refractory AIHA is satisfactory,and long-term outcome of splenectomy is up to 70%at 1 year.Approximately one-third of patients could maintain sustained remission.

Efficacy Observation of Pre-Excitation Regimen in the Treatment of Refractory Relapsed Acute Non-Lymphocytic Leukemia

Objective:To explore the clinical effect of applying the pre-excitation regimen in the treatment of patients with refractory relapsed acute non-lymphocytic leukemia(ANLL).Methods:This research work was carried out in our hospital(Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital)from September 2021 to September 2022.A total of 50 cases were selected for this study,and all were given a pre-excitation treatment plan,mainly low-dose cytarabine,aclarithromycin,etoposide,granulocyte colony-stimulating factor,and more were implemented.The clinical intervention effect was then analyzed.Results:Among the 50 patients in this study,the results showed that the treatment was very effective for 22 cases,accounting for 44.00%;effective for 14 cases,accounting for 28.00%;and ineffective for 14 cases,accounting for 28.00%.The total rate of effectiveness was 72.00%.The hematopoietic system adverse reactions of the patients were mainly bone marrow suppression.All 50 patients had different degrees of blood count decline,among which some patients’neutrophils were less than 0.5×10^(9)/L.The median time was 7 days.Among them,25 patients had infection problems,the incidence rate was 50.00%,the patient’s platelet count PLT<20×109/L,and the median time was 10 days.At the same time,among the 50 patients in this study,34(68.00%)patients had symptoms such as loss of appetite,nausea,vomiting,and fatigue,17(34.00%)patients showed hair loss,mildly elevated transaminases were observed in 8(16.00%)patients,and 11(22.00%)patients had muscle soreness.Conclusion:In the treatment of patients with refractory complex acute non-lymphocytic leukemia,the application of pre-excitation regimen has a significant effect,which can improve the adverse symptoms of patients,reduce the incidence of adverse reactions,and promote the recovery of patients.

Decitabine for Relapsed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation（allo-HSCT） remains a main question on treatment failure. Current strategies for management that usually include salvage chemotherapy, donor lymphocytic infusion and second transplantation. Our study assessed the efficacy of decitabine（DAC） for treating patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia（ALL） who relapsed after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation（allo-HSCT）. We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of 12 patients with relapsed ALL after allo-HSCT who received DAC therapy. Nine patients received DAC combined with chemotherapy and donor stem cell infusion, and 3 patients received single-agent DAC. Ten of the 12 patients achieved complete remission（CR）, 1 achieved a partial remission（PR）, and 1 had no response（NR） after treatment at the latest follow-up（LFU）, the median survival was 11.2 months（range, 3.8–34, 7 months）. The 1-and 2-year overall survival（OS） rates were 50%（6/12） and 25%（3/12）, respectively. Five patients were still alive; 4 had maintained CR and 1 was alive with disease. Patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive ALL had higher survival rate than patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative ALL（57.1% vs. 20%）. No aggravated flares of graft-versus-host disease（GVHD） were observed during DAC treatment. Therefore, DAC may be a promising therapeutic agent for ALL recurrence after allo-HSCT.

Re-re-treatment of hepatitis C virus: Eight patients who relapsed twice after direct-acting-antiviral drugs

AIM: To determine risk factors associated with hepatitis C virus(HCV) treatment failure after direct acting antivirals in patients with complex treatment histories.METHODS: All HCV mono-infected patients who received treatment at our institution were queried.Analysis was restricted to patients who previously failed treatment with boceprevir(BOC) or telaprevir(TVR) and started simeprevir(SMV) and sofosbuvir(SOF) ± ribavirin(RBV) between December 2013 and June 2014. Patients with human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)/HCV co-infection or patients who received a liver transplant in the past were excluded. Viral loads were recorded while on treatment and after treatment. Data collection continued until December,31 st 2014 when data analysis was initiated. Patients missing virologic outcomes data were not included in the analysis. Analysis of 35 patients who had virologic outcome data available resulted in eight patients who were viral load negative at the end of treatment with SMF/SOF but later relapsed. Data related to patient demographics,HCV infection,and treatment history was collected in order to identify risk factors shared among patients who failed treatment with SMF/SOF.RESULTS: Eight patients who were treated with the first generation HCV protease inhibitors BOC or TVR in combination with pegylated-interferon(PEG) and RBV who failed this triple therapy were subsequently retreated with an off-label all-oral regimen of SMV and SOF for 12 wk,with RBV in seven cases. Treatment was initiated before the Food and Drug Administration approved a 24-wk SMV/SOF regimen for patients with liver cirrhosis. All eight patients had an end of treatment response,but later relapsed. Eight(100%) patients were male. Mean age was 56(range,49-64). Eight(100%) patients had previously failed PEG/RBV dual therapy at least once in addition to prior failure with triple therapy. Total number of times treated ranged from 3-6(mean 3.8). Eight(100%) patients were male had liver cirrhosis as determined by Fibroscan or MRI. Seven(87.5%) patients had genotype 1a HCV. Seven(87.5%) patients had over 1 million IU/m L HCV RNA at the time of re-treatment.CONCLUSION: This study identifies factors associated with SMV/SOF treatment failure and provides evidence that twleve weeks of SMV/SOF/RBV is insufficient in cirrhotics with high-titer genotype 1a HCV.