Abstract: Less-intensive induction therapies are increasingly used in older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Using an AML composite model (AML-CM) assigning higher scores to older age, increased comorbidity burdens, and adverse cytogenetic risks, we defined 3 distinct prognostic groups and compared outcomes after less-intensive vs intensive induction therapies in a multicenter retrospective cohort (n = 1292) treated at 6 institutions from 2008 to 2012 and a prospective cohort (n = 695) treated at 13 institutions from 2013 to 2017. Prospective study included impacts of Karnofsky performance status (KPS), quality of life (QOL), and physician perception of cure. In the retrospective cohort, recipients of less-intensive therapies were older and had more comorbidities, more adverse cytogenetics, and worse KPS. Less-intensive therapies were associated with higher risks of mortality in AML-CM scores of 4 to 6, 7 to 9, and ≥10. Results were independent of allogeneic transplantation and similar in those age 70 to 79 years. In the prospective cohort, the 2 groups were similar in baseline QOL, geriatric assessment, and patient outcome preferences. Higher mortality risks were seen after less-intensive therapies. However, in models adjusted for age, physician-assigned KPS, and chance of cure, mortality risks and QOL were similar. Less-intensive therapy recipients had shorter length of hospitalization (LOH). Our study questions the survival and QOL benefits (except LOH) of less-intensive therapies in patients with AML, including those age 70 to 79 years or with high comorbidity burdens. A randomized trial in older/medically infirm patients is required to better assess the value of less-intensive and intensive therapies or their combination. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01929408.

Abstract: Introduction: Survival rates continue to improve after allogeneic HCT (Gooley et al, NEJM, 2013). Population-based studies also indicate overall improvement in survival of older (60-80 years old) AML patients (pts) (Bower, Blood Cancer Journal, 2016). Yet, only a small minority (6%-8%) of them receive HCT (Medeiros, Ann Hematol. 2015). Given these potentially incongruent findings and the changing face of survival in AML, we designed the first prospective multi-center longitudinal study dating from first presentation of adults with AML to be treated at one of 13 different referral centers that provide both AML treatment and HCT. We compared survival according to whether or not pts received HCT at later time points. Methods: We enrolled 695 pts (Table 1). Data on demographics, AML status, cytogenetic risks per European Leukemia Network (ELN), and response; age; comorbidities per the HCT-comorbidity index (CI); function including activities of daily living (ADL); frailty; geriatric assessment including cognition; QOL including the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplant Scale (FACT-BMT), Euro-QOL 5-Dimension scale, ENRICHD Social Support Instrument, Social Activity Log, and Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item Depression Scale (PHQ-9) were collected at enrollment and at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months thereafter. We used time-dependent Cox regression analyses to identify baseline and time-dependent risk factors associated with mortality in the overall population. The factors identified as significantly associated with mortality (p 〈 0.05) were used to develop multivariate models examining the association between HCT and mortality within 1) the general population as well as those with 2) intermediate vs 3) unfavorable ELN risk, and 4) vulnerable pts (age ≥60 years or HCT-CI scores ≥4). The latter group constituted the majority (76%). In these analyses, all pts were considered to be in the non-HCT group until receipt of HCT at which time they enter the HCT group. The contribution of deaths to the hazard ratio (HR) for HCT reflects the relative number and characteristics of pts remaining at risk in the two groups at the time a death occurs. Results: Median follow-up was 16.8 months (range 0.1-52.4). In the initial multivariate analyses, the following were identified as significantly associated with an increased risk of mortality (Table 2): HCT-CI scores ≥5 (p 〈 0.0001), age ≥70 years (p 〈 0.0001), intermediate (p=0.03) and high ELN risk (p 〈 0.0001), relapsed/refractory AML at enrollment (p=0.0005), relapse or refractory response to initial treatment after enrollment (p 〈 0.0001), frailty per walk test (p=0.004), impaired QOL per FACT-G scores (p=0.02), increased depression per PHQ-9 (p=0.03), and dependent status per ADL scores 〈 14 (p=0.05). Survival after HCT was 58% at 2-years. Initial unadjusted analyses showed significantly lower risks of mortality in association with receiving allogeneic HCT (p=0.0003). These findings were similar in pts with intermediate (p=0.0005) or unfavorable (p 〈 0.0001) ELN risk and in vulnerable pts (p 〈 0.0001) (Table 3). However, in the adjusted models, the advantage of HCT in reducing mortality rates was lost both in the overall population (p=0.21, see figure) as well as in the other groups (p 〉 0.54, 0.40, and 0.51, respectively, Table 3). Formal tests of interactions (Table 3) showed no statistically compelling evidence that the association of HCT and mortality varies with respect to the timing of mortality or to the underlying ELN risk. Conclusions: In a prospective observational study, adjusting for key AML-specific and pt-specific variables negated the observed benefit of HCT over non-HCT therapies in reducing mortality rates among AML pts. Our results might reflect 1) improvement in supportive care and non-HCT therapies, 2) a relatively high non-relapse mortality early after HCT and the need for longer follow-up to demonstrate an adjusted benefit of HCT, and 3) the high selectivity of the transplant eligibility process, as we accounted here for variables that are often ignored in "genetic assignment" randomized studies (i.e. comorbidities and function). New randomized trials are needed; however, these trials have to be more inclusive of vulnerable pts and measure pt-specific variables. Trials focusing on reducing burden of comorbidities, frailty and poor function are needed alongside trials to treat AML with or without HCT. Disclosures Gerds: Celgene: Consultancy; Apexx Oncology: Consultancy; CTI Biopharma: Consultancy; Incyte: Consultancy. Shami:JSK Therapeutics: Employment, Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Baston Biologics Company: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Lone Star Biotherapies: Equity Ownership; Pfizer: Consultancy. Rizzieri:Teva: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Jazz: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Incyte: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Arog: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau. Wang:Amgen: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Jazz: Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Consultancy; Abbvie: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Jazz: Speakers Bureau; Abbvie: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Faderl:Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Koprivnikar:Alexion: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Speakers Bureau; Otsuka: Consultancy. Sekeres:Opsona: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Opsona: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Becker:GlycoMimetics: Research Funding.

Abstract: We designed a prospective, observational study enrolling patients presenting for treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at 13 institutions to analyze associations between hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and survival, quality of life (QOL), and function in: the entire cohort, those aged ≥65 years, those with high comorbidity burden, intermediate cytogenetic risk, adverse cytogenetic risk, and first complete remission with or without measurable residual disease. Patient were assessed 8 times over 2 years. Time-dependent regression models were used. Among 692 patients that were evaluable, 46% received HCT with a 2-year survival of 58%. In unadjusted models, HCT was associated with reduced risks of mortality most of the subgroups. However, after accounting for covariates associated with increased mortality (age, comorbidity burden, disease risks, frailty, impaired QOL, depression, and impaired function), the associations between HCT and longer survival disappeared in most subgroups. Although function, social life, performance status, and depressive symptoms were better for those selected for HCT, these health advantages were lost after receiving HCT. Recipients and nonrecipients of HCT similarly ranked and expected cure as main goal of therapy, whereas physicians had greater expectations for cure than the former. Accounting for health impairments negates survival benefits from HCT for AML, suggesting that the unadjusted observed benefit is mostly owing to selection of the healthier candidates. Considering patients’ overall expectations of cure but also the QOL burdens of HCT motivate the need for randomized trials to identify the best candidates for HCT. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01929408.

Abstract: Introduction: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is most frequently diagnosed in older patients (pts), whose median survival is less than 1 year. Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is a potentially curative treatment. However, older pts often have significant comorbidities and other geriatric health problems, and the effect of these on the probability of receiving HCT is unknown. To this end, we designed a prospective, multi-center, longitudinal, observational study dating from first presentation of adult pts with AML to be treated at one of 13 different referral centers that provide both AML treatment and HCT. We examined the effects of different variables (see methods) on the probability to 1) survive long enough to receive HCT and 2) to receive HCT if such survival occurred. Methods: We enrolled 695 pts (Table 1). Data on demographics, AML status, cytogenetic risks per European Leukemia Network (ELN), and response; age; comorbidities per the HCT-comorbidity index (CI); function including instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and activities of daily living (ADL); frailty including walk test; geriatric assessment (GA) including cognition; Karnofsky performance status (KPS); QOL including the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplant Scale (FACT-BMT), Euro-QOL 5-Dimension scale (EQ-5D), ENRICHD Social Support Instrument, Social Activity Log, and Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item Depression Scale (PHQ-9) were collected at enrollment and at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months thereafter. High-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) receiving AML-like therapy were included. We used competing risk Cox regression analyses, treating HCT as the event of interest and death without HCT as a competing risk, with staggered entry (left truncation) at time of consent. Associations between variables were assessed both at enrollment and over time. Results: The overall rate of HCT at 9 months after enrollment was 43% (Figure 1) and 92% of pts who received HCT did so by the 9 month mark. In multivariate analyses, death without HCT (Table 2) was associated with augmented HCT-CI scores ≥5 (HR:2.11, p 〈 0.0001), age ≥50 years with those aged ≥70 years having the highest association (HR:2.71, p 〈 0.0001), ELN intermediate (HR:2.43, p=0.0003) or unfavorable risks (HR:4.3, p 〈 0.0001), receiving low-intensity induction regimens (HR:1.42, p=0.04), relapsed/refractory disease at enrollment (HR:2.04, p 〈 0.0001), dependent status per ADL scores 〈 14 (HR:1.59, p=0.005), and depression per PHQ-9 (HR:1.56, p=0.009). Among survivors (Table 3), low likelihood to receive HCT was associated with age ≥70 years (HR:0.40, p=0.0001), low ELN risk (HR:0.28, p 〈 0.0001), low-intensity induction (HR:0.56, p=0.02), poor KPS (HR:0.49, p=0.0005), and relapse after initial complete remission (CR) (HR:0.41, p=0.001); while pts with high-risk MDS (HR:2.43, p 〈 0.0001), relapsed/refractory disease at enrollment (HR:2.43, p 〈 0.0001), and CR after induction (HR:4.59, p 〈 0.0001) were more likely to receive HCT. Among pts aged ≥60 years, and after considering previous factors, impaired cognition (HR:0.45, p=0.007) and impaired hearing (HR:0.71, p=0.009) were associated with lower likelihood to receive HCT. Conclusions: In a prospective, observational, multi-center study, increasing age, comorbidity burden, ELN risk, low-intensity initial AML induction regimen, depression, and functional dependence increase risks of early mortality without HCT. In those who survived long enough to potentially receive HCT, age up to 69 years and/or multiple comorbidities were not found to be barriers to HCT, likely reflecting the widespread use of reduced-intensity conditioning regimens. However, the independent sharp decline in receipt of HCT in pts aged 70-80 years suggests continued bias, although pts in this age group have been shown to derive similar benefit from HCT as younger pts. Use of objective comorbidity and GA tools rather than age per se to decide on HCT is encouraged. The adverse impact of impairments in psychological health and function on survival and of impairments of cognition, geriatric health, and performance status on receipt of HCT emphasize the need for interventions that target these health limitations in conjunction with AML treatment to improve outcomes. Finally, the benefit of intensive vs. less-intensive induction therapies should be addressed with a randomized trial. Disclosures Gerds: Celgene: Consultancy; Apexx Oncology: Consultancy; Incyte: Consultancy; CTI Biopharma: Consultancy. Shami:Lone Star Biotherapies: Equity Ownership; Baston Biologics Company: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; JSK Therapeutics: Employment, Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Consultancy. Rizzieri:Arog: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Teva: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Gilead: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Incyte: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Jazz: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Wang:Novartis: Speakers Bureau; Abbvie: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Consultancy; Jazz: Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Consultancy; Jazz: Speakers Bureau; Abbvie: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Faderl:Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Koprivnikar:Amgen: Speakers Bureau; Otsuka: Consultancy; Alexion: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau. Sekeres:Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Opsona: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Opsona: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Becker:GlycoMimetics: Research Funding.