Liquid biopsy and blood-based minimal residual disease evaluation in multiple myeloma

Novel drug availability has increased the depth of response and revolutionised the outcomes of multiple myeloma patients.Minimal residual disease evaluation is a surrogate for progression-free survival and overall survival and has become widely used not-only in clinical trials but also in daily patient management.Bone marrow aspiration is the gold standard for response evaluation,but due to the patchy nature of myeloma,false negatives are possible.Liquid biopsy and blood-based minimal residual disease evaluation consider circulating plasma cells,mass spectrometry or circulating tumour DNA.This approach is less invasive,can provide a more comprehensive picture of the disease and could become the future of response evaluation in multiple myeloma patients.

DETECTION AND ITS CLINICAL VALUE OF MINIMAL RESIDUAL DISEASES IN ACUTE PROMYELOCYTIC LEUKEMIA

Objective: To detect the minimal residual diseases (MRD) in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) after complete remission (CR) and to analyze its clinical value in prognosis. Methods: Reverse transcription Polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR) was used to detect MRD of patients with APL. Results: MRD positive rate in patients with APL was 92.8% (39/42) before treatment and 56.7 (21/37) immediately after the ATRA or chemotherapy-induced CR. Furthermore, MRD positive rate was related to the relapse in APL patients and could be considered as a marker to predict the relapse of patients with APL after CR. The MRD detection could also be applied to direct the consolidation therapy to prevent relapses. Conclusion: RT-PCR is valuable to monitor MRD and can be used as a marker to predict relapses.

Circulating tumor DNA(ctDNA)-based minimal residual disease in non-small cell lung cancer

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer-related fatalities,with non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)accounting for 85%of all lung cancers.Over the past forty years,patients with NSCLC have had a 5-year survival rate of only 16%,despite improvements in chemotherapy,targeted therapy,and immunotherapy.Circulating tumor DNA(ctDNA)in blood can be used to identify minimal residual disease(MRD),and ctDNA-based MRD has been shown to be of significance in prognostic assessment,recurrence monitoring,risk of recurrence assessment,efficacy monitoring,and therapeutic intervention decisions in NSCLC.The level of MRD can be obtained by monitoring ctDNA to provide guidance for more precise and personalized treatment,the scientific feasibility of which could dramatically modify lung cancer treatment paradigm.In this review,we present a comprehensive review of MRD studies in NSCLC and focus on the application of ctDNA-based MRD in different stages of NSCLC in current clinical practice.

Outcomes of Adults with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia After Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation and the Significance of Pretransplantation Minimal Residual Disease： Analysis from a Single Center of China

Background：The postremission therapics for adult patients generally contain consolidation chemotherapy,allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation （auto-HSCT）.Because of the various results from different centers,the optimal therapy for adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia （ALL） patients is still uncertain.This study aimed to better understand predictive factors and role of auto-HSCT in the postremission thcrapy for adult ALL patients.Methods：The outcomes of 135 adult patients with ALL,who received the first auto-HSCT in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Center of Blood Diseases Hospital,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from January 1,1994 to February 28,2014,were retrospectively analyzed.Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and simultaneous effects of multiple covariates were estimated with the Cox model.Results：Overall survival （OS） and disease-free survival （DFS） at 5 years for the whole cohort were 59.1 ± 4.5% and 59.0 ± 4.4%,respectively.The cumulative nonrelapse mortality and relapse rate at 5 years were 4.5 ± 0.03% and 36.6 ± 0.19%.For both OS and DFS,acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia,high lactate dehydrogenase （LDH） at diagnosis,blast cell proportion ≥5% on the 15th day of induction therapy,and extramedullary infiltration before HSCT were the poor prognosis factors.In addition,age ≥35 years predicted poor DFS.Only T-ALL and high LDH were the independent undesirable factors associated with OS and DFS in Cox regression model.For 44 patients who had results of pretransplantation minimal residual disease （MRD）,positive MRD （MRD ≥0.01%） indicated poor OS （P =0.044） and DFS （P =0.008）.Furthermore,for the standard risk group,the patients with negative MRD （MRD 〈0.01%） had better results （OS at 18 months was 90.0 ± 9.5%,while for the patients with positive MRD OS was 50.0 ± 35.4%,P =0.003;DFS at 18 months was 90.0 ± 9.5%,while for the positive MRD group DFS was 0%,P 〈 0.001）.Conclusions：This study confirmed that auto-HSCT combined with posttransplantation maintenance chemotherapy could be an option for adult ALL patients and pretransplantation MRD may play a significant role in the direction of therapy for adult ALL patients.

Coexisting opportunities and challenges:In which scenarios can minimal/measurable residual disease play a role in advanced non-small cell lung cancer?

Curative therapy was not previously available for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC);thus,the concept of minimal/measurable(or molecular)residual disease(MRD)was not applicable to these patients.However,advances in targeted and immunotherapy have revolutionized the treatment landscape for patients with advanced NSCLC,with emerging evidence of long-term survival and even the hope of complete remission(CR)by imaging examination.The latest research shows that patients with oligometastatic lung cancer can benefit from local treatment.After removing the lesions,the choice of follow-up therapy and monitoring of the lesions could remain uncertain.MRD plays a role in identifying early-stage NSCLC patients with high risks of recurrence and determining adjuvant therapy after radical treatment.In recent years,evidence has been accumulating regarding the use of circulating cell-free tumor DNA(ctDNA)to assess MRD in solid tumors.This study discussed the possible applications of ctDNA-based MRD monitoring in advanced NSCLC and described the current challenges and unresolved problems in the application of MRD in advanced NSCLC.

Drug resistance and minimal residual disease in multiple myeloma

Great progress has been made in improving survival in multiple myeloma(MM)patients over the last 30 years.New drugs have been introduced and complete responses are frequently seen.However,the majority of MM patients do experience a relapse at a variable time after treatment,and ultimately the disease becomes drug-resistant following therapies.Recently,minimal residual disease(MRD)detection has been introduced in clinical trials utilizing novel therapeutic agents to measure the depth of response.MRD can be considered as a surrogate for both progression-free and overall survival.In this perspective,the persistence of a residual therapy-resistant myeloma plasma cell clone can be associated with inferior survivals.The present review gives an overview of drug resistance in MM,i.e.,mutation ofβ5 subunit of the proteasome;upregulation of pumps of efflux;heat shock protein induction for proteasome inhibitors;downregulation of CRBN expression;deregulation of IRF4 expression;mutation of CRBN,IKZF1,and IKZF3 for immunomodulatory drugs and decreased target expression;complement protein increase;sBCMA increase;and BCMA down expression for monoclonal antibodies.Multicolor flow cytometry,or next-generation flow,and next-generation sequencing are currently the techniques available to measure MRD with sensitivity at 10-5.Sustained MRD negativity is related to prolonged survival,and it is evaluated in all recent clinical trials as a surrogate of drug efficacy.

Current assessment and management of measurable residual disease in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the setting of CAR-T-cell therapy

Chimeric antigen receptor(CAR)-modified T-cell therapy has achieved remarkable success in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL).Measurable/minimal residual disease(MRD)monitoring plays a significant role in the prognostication and management of patients undergoing CAR-T-cell therapy.Common MRD detection methods include flow cytometry(FCM),polymerase chain reaction(PCR),and next-generation sequencing(NGS),and each method has advantages and limitations.It has been well documented that MRD positivity predicts a poor prognosis and even disease relapse.Thus,how to perform prognostic evaluations,stratify risk based on MRD status,and apply MRD monitoring to guide individual therapeutic decisions have important implications in clinical practice.This review assesses the common and novel MRD assessment methods.In addition,we emphasize the critical role of MRD as a prognostic biomarker and summarize the latest studies regarding MRD-directed combination therapy with CAR-T-cell therapy and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(allo-HSCT),as well as other therapeutic strategies to improve treatment effect.Furthermore,this review discusses current challenges and strategies for MRD detection in the setting of disease relapse after targeted therapy.

Current treatment paradigm and survival outcomes among patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma in China:a retrospective multicenter study

Objective:Evidence on the prognostic value of autologous stem cell transplantation(ASCT)and minimal residual disease(MRD)dynamics of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma(NDMM)in China is limited.Our objective in the current study was to understand the current care paradigm and outcomes of these patients.Methods:This longitudinal cohort study used historical data from three top-tier hematologic disease care hospitals that contributed to the National Longitudinal Cohort of Hematological Diseases-Multiple Myeloma.Treatment regimens[proteasome inhibitor(PI)-,immunomodulatory drug(IMiD)-,PI+IMiD-based,and conventional],post-induction response,ASCT and MRD status,and survival outcomes[progression-free survival(PFS)and overall survival(OS)]were evaluated.Results:In total,454 patients with NDMM were included(median age,57 years;59.0%males)with a median follow-up of 58.7 months.The overall response rate was 91.0%,83.9%,90.6%,and 60.9%for PI-,IMiD-,PI+IMiD-based,and conventional regimens,respectively.Patients with ASCT during first-line therapy(26.2%)had a longer PFS and OS than patients who did not receive ASCT[median PFS,42.9 vs.21.2 months,P<0.001;median OS,not reached(NR)vs.65.8 months,P<0.001].The median OS was NR,71.5,and 56.6 months among patients with sustained MRD negativity,loss of MRD negativity,and persistent MRD,respectively(P<0.001).Multivariate analysis revealed that the lactic dehydrogenase level,International Staging System stage,extra-medullary disease,and upfront ASCT were independent factors in predicting OS among NDMM patients.Conclusions:Our study showed that novel agent-based regimens,first-line ASCT,and sustained MRD negativity were associated with a superior outcome for patients with NDMM in China(Identifier:NCT04645199).

Research Progress on Postoperative Minimal/Molecular Residual Disease Detection in Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.Approximately 10%-50%of patients experience relapse after radical surgery,which may be attributed to the persistence of minimal/molecular residual disease(MRD).Circulating tumor DNA(ctDNA),a common liquid biopsy approach,has been demonstrated to have significant clinical merit.In this study,we review the evidence supporting the use of ctDNA for MRD detection and discuss the potential clinical applications of postoperative MRD detection,including monitoring recurrence,guiding adjuvant treatment,and driving clinical trials in lung cancer.We will also discuss the problems that prevent the routine application of ctDNA MRD detection.Multi-analyte methods and identification of specific genetic and molecular alterations,especially methylation,are effective detection strategies and show considerable prospects for future development.Interventional prospective studies based on ctDNA detection are needed to determine whether the application of postoperative MRD detection can improve the clinical outcomes of lung cancer patients,and the accuracy,sensitivity,specificity,and robustness of different detection methods still require optimization and refinement.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and circulating tumour cells

Due to a lack of substantial improvement in the outcome of patients suffering from oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC) during the past decades, current staging methods need to be revised. This disease is associated with poor survival rates despite considerable advances in diagnosis and treatment. The early detection of metastases is an important indicator of survival, prognosis and relapse. Therefore, a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying metastasis is crucial. Exploring alternative measures apart from common procedures is needed to identify new prognostic markers. Similar to previous findings predominantly for other solid tumours, recently published studies demonstrate that circulating tumour cells(CTCs) and disseminated tumour cells(DTCs) might serve as prognostic markers and could supplement routine staging in OSCC. Thus, the detection of CTCs/DTCs is a promising tool todetermine the individual need for therapeutic intervention. Encouraging results and new approaches point to the future use of targeted therapies for OSCC, an exceedingly heterogeneous subgroup of head and neck cancer. This review focuses on summarising technologies currently used to detect CTCs/DTCs. The translational relevance for OSCC is highlighted. The inherent challenges in detecting CTCs/DTCs will be emphasised.

Early stage colon cancer: Current treatment standards, evolving paradigms, and future directions

Colon cancer continues to be one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity throughout the world despite the availability of reliable screening tools and effective therapies.The majority of patients with colon cancer are diagnosed at an early stage(stages I to III),which provides an opportunity for cure.The current treatment paradigm of early stage colon cancer consists of surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy in a select group of patients,which is directed at the eradication of minimal residual disease to achieve a cure.Surgery alone is curative for the vast majority of colon cancer patients.Currently,surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy can achieve long term survival in about two-thirds of colon cancer patients with nodal involvement.Adjuvant chemotherapy is recommended for all patients with stage III colon cancer,while the benefit in stage II patients is not unequivocally established despite several large clinical trials.Contemporary research in early stage colon cancer is focused on minimally invasive surgical techniques,strategies to limit treatment-related toxicities,precise patient selection for adjuvant therapy,utilization of molecular and clinicopathologic information to personalize therapy and exploration of new therapies exploiting the evolving knowledge of tumor biology.In this review,we will discuss the current standard treatment,evolving treatment paradigms,and the emerging biomarkers,that will likely help improve patient selection and personalization of therapy leading to superior outcomes.

Predictive Value of Dynamic Peri-Transplantation MRD Assessed By MFC Either Alone or in Combination with Other Variables for Outcomes of Patients with T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

We performed a retrospective analysis to investigate dynamic peri-hematopoieticstem cell transplantation(HSCT)minimal/measurable residual disease(MRD)on outcomes inpatients with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia(T-ALL).A total of 271 patients were enrolledand classified into three groups:unchanged ncgative MRD pre-and post-HSCT group(group A),post-MRD non-increase group(group B),and post-MRD increase group(group C).The patientsin group B and group C experienced a higher cumulative incidence of relapse(CIR)(42%vs.71%vs.16%,P<0.001)and lower leukemia-free survival(LFS)(46%vs.21%vs.70%,P<0.001)andoverall survival(OS)(50%vs.28%vs.72%,P<0.001)than in group A,but there was no significantdifference in non-relapse mortality(NRM)among three groups(14%vs.12%vs.8%,P=0.752).Multivariate analysis showed that dynamic peri-HSCT MRD was associated with CIR(HR=2.392,95%CI,1.816-3.151,P<0.001),LFS(HR=1.964,95%CI,1.546-2.496,P<0.001)and os(HR=1.731,95%CI,1.348-2.222,P<0.001).We also established a risk scoring system based ondynamic peri-HSCT MRD combined with remission status pre-HSCT and onsct of chronic graft-versus-host disease(GVHD).This risk scoring system could better distinguish ClR(c=0.730)thanthat for pre-HSCT MRD(c=0.562),post-HSCT MRD(c=0.616)and pre-and post-MRD dynamics(c=0.648).Our results confirm the outcome predictive value of dynamic peri-HSCT MRD eitheralone or in combination with other variables for patients with T-ALL.

Detection and clinical significance of multidrug resistance-1 mRNA in bone marrow cells in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia by real-time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR

Objective： Multidrug resistance（MDR） is one of the most important reasons for treatment failure and recurrence of acute leukemia. Its manifestations are different in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia（ALL） which may be due to different detection methods. This study was to detect the expression of MDR1 mRNA in bone marrow cells of children with ALL by real-time fluorescence- quantitative reverse transcription polymerase-chain reaction（FQ-RT-PCR）, and combine minimal residual desease（MRD） detection by flow cytometry（FCM） and to study their relationship with treatment response and prognosis of ALL. Methods：The MDR1 mRNA levels in bone marrow cells from 67 children with ALL[28 had newly diagnosed disease, 27 had achieved complete remission（CR）, 12 recurrent] and 22 children without leukemia were detected by FQ-RT-PCR. MRD was detected by FCM. The patients were observed for 9-101 months, with a median of 64 months. Results：Standard curves of human MDR1 and GAPDH genes were constructed successfully. MDR1 mRNA was detected in all children with a positive rate of 100%. The mRNA level of MDR1 was similar among the newly diagnosed ALL group, CR group, and control group（P 〉 0.05）, but significantly higher in the recurrence group than that in newly diagnosed disease group and control group（0.50 ± 0.55 vs. 0.09 ± 0.26 and 0.12 ± 0.23, P〈 0.05）. 54 ALL patients were followed up, and it was found that MDR1 mRNA level was significantly higher in ALL patients within 3 years duration than that of ALL patients with 3-6 years and over 6 years duration（0.63 ± 0.56 vs. 0.11 ± 0.12 and 0.04 ± 0.06, P〈 0.01）. For the 28 children with newly diagnosed disease, the MDR1 mRNA level was similar between WBC 〉 50 ~ 109 group and WBC〈50 × 10^9 group（P〉 0.05）. In the 33 CR patients, the MDR1 mRNA level was significantly higher in MRD〉10a group than that in MRD〈10a group（0.39 ± 0.47 vs. 0.03 ± 0.03, P 〈 0.05）. Conclusion：The sensitivity and specificity of FQ-RT-PCR in detecting MDR1 mRNA in bone marrowy cells of children with ALL patients are high. MDR1 mRNA is expressed in children with and without leukemia. MDR1 mRNA is highly expressed in the CR ALL patients with high MRD, recurrence and short duration（within 3 years）. Monitoring MRD and the MDR1 mRNA level might be helpful for individual treatment.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NON-HODGKIN'S LYMPHOMA AND THE GENE REARRANGEMENT

Objective: To investigate the pattern of clonal rearrangement of immunoglobulin heavy chain gene (IGH) and T cell receptor γ gene (TCRγ) of Non Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) Methods: Bone marrow smears of 211 patients of NHL were detected by PCR, the rearranged IGH and TCRγ gene was amplified using oligonucleotide primers Results: The clonal rearrangement of IGH gene was detectable in 51 2% (108/211); the clonal rearrangement of TCRγ gene was detectable in 21 3% (45/211); both IGH and TCRγ was detectable in 5 7% (12/211); no clonal rearrangement in 21 8% (46/211) And compared clonal gene rearrangement with pathological type and primary site of tumor Ten patients of NHL were investigated serially 5/10 patients still had clonal gene rearrangement at clinical complete remission Conclusion: It demonstrated that this assay may be useful in monitoring the minimal residual disease (MRD) and in evaluating effectiveness of therapy

APPLICATION OF TWO-COLOR INTERPHASE FISH USING SEX PROBE IN ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION

Objective: To evaluate the significance of two-color interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using X and Y centromere probe in the engraftment estimation and minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT). Methods: Samples from 12 cases patients in different periods after alloSCT were detected by interphase FISH. Results: All of the 12 patients were proved to obtain engraftment 22–35 days after alloSCT. While traditional karyotype showed as 100%XX or 100%XY invariably, FISH showed different percentages of donor original sex chromosome. Conclusion: Two-color interphase FISH is a more sensitive and simple test for engraftment evaluation and MRD monitoring post SCT, though, it can not entirely replace traditional karyotype analysis and gene detection by RT-PCR.

Circulating tumor DNA in lung cancer: real-time monitoring of disease evolution and treatment response

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of all cancer-related deaths. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is released from apoptotic and necrotic tumor cells. Several sensitive techniques have been invented and adapted to quantify ctDNA genomic alterations. Applications of ctDNA in lung cancer include early diagnosis and detection, prognosis prediction, detecting mutations and structural alterations, minimal residual disease, tumor mutational burden, and tumor evolution tracking. Compared to surgical biopsy and radiographic imaging, the advantages of ctDNA are that it is a non-invasive procedure, allows real-time monitoring, and has relatively high sensitivity and specificity. Given the massive research on non-small cell lung cancer, attention should be paid to small cell lung cancer.

Administration of imatinib in the first 90 days after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Background Relapse happens frequently after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation （alIo-HCT） in the patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia （Ph^＋ ALL）. Detection of the minimal residual disease （MRD） before and after alIo-HCT is associated with higher relapse rate. Early administration of imatinib after alIo-HCT may prevent recurrent Ph^＋ ALL. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of imatinib in preventing hematological relapse when imatinib was administrated in the first 90 days after alIo-HCT. Methods Patients with Ph^＋ ALL that underwent alIo-HCT were enrolled in a prospective study. A TaqMan-based real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （RQ-PCR） technique was used to detect the MRD （bcr-abl transcript levels）. Imatinib therapy was initiated prior to 90 days after alIo-HCT if the patient＇s absolute neutrophil count （ANC） was above 1.0×10^9/L （without granulocyte colony-stimulating factor （G-CSF） administration） and the platelet count was greater than 50.0×10^9/L, or if the bcr-abl transcript levels were elevated in two consecutive tests, or if the bcr-abl transcript levels were 〉10.2 after the initial engraftment. The initial daily dose of imatinib was 400 mg/d for adults and 260 mg/m^2 for children （younger than 17 years）. Imatinib was administered for at least I month and the bcr-abl TaqMan results were negative for 3 consecutive tests, or complete molecular remission （CR^mol） was sustained for at least 3 months. Results From May 2005 to October 2008, 29 patients were enrolled in this study, of whom, 19 patients were male and 10 were female. The median age of the enrolled patients was 33 years （range 6-50 years）. Imatinib therapy was started at a median time of 60 days （range 20-122 days） post HCT （only one patient started Imatinib therapy at 122nd day after HCT）. Twenty-five adult patients could tolerate a dose of 300-400 mg/d of imatinib, and three children tolerated a dose of 260 mg·m^2·d^-1. Sixty-eight percent of the patients experienced various adverse events during imatinib therapy, hematological toxicity being the most common adverse event. The median duration of imatinib treatment was 3 months （range 7 days-18 months）. During the median follow-up of 24 months （range 16.0-54.5 months）, 3 out of 27 patients that could be evaluated for efficacy died from relapse. The 3-year probability of relapse for the evaluated patients was （11.34-0.61）%. The relapse rates among the subgroup of positive and negative bcr-abl patients before allo-HCT were 13.6% and 0, respectively （P 〉0.05）. The relapse rates among the subgroups of bcr-abl positive and negative patients after alIo-HCT were 20.0% and 5.9%, respectively （P 〉0.05）. The relapse rates among the patients in first complete remission （CR1） and second complete remission/non-remission （CR2/NR） before transplantation were 0 and 31.4%, respectively （P 〈0.05）. The 3-year probability of overall survival （OS） and disease-free survival （DFS） for the all enrolled patients were （75.3±8.1）%. The 3-year probabilities for OS and DFS among the subgroup of patients in CR1 and CR2/NR before transplantation were （87.7±8.2）% and （54.6±15.0）%, respectively （P 〈0.05）. Conclusions Administration of irnatinib at a dose of 300-400 mg/d in the first 90 days after allo-HCT is feasible in Ph^＋ ALL patients. With this treatment, bcr-abl positive patients before or after transplantation do not have a higher relapse rate after allo-HCT compared with the bcr-abl negative patients. Because of lower relapse rate and better OS and DFS, we recommend that Ph^＋ ALL patients receive allo-HCT in CRI.

A risk score system for stratifying the risk of relapse in B cell acute lymphocytic leukemia patients after allogenic stem cell transplantation

Background:For patients with B cell acute lymphocytic leukemia(B-ALL)who underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation(allo-SCT),many variables have been demonstrated to be associated with leukemia relapse.In this study,we attempted to establish a risk score system to predict transplant outcomes more precisely in patients with B-ALL after allo-SCT.Methods:A total of 477 patients with B-ALL who underwent allo-SCT at Peking University People’s Hospital from December 2010 to December 2015 were enrolled in this retrospective study.We aimed to evaluate the factors associated with transplant outcomes after allo-SCT,and establish a risk score to identify patients with different probabilities of relapse.The univariate and multivariate analyses were performed with the Cox proportional hazards model with time-dependent variables.Results:All patients achieved neutrophil engraftment,and 95.4%of patients achieved platelet engraftment.The 5-year cumulative incidence of relapse(CIR),overall survival(OS),leukemia-free survival(LFS),and non-relapse mortality were 20.7%,70.4%,65.6%,and 13.9%,respectively.Multivariate analysis showed that patients with positive post-transplantation minimal residual disease(MRD),transplanted beyond the first complete remission(≥CR2),and without chronic graft-versus-host disease(cGVHD)had higher CIR(P<0.001,P=0.004,and P<0.001,respectively)and worse LFS(P<0.001,P=0.017,and P<0.001,respectively),and OS(P<0.001,P=0.009,and P<0.001,respectively)than patients without MRD after transplantation,transplanted in CR1,and with cGVHD.A risk score for predicting relapse was formulated with the three above variables.The 5-year relapse rates were 6.3%,16.6%,55.9%,and 81.8%for patients with scores of 0,1,2,and 3(P<0.001),respectively,while the 5-year LFS and OS values decreased with increasing risk score.Conclusion:This new risk score system might stratify patients with different risks of relapse,which could guide treatment.

Haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation may improve long-term survival for children with high-risk T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in first complete remission

Background: The role of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in children with high-risk (HR) T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) in first complete remission (CR1) is still under evaluation. Moreover, relapse is the main factor affecting survival. This study aimed to explore the effect of allo-HSCT (especially haploidentical HSCT [haplo-HSCT]) on improving survival and reducing relapse for HR childhood T-ALL in CR1 and the prognostic factors of childhood T-ALL in order to identify who could benefit from HSCT.Methods: A total of 74 newly diagnosed pediatric T-ALL patients between January 1, 2012 and June 30, 2018 were enrolled in this retrospective study. Patients were stratified into the low-risk chemotherapy cohort (n = 16), HR chemotherapy cohort (n = 31), and HR transplant cohort (n = 27). Characteristics, survival outcomes, and prognostic factors of all patients were then analyzed.Results: Patient prognosis in the HR chemotherapy cohort was significantly worse than that in the low-risk chemotherapy cohort (5-year overall survival [OS]: 58.5%vs. 100%,P = 0.003;5-year event-free survival [EFS]: 54.1%vs. 83.4%,P = 0.010;5-year cumulative incidence of relapse [CIR]: 45.2%vs. 6.3%,P = 0.011). In HR patients, allo-HSCT improved the 5-year EFS and CIR compared to that of chemotherapy (5-year EFS: 80.1%vs. 54.1%,P = 0.041;5-year CIR: 11.6%vs. 45.2%,P = 0.006). The 5-year OS was higher in the HR transplant cohort than that in the HR chemotherapy cohort (81.0%vs. 58.5%,P = 0.084). Minimal residual disease re-emergence was an independent risk factor for 5-year OS, EFS, and CIR;age ≥10 years was an independent risk factor for OS and EFS;and high white blood cell count was an independent risk factor for EFS and CIR.Conclusion: Allo-HSCT, especially haplo-HSCT, could effectively reduce relapse of children with HR T-ALL in CR1.

The use of liquid biopsy in early breast cancer:clinical evidence and future perspectives

Liquid biopsy,including both circulating tumor cells and circulating tumor DNA,is gaining momentum as a diagnostic modality adopted in the clinical management of breast cancer.Prospective studies testing several technologies demonstrated clinical validity and,in some cases,achieved the United States Food and Drug Administration approval.The initial testing and clinical application of liquid biopsy focused primarily on the diagnosis,while molecular characterization and monitoring of metastatic disease,with larger data from prospective studies,came in the last two decades.Although its role in metastatic setting is thus widely recognized,the current evidence does not provide support for the routine clinical use of liquid biopsy methods for the earlier stage of this disease.Considering the relevance of early detection,characterization,and management of breast cancer in the early-stage,this clinical setting is the most suitable to increase the chances for effective treatment selection and improved prognosis,and a better understanding of the main application of liquid biopsy tools in the earlier stage of breast cancer is therefore crucial.The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the clinical evidence and subsequent potential applications of liquid biopsy in early breast cancer,identifying the main existing caveats and the possible future scenarios.