Blood advances
-
Venetoclax is approved for older untreated acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. Venetoclax was available prior to approval off-label. We assessed our single-institution off-label experience with venetoclax/azacitidine, comparing outcomes with a clinical trial cohort that administered this regimen at the same institution. ⋯ MRD negativity was achievable. Newly diagnosed AML patients treated in a "real-world" scenario with off-trial venetoclax/azacitidine had inferior outcomes compared with patients treated in the setting of a clinical trial. Additionally, this therapy may be as effective, and less toxic, when compared with induction chemotherapy.
-
Bortezomib and dexamethasone with cyclophosphamide (CyBorD) or melphalan (BMDex) are commonly used primary treatments for light-chain (AL) amyloidosis, but limited data exist on bortezomib with immunomodulatory drug combinations. We report our experience with primary therapy with a bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (VRD) "light" regimen in 34 consecutive patients with AL amyloidosis. The majority (79%) had cardiac involvement, 15% and 23% were Mayo stage 3A and 3B, respectively, and 54% had renal involvement. ⋯ Hematologic toxicity was mild; nonhematologic toxicities included rash (grade 3/4 [16%]), infections (grade ≥3 [12%]), constipation (grade ≥3 [9%]), and peripheral neuropathy (grade 2 [20%]); 37.5% of patients required lenalidomide dose reduction, 27% discontinued lenalidomide, 38% required bortezomib dose reduction, and 12% discontinued bortezomib. We compared VRD to CyBorD in 68 patients matched for Mayo stage and baseline difference between involved minus uninvolved serum free light chain levels, and observed a trend for deeper response at 3 and 6 months with VRD. In conclusion, VRD can be an active regimen for newly diagnosed patients with AL amyloidosis able to induce very deep hematologic responses at the expense of increased toxicity.