Treatment pattern among patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) who had received pomalidomide-based regimens in Taiwan.

Background/purpose: The treatment landscape of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) is rapidly evolving in Taiwan. The present study aimed to assess the treatment patterns among RRMM patients in Taiwan.

Methods: This retrospective, chart review-based, non-interventional study collected data on RRMM patients (≥20 years old) receiving pomalidomide-based treatment between January 2017 and December 2020 across five sites in Taiwan.

Pooled analysis of pralatrexate single-agent studies in patients with relapsed/refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma.

Patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) mature natural killer cell and T-cell lymphoma have limited treatment options. To evaluate pralatrexate's performance and factors influencing its safety and efficacy in R/R peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), we performed a pooled analysis of data from 4 similarly designed, regulatory-mandated prospective clinical trials. Of 221 patients (median age, 59 years; 67.

Sabatolimab plus hypomethylating agents in previously untreated patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (STIMULUS-MDS1): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial.

Background: Sabatolimab is an immunotherapy targeting T-cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain-3 (TIM-3), an immuno-myeloid regulator expressed on immune cells and leukaemic stem cells. In this trial, we compared the efficacy and safety of sabatolimab plus hypomethylating agent with placebo plus hypomethylating agents in previously untreated patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes.

Methods: STIMULUS-MDS1 was a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 study done at 54 investigational sites in 17 countries.

Correlation of low numbers of intratumoral FOXP3+ cells with worse progression-free survival in angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma.

Aims: Angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AITL) is a T cell lymphoma with aberrant immune activity. It is characterised by inflammatory and immune reactions. However, the impact of regulatory T (Treg) cells on AITL remains unclear.

Combination of Sarcopenia and Anemia Predicts Worse Outcome in Elderly Patients With Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.

Background/aim: In diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), sarcopenia is associated with increased side-effects of chemotherapy and poor survival, especially in elderly patients. Anemia, a complex condition resulting from cancer itself and inflammation, might have a correlation with loss of muscle mass and might also indicate a worse outcome. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association of the skeletal muscle index (SMI) at the third lumbar vertebra (L3) with hemoglobin (Hb) levels and its predictive value for the outcome of DLBCL.

Mutation-Driven S100A8 Overexpression Confers Aberrant Phenotypes in Type 1 -Mutated MPN.

Numerous pathogenic exon 9 mutations have been identified in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), with type 1 (52bp deletion; ) and type 2 (5bp insertion; ) being the most prevalent. Despite the universal pathobiology of MPN driven by various mutants, it is unclear why different mutations result in diverse clinical phenotypes. Through RNA sequencing followed by validation at the protein and mRNA levels, we found that S100A8 was specifically enriched in but not in MPN-model cells.

Children with chronic myeloid leukaemia treated with front-line imatinib have a slower molecular response and comparable survival compared with adults: a multicenter experience in Taiwan.

Background: The direct comparison of molecular responses of front-line imatinib (IM) monitored at the same laboratory between children and adults with chronic phase (CP) of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) had not been reported. In this multicenter study, we compared the landmark molecular responses and outcomes of paediatric and adult CML-CP cohorts treated with front-line IM in whom the BCR::ABL1 transcript levels were monitored at the same accredited laboratory in Taiwan.

Methods: Between June 2004 and July 2020, 55 newly diagnosed paediatric and 782 adult CML-CP patients, with molecular diagnosis and monitoring at the same reference laboratory in Taiwan, were enrolled.

Flow Cytometry Analysis Reveals a Wide Cytologic and Immunophenotypic Spectrum of Peripheral B Lymphocytes in Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma.

Introduction: Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) is an aggressive T-cell lymphoma commonly associated with B-cell dysregulation. Correlations involving B-cell dysregulation and clinicopathological features remain unclear.

Methods: We prospectively collected blood samples from 11 AITL patients and 17 healthy controls.

Isatuximab-Pomalidomide-Dexamethasone Versus Pomalidomide-Dexamethasone in East Asian Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma: ICARIA-MM Subgroup Analysis.

Background: In the pivotal phase III, randomized, multicenter ICARIA-MM study (NCT02990338), isatuximab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone (Isa-Pd) improved progression-free survival and overall response rate versus pomalidomide and dexamethasone (Pd) in the overall population of patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

Patients And Methods: In this predefined subgroup analysis, efficacy, and safety between East Asian patients and the overall population were assessed.

Results: In total, 36 East Asian patients were included (Japanese, n = 13; Korean, n = 9; Taiwanese, n = 14).

The Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Transplant-Ineligible Myeloma Patients with Bortezomib plus Thalidomide plus Dexamethasone (VTD) or Bortezomib plus Melphalan plus Prednisolone (VMP) Treatment in Southern Taiwan.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of treating transplant-ineligible myeloma patients with either a bortezomib plus thalidomide plus dexamethasone (VTD) or a bortezomib plus melphalan plus prednisolone (VMP) treatment in Taiwan.

Methods: Newly diagnosed, transplant-ineligible myeloma patients with VTD or VMP therapy were enrolled from two medical centers in southern Taiwan. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were used as the measurement unit of the effectiveness evaluation, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was used for comparison between the two groups.

Role of quantitative hepatitis B surface antibodies in preventing hepatitis B virus-related hepatitis in patients treated with rituximab.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation is a well-known complication after rituximab-based chemotherapy in patients with B cell lymphoma (BCL) who have resolved HBV infection. This retrospective cohort study used electronic medical records from the Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. There were 128 patients with BCL and resolved HBV infection treated with 1st-line rituximab-containing therapy from 2008 to 2013.

Subgroup analysis of ICARIA-MM study in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma patients with high-risk cytogenetics.

Treatment benefit in multiple myeloma (MM) patients with high-risk cytogenetics remains suboptimal. The phase 3 ICARIA-MM trial (NCT02990338) showed that isatuximab plus pomalidomide-dexamethasone prolongs median progression-free survival (mPFS) in patients with relapsed/refractory MM (RRMM). This subgroup analysis of ICARIA-MM compared the benefit of isatuximab in high-risk [defined by the presence of del(17p), t(4;14) or t(14;16)] versus standard-risk patients.

A comprehensive retrospective cohort study of the journey of B-cell lymphoma in Taiwan.

Complete disease journey and risk factors for poor outcomes are needed to facilitate effectiveness evaluations of new therapies and clinical decision-making in B-cell Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL), particularly in Asia where such data are lacking. This retrospective cohort study used electronic medical records from a regional medical centre in southern Taiwan to follow-up 441 patients newly diagnosed with common B-NHL subtypes: Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), Follicular Lymphoma (FL), Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (CLL/SLL), Marginal Zone Lymphoma (MZL), Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL), and Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM), between 01-Jan-2008 and 31-Dec-2013, until 31-Dec-2017. Treatment pathways were modelled using a Markov approach.

Differential impacts of hemolysis on coagulation parameters of blood samples: A STROBE-compliant article.

This study aimed at investigating the impact of hemolysis on different coagulation parameters.A total of 216 venous blood samples without visible hemolysis were collected from adult patients at a tertiary referral center over six months. The plasma obtained was quantified for six coagulation parameters including prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen, D-dimer, antithrombin III, and protein C.

Copanlisib plus rituximab versus placebo plus rituximab in patients with relapsed indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (CHRONOS-3): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial.

Background: Copanlisib, an intravenous pan-class I PI3K inhibitor, showed efficacy and safety as monotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma who had received at least two therapies. The CHRONOS-3 study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of copanlisib plus rituximab in patients with relapsed indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Methods: CHRONOS-3 was a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 study in 186 academic medical centres across Asia, Australia, Europe, New Zealand, North America, Russia, South Africa, and South America.

The status of jaw lesions and medication-related osteonecrosis of jaw in patients with multiple myeloma.

Background/purpose: Myeloma jaw lesions are not uncommon. The study aimed to investigate the status of jaw lesions and medication-related osteonecrosis of jaw (MRONJ) in multiple myeloma (MM) patients.

Methods: One hundred and twenty-two consecutive newly-diagnosed MM patients seeking dental care at a hospital of southern Taiwan was examined according to jaw lesions with complete follow-up data.

Analysis of latent T-cell epitopes in Epstein-Barr virus isolated from extranodal nasal-type natural killer/T-cell lymphoma in Taiwanese population.

Extranodal nasal-type natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL) is an aggressive lymphoma that is prevalent among East Asian and South American populations. Although Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is commonly detected in NKTCL, there are limited studies that have analyzed the EBV genomic variations in NKTCL. In this study, 8 EBV latent genes were analyzed using targeted gene sequencing in 23 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues derived from 18 patients with NKTCL.

Inotuzumab ozogamicin versus standard of care in Asian patients with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Inotuzumab ozogamicin (InO) is a targeted treatment for adults with relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). InO was previously studied in INO-VATE, an international, open-label, randomized phase 3 trial comparing InO against standard of care (SoC). In the present subgroup analysis, we evaluated outcomes in the 55 Asian patients who were randomized in INO-VATE (31 InO and 24 SoC).