A multicenter total therapy strategy for de novo adult Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients: final results of the GIMEMA LAL1509 protocol

Haematologica. 2021 Jul 1;106(7):1828-1838. doi: 10.3324/haematol.2020.260935.

Abstract

The GIMEMA LAL1509 protocol, designed for adult (≥18-60 years) de novo Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients, was based on a dasatinib plus steroids induction - with central nervous system prophylaxis - followed by dasatinib alone in patients in complete molecular response or chemotherapy and/or allogeneic transplantation in patients not reaching a complete molecular response. Sixty patients (median age 41.9 years) were enrolled: 33 were p190+, 18 p210+ and 9 p190/p210+. At the end of induction (day +85), 58 patients (97%) achieved a complete hematologic remission. No deaths in induction were recorded. Eleven patients (18.3%) obtained a complete molecular response. Among non-complete molecular responders (n=47), 22 underwent an allogeneic transplant. Seventeen hematologic relapses occurred (median 7 months, range 3-40.1), 13 during consolidation and 4 post-transplant. ABL1 mutations (5 T315I, 3 V299L, 1 E281K and 1 G254E) were found in 10/13 relapsed cases. With a median follow-up of 57.4 months (range: 4.2-75.6), overall survival and disease-free survival are 56.3% and 47.2%. A better diseasefree survival was observed in patients who obtained a molecular response at day +85 compared to cases who did not. The presence of additional copy number aberrations - IKZF1 plus CDKN2A/B and/or PAX5 deletions - was the most important unfavorable prognostic factor on overall and disease-free survival (p=0.005 and p=0.0008). This study shows that in adult Ph+ ALL long-term survivals can be achieved with a total-therapy strategy based on a chemo-free induction and, in complete molecular responders, also without further systemic chemotherapy. Finally, the screening of additional copy number aberrations should be included in the diagnostic work-up. EudraCT 2010-019119-39.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Dasatinib / therapeutic use
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / genetics
  • Humans
  • Multicenter Studies as Topic
  • Philadelphia Chromosome*
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma* / diagnosis
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma* / genetics
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma* / therapy
  • Remission Induction

Substances

  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl
  • Dasatinib

Associated data

  • EudraCT/EudraCT 2010-019119-39

Grants and funding

Funding: The authors wish to thank the Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (AIRC) 5x1000, Special Program Metastases (21198), Milan (Italy) to RF; Finanziamento Medi Progetti Universitari 2015 to SC (Sapienza University of Rome) and PRIN 2017 (2017PPS2X4_002) to SC.