Publications by authors named "Giagounidis A"

Article Synopsis
  • The European LeukemiaNet (ELN) updated its risk classification for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients in 2022 (ELN22) and a study evaluated its effectiveness on 1,570 newly diagnosed patients.
  • Compared to the previous 2017 classification (ELN17), the new ELN22 showed a similar distribution of risk categories but reclassified 22% of patients, mostly into intermediate or adverse groups, resulting in better prognostic accuracy, particularly for overall survival (OS).
  • The study found significant differences in survival rates based on specific gene mutations within the adverse risk group, highlighting the need for tailored treatment approaches based on genetic factors.
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Article Synopsis
  • A new coronavirus disease called SARS-CoV-2 emerged in 2019, leading to an ongoing pandemic with variable symptoms and complications affecting blood cell production and clotting.
  • Four COVID-19 vaccines were released in 2020, but some were linked to hematological issues like vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) and immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).
  • This case report discusses two patients who developed ITP after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine, showing a positive response to treatment with thrombopoietin-receptor agonists, highlighting the need for clearer treatment guidelines for vaccination-related blood disorders.
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In a randomized phase II trial (AMLSG 14-09, NCT00867672) of elderly, newly diagnosed AML patients, ATRA combined with decitabine (DEC) significantly improved the overall response rate (ORR) and survival also in patients with adverse-risk genetics, without adding toxicity. We performed a post hoc analysis to determine the predictive impact of TP53 status. Despite a nominally higher ORR, the clinically meaningful survival benefit when adding ATRA to DEC was diminished, but not completely negated, in TP53-mutated patients.

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Immune thrombocytopenia is caused by autoantibodies against surface antigens on platelets. Since only about 50 % of cases will allow the identification of glycoprotein-specific antibodies, ITP remains a diagnosis of exclusion. Apart from EDTA-induced pseudo thrombocytopenia, other diseases like secondary thrombocytopenia due to medication, a large number of other disease and hereditary thrombocytopenias must be taken into account.

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Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is due to autoantibodies against platelet surface antigens. ITP is considered as either primary, with no clear etiology, or as secondary ITP (drug-induced; underlying diseases). Autoantibodies lead both to loss of platelets in the spleen and/or liver but simultaneously reduce their production.

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The therapy of relapsed or refractory (r/r) mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) patients remains a major clinical challenge to date. We conducted a randomized, open-label, parallel-group phase-III trial hypothesizing superior efficacy of rituximab, high-dose cytarabine and dexamethasone with bortezomib (R-HAD + B) versus without (R-HAD) in r/r MCL ineligible for or relapsed after autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). Primary endpoint was time to treatment failure (TTF), secondary endpoints included response rates, progression free survival, overall survival, and safety.

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Introduction: The LenaMain trial (NCT00891384) reported increased progression-free survival with 25 mg of lenalidomide maintenance compared to 5 mg. Here, we report the patient-reported outcomes.

Materials And Methods: Scores obtained from the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 were analyzed for longitudinal changes from baseline within the groups as well as cross-sectional scores.

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The approved dose of bosutinib in chronic phase CML is 400 mg QD in first-line and 500 mg QD in later-line treatment. However, given that gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity typically occurs early after treatment initiation, physicians often tend to start therapy with lower doses although this has never been tested systematically in prospective trials in the Western world. The Bosutinib Dose Optimization (BODO) Study, a multicenter phase II study, investigated the tolerability and efficacy of a step-in dosing concept of bosutinib (starting at 300 mg QD) in chronic phase CML patients in 2 or 3 line who were intolerant and/or refractory to previous TKI treatment.

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Patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) unfit for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation have poor outcomes. Novel therapies that provide durable benefit with favorable tolerability and clinically meaningful improvement in survival are needed. T-cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain-3 (TIM-3) is an immuno-myeloid regulator expressed on immune and leukemic stem cells in myeloid malignancies.

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Myelodysplastic syndromes/myelodysplastic neoplasms (MDS) are associated with variable clinical presentations and outcomes. The initial response criteria developed by the International Working Group (IWG) in 2000 have been used in clinical practice, clinical trials, regulatory reviews, and drug labels. Although the IWG criteria were revised in 2006 and 2018 (the latter focusing on lower-risk disease), limitations persist in their application to higher-risk MDS (HR-MDS) and their ability to fully capture the clinical benefits of novel investigational drugs or serve as valid surrogates for longer-term clinical end points (eg, overall survival).

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Article Synopsis
  • - A clinical trial compared intensive treatment strategies for non-M3 AML in patients aged 60 and over against a standard treatment known as CSA, involving a total of 1,286 participants.
  • - The study found that rates of complete remission at 90 days and five-year event-free survival were similar across CSA and the other intensive treatment groups, with no significant differences observed.
  • - Overall, the more intensive treatment strategies did not lead to better outcomes in terms of event-free survival or overall survival compared to the standard CSA treatment based on the evaluated data.
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Purpose: Hydroxyurea (HY) is a reference treatment of advanced myeloproliferative neoplasms. We conducted a randomized phase III trial comparing decitabine (DAC) and HY in advanced myeloproliferative chronic myelomonocytic leukemias (CMML).

Patients And Methods: Newly diagnosed myeloproliferative CMML patients with advanced disease were randomly assigned 1:1 to intravenous DAC (20 mg/m/d days 1-5) or HY (1-4 g/d) in 28-day cycles.

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The prognostic impact of monocytosis has not yet been determined in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). We examined absolute monocyte counts in the peripheral blood at the time of diagnosis in 1949 patients with a bone marrow blast count < 5%, a condition we call MDS < EB1 (MDS with a blast percentage lower than that of MDS with excess blasts 1, according to the WHO classification). Monocytosis (> 600/µl) was associated with higher median hemoglobin, WBC, and ANC, and more favorable karyotype (p = .

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  • - The EUROPE phase 2 trial examined how well biomarkers predict the effectiveness of romiplostim (ROM) treatment for patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic neoplasms (LR-MDS) and low platelet counts, involving 77 patients from the EMSCO network.
  • - Out of the participants, 42% showed significant improvements in platelet counts, lasting a median of 340 days, while other types of responses (neutrophil and erythroid) were much less common.
  • - The study found that while certain mutations (like SRSF2) and baseline hemoglobin levels were linked to positive responses, ROM treatment did not affect the progression of genetic mutations in patients, confirming its safety and efficacy.
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JCO Luspatercept has high clinical activity in patients with transfusion-dependent lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (LR-MDS) and ring sideroblasts (RS) relapsed or refractory to erythropoietin. We report long-term luspatercept safety and efficacy in 108 patients with LR-MDS in the PACE-MDS study, including 44 non-RS and 34 non-transfusion-dependent or previously untreated patients. The primary end point was safety.

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Background: For patients with lower-risk (LR) myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), overall survival (OS) is rarely a primary clinical trial endpoint. Treatments such as lenalidomide can reduce red blood cell (RBC) transfusion burden (TB) and serum ferritin, but the long-term impact on OS remains undetermined.

Patients And Methods: Data from 3 trials evaluating lenalidomide in patients with LR-MDS (the phase 2 MDS-003 and phase 3 MDS-004 trials in del[5q]; the phase 3 trial MDS-005 in non-del[5q] patients) were pooled.

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Evolution of erythrocyte transfusion-dependent (RBC-TD) anaemia associated with haploinsufficiency of the ribosomal protein subunit S14 gene (RPS14) is a characteristic complication of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) with del(5q) [MDS.del(5q)]. Evaluating 39 patients with MDS.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study aimed to compare the effectiveness of allogeneic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) following treatment with 5-azacytidine (5-aza) versus continuous 5-aza treatment in older patients (55-70 years) with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).
  • - Out of 190 enrolled patients, only 67% (108) were eligible for treatment allocation post-5-aza, with a significant drop-out rate due to disease progression or death before the next step in treatment.
  • - Results showed that HSCT following 5-aza pretreatment led to better event-free survival (34%) and overall survival (50%) at 3 years compared to continuous
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Participation in clinical trials may allow patients with MDS to gain access to therapies not otherwise available. However, access is limited by strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, reflecting academic or regulatory questions addressed by the respective studies. We performed a simulation in order to estimate the average proportion of MDS patients eligible for participation in a clinical trial.

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Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with isolated deletion of chromosome 5q (MDS del5q) is a distinct subtype of MDS with quite favorable prognosis and excellent response to treatment with lenalidomide. Still, a relevant percentage of patients do not respond to lenalidomide and even experience progression to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In this study, we aimed to investigate whether global DNA methylation patterns could predict response to lenalidomide.

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Purpose: Treatment options are limited for patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (LR-MDS). This phase III, placebo-controlled trial evaluated CC-486 (oral azacitidine), a hypomethylating agent, in patients with International Prognostic Scoring System LR-MDS and RBC transfusion-dependent anemia and thrombocytopenia.

Methods: Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to CC-486 300-mg or placebo for 21 days/28-day cycle.

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