Publications by authors named "Marina Lafage Pochitaloff"

We previously demonstrated that a reduced-intensity chemotherapy schedule can safely replace hyper-CVAD (cyclophosphamide-vincristine-doxorubicin [Adriamycin]-dexamethasone) cycle 1 when combined with imatinib in adults with Philadelphia-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In the present randomized GRAAPH-2014 trial, we used nilotinib and addressed the omission of cytarabine (Ara-C) in consolidation. The primary objective was the major molecular response (MMR) rate measured by BCR::ABL1 quantification after cycle 4 (end of consolidation).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - Myelodysplastic neoplasms (MDS) are blood disorders often linked to chromosomal abnormalities, with 40-45% of cases showing these changes at diagnosis and up to 80% in post-treatment MDS.
  • - Recent changes in classifications by the WHO and ICC have introduced a new entity focusing on biallelic TP53 inactivation, which necessitates detailed genetic investigations, particularly on the TP53 locus.
  • - While molecular features are becoming more essential for diagnosing and prognosing MDS, traditional cytogenetics—including karyotyping—remains crucial, and new scoring systems have been developed combining genetic mutations with established cytogenetic parameters.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Cytogenetic analysis is mandatory at initial assessment of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) due to its diagnostic and prognostic value. Results from chromosome banding analysis and complementary FISH are taken into account in therapeutic protocols and further completed by other techniques (RT-PCR, SNP-array, MLPA, NGS, OGM). Indeed, new genomic entities have been identified by NGS, mostly RNA sequencing, such as Ph-like ALL that can benefit from targeted therapy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - Bone marrow failure syndromes are rare conditions that lead to low cell production in the bone marrow, causing low blood cell counts, with aplastic anemia being the most common form associated with autoimmune issues and linked to other conditions like paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.
  • - Inherited bone marrow failure syndromes are caused by genetic variants, notably GATA2 deficiency and SAMD9/9L syndromes, and other variants affecting processes like DNA repair can lead to major disorders like Fanconi anemia and Diamond-Blackfan anemia.
  • - The text highlights the risk of these syndromes progressing to more severe conditions like myelodysplastic neoplasms or acute myeloid leukemia and emphasizes the importance of cytogenetic abnormalities
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Genetic data are becoming increasingly essential in the management of hematological neoplasms as shown by two classifications published in 2022: the 5th edition of the World Health Organization Classification of Hematolymphoid Tumours and the International Consensus Classification of Myeloid Neoplasms and Acute Leukemias. Genetic data are particularly important for acute myeloid leukemias (AMLs) because their boundaries with myelodysplastic neoplasms seem to be gradually blurring. The first objective of this review is to present the latest updates on the most common cytogenetic abnormalities in AMLs while highlighting the pitfalls and difficulties that can be encountered in the event of cryptic or difficult-to-detect karyotype abnormalities.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Molecular analysis is the hallmark of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) categorization. Several T-ALL sub-groups are well recognized based on the aberrant expression of specific transcription factors. This recently resulted in the implementation of eight provisional T-ALL entities into the novel 2022 International Consensus Classification, albeit not into the updated World Health Organization classification system.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The number of predisposing genes is continuously growing with the widespread availability of DNA sequencing, increasing the prevalence of hematologic malignancies with germline predisposition. Cytogenetic analyses provide an effective approach for the recognition of these malignancies with germline predisposition, which is critical for proper diagnosis, optimal treatment and genetic counseling. Based on the World Health Organization and the international consensus classifications as well as the European LeukemiaNet recommendations, this review first presents an advanced classification of neoplasms with germline predisposition focused on the acquired cytogenetic alterations during leukemogenesis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Unlabelled: Low hypodiploidy defines a rare subtype of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) with a dismal outcome. To investigate the genomic basis of low-hypodiploid ALL (LH-ALL) in adults, we analyzed copy-number aberrations, loss of heterozygosity, mutations, and cytogenetics data in a prospective cohort of Philadelphia (Ph)-negative B-ALL patients (n = 591, ages 18-84 years), allowing us to identify 80 LH-ALL cases (14%). Genomic analysis was critical for evidencing low hypodiploidy in many cases missed by cytogenetics.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * The study analyzed 113 cases of del(11q) MDS, highlighting features like a predominance in females, survival rates similar to other MDS cases, and a specific genetic deletion affecting key genes associated with hematopoiesis.
  • * Findings suggest that the loss of the CADM1 gene, along with other genetic mutations, may play a significant role in the development of del(11q) MDS, indicating its potential as
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Pediatric acute myeloid leukemia is a rare and heterogeneous disease in relation to morphology, immunophenotyping, germline and somatic cytogenetic and genetic abnormalities. Over recent decades, outcomes have greatly improved, although survival rates remain around 70% and the relapse rate is high, at around 30%. Cytogenetics is an important factor for diagnosis and indication of prognosis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A translocation involving the cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) gene [t(CDK6)] is a rare but recurrent abnormality in B-cell neoplasms. To further characterise this aberration, we studied 57 cases; the largest series reported to date. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation analysis confirmed the involvement of CDK6 in all cases, including t(2;7)(p11;q21) immunoglobulin kappa locus (IGK)/CDK6 (n = 51), t(7;14)(q21;q32) CDK6/immunoglobulin heavy locus (IGH) (n = 2) and the previously undescribed t(7;14)(q21;q11) CDK6/T-cell receptor alpha locus (TRA)/T-cell receptor delta locus (TRD) (n = 4).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia associated with t(5;14)(q31;q32); is an exceptional cause of eosinophilia. The enhancer on 14q32 is juxtaposed to the gene on 5q31, leading to interleukin-3 overproduction and release of mature eosinophils in the blood. Clinical, biological and outcome data are extremely scarce in the literature.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Multiple cytogenetic subgroups have been described in adult Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-negative B-cell precursor (BCP) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), often comprising small numbers of patients. In this study, we aimed to reassess the prognostic value of cytogenetic abnormalities in a large series of 617 adult patients with Ph-negative BCP-ALL (median age, 38 years), treated in the intensified Group for Research on Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (GRAALL)-2003/2005 trials. Combined data from karyotype, DNA index, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and polymerase chain reaction screening for relevant abnormalities were centrally reviewed and were informative in 542 cases (88%), allowing classification in 10 exclusive primary cytogenetic subgroups and in secondary subgroups, including complex and monosomal karyotypes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: A large number of chromosomal translocations of the human KMT2A gene, better known as the MLL gene, have so far been characterized. Genetic rearrangements involving KMT2A gene are frequently involved in lymphoid, myeloid and mixed lineage leukemia. One of its rare fusion partners, the mastermind like 2 (MAML2) gene has been reported in four cases of myeloid neoplasms after chemotherapy so far: two acute myeloid leukemias (AML) and two myelodysplasic syndrome (MDS), and two cases of secondary T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Discrimination between lymphoid blast crisis of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and de novo BCR-ABL1 positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) represents a diagnostic challenge because this distinction has a major incidence on the management of patients. Here, we report an uncommon pediatric case of ALL with cryptic ins(22;9)(q11;q34q34) and p190-type BCR-ABL1 transcript. We performed interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for BCR-ABL1 rearrangement on blood neutrophils, which was positive consistent with the diagnosis of lymphoid blast crisis of CML.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Cytogenetic analyses (karyotype and, if necessary, appropriate complementary FISH analyses) are mandatory at diagnosis in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) as their results are taken into account in therapeutic protocols due to their diagnostic and prognostic values. In some cases, karyotype can be completed by other techniques (RT-PCR, RQ-PCR, DNA content, SNP-array, MLPA…) that can be equally or more informative than FISH. Here, we have tempted to establish guidelines concerning karyotype and FISH analyses according to the most recent data of the litterature which is reviewed here, completing the 2008 WHO classification with the recent new cytogenomic entities such as Ph-like ALL and indicating possible therapeutic implications.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are preleukemic diseases of elderly patients characterized by defective maturation of clonal hematopoietic progenitor cells resulting in peripheral blood cytopenias. Clonal chromosomal abnormalities are heterogeneous and can be detected in less than 50% of patients with de novo MDS and more frequently in secondary MDS (up to 80%). The karyotype plays an important role in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and prognosis to evaluate the risk of leukemic transformation and, more recently, in treatment allocation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The karyotype is critical for the evaluation of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at diagnosis. Cytogenetic abnormalities detected in AML are one of the most powerful independent prognostic factors. It impacts on the choice of treatment in clinical trials.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Cytogenetic analysis is still important in the management of many hematological malignancies, despite the new techniques available such as the high-throughput sequencing analysis, and the discovery of many acquired gene mutations in these diseases. The Groupe francophone de cytogénétique hématologique (GFCH) published in 2004 the recommendations for the cytogenetic management of hematological malignancies. It reports here the update of these recommendations, with a review of the literature for each disease.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Prognosis of Philadelphia-positive (Ph(+)) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in the elderly has improved during the imatinib era. We investigated dasatinib, another potent tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in combination with low-intensity chemotherapy. Patients older than age 55 years were included in the European Working Group on Adult ALL (EWALL) study number 01 for Ph(+) ALL (EWALL-PH-01 international study) and were treated with dasatinib 140 mg/day (100 mg/day over 70 years) with intrathecal chemotherapy, vincristine, and dexamethasone during induction.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF