BACKGROUND: Treatment with chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cells has shown promising effectiveness in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (R/R B-ALL), although the process of preparing for this therapy usually takes a long time. We have recently created CD19 Fast-CAR-T (F-CAR-T) cells, which can be produced within a single day. The objective of this study was to evaluate and contrast the effectiveness and safety of CD19 F-CAR-T cells with those of CD19 conventional CAR-T cells in the management of R/R B-ALL. METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 44 patients with R/R B-ALL was conducted. Overall, 23 patients were administered with innovative CD19 F-CAR-T cells (F-CAR-T group), whereas 21 patients were given CD19 conventional CAR-T cells (C-CAR-T group). We compared the rates of complete remission (CR), minimal residual disease (MRD)-negative CR, leukemia-free survival (LFS), overall survival (OS), and the incidence of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) between the two groups. RESULTS: Compared with the C-CAR-T group, the F-CAR-T group had significantly higher CR and MRD-negative rates (95.7% and 91.3%, respectively; 71.4% and 66.7%, respectively; P = 0.036 and P = 0.044). No significant differences were observed in the 1-year or 2-year LFS or OS rates between the two groups: the 1-year and 2-year LFS for the F-CAR-T group vs.C-CAR-T group were 47.8% and 43.5% vs. 38.1% and 23.8% (P = 0.384 and P = 0.216), while the 1-year and 2-year OS rates were 65.2% and 56.5% vs. 52.4% and 47.6% (P = 0.395 and P = 0.540). Additionally, among CR patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) following CAR-T-cell therapy, there were no significant differences in the 1-year or 2-year LFS or OS rates: 57.1% and 50.0% vs. 47.8% and 34.8% (P = 0.506 and P = 0.356), 64.3% and 57.1% vs. 65.2% and 56.5% (P = 0.985 and P = 0.883), respectively. The incidence of CRS was greater in the F-CAR-T group (91.3%) than in the C-CAR-T group (66.7%) (P = 0.044). The incidence of ICANS was also greater in the F-CAR-T group (30.4%) than in the C-CAR-T group (9.5%) (P = 0.085), but no treatment-related deaths occurred in the two groups. CONCLUSION Compared with C-CAR-T-cell therapy, F-CAR-T-cell therapy has a superior remission rate but also leads to a tolerably increased incidence of CRS/ICANS. Further research is needed to explore the function of allo-HSCT as an intermediary therapy after CAR-T-cell therapy.

BACKGROUND: B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) therapy yield remarkable responses in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (R/RMM). Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) reportedly exhibits distinct advantages in addressing the challenges posed by tumor heterogeneity in the distribution and genetic variations in R/RMM. METHODS: Herein, the ctDNA of 108 peripheral blood plasma samples from patients with R/RMM was thoroughly investigated before administration of anti-BCMA CAR-T therapy to establish its predictive potential. Flow cytometry is used primarily to detect subgroups of T cells or CAR-T cells. RESULTS: In this study, several tumor and T cell effector-mediated factors were considered to be related to treatment failure by an integrat analysis, including higher percentages of multiple myeloma (MM) cells in the bone marrow (P = 0.013), lower percentages of CAR-T cells in the peripheral blood at peak (P = 0.037), and higher percentages of CD8+ T cells (P = 0.034). Furthermore, there is a substantial correlation between high ctDNA level (>143 ng/mL) and shorter progression-free survival (PFS) (P = 0.007). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that high levels of ctDNA (>143 ng/mL), MM-driven high-risk mutations (including IGLL5 [P = 0.004], IRF4 [P = 0.024], and CREBBP [P = 0.041]), number of multisite mutations, and resistance-related mutation (ERBB4, P = 0.040) were independent risk factors for PFS. CONCLUSION: Finally, a ctDNA-based risk model was built based on the above independent risk factors, which serves as an adjunct non-invasive measure of substantial tumor burden and a prognostic genetic feature that can assist in predicting the response to anti-BCMA CAR-T therapy. REGISTERATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100046474) and National Clinical Trial (NCT04670055, NCT05430945).

Chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cell therapy, as a novel cellular immunotherapy, has dramatically reshaped the landscape of cancer treatment, especially in hematological malignancies. However, relapse is still one of the most troublesome obstacles to achieving broad clinical application. The intrinsic factors and superior adaptability of tumor cells mark a fundamental aspect of relapse. The unique biological function of CAR-T cells governed by their special CAR construction also affects treatment efficacy. Moreover, complex cross-interactions among CAR-T cells, tumor cells, and the tumor microenvironment (TME) profoundly influence clinical outcomes concerning CAR-T cell function and persistence. Therefore, in this review, based on the most recent discoveries, we focus on the challenges of relapse after CAR-T cell therapy in B-cell malignancies from the perspective of tumor cells, CAR-T cells, and the TME. We also discuss the corresponding basic and clinical approaches that may overcome the problem in the future. We aim to provide a comprehensive understanding for scientists and physicians that will help improve research and clinical practice.
Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy ; Humans ; Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods* ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/therapy* ; Neoplasms/pathology* ; Receptors, Chimeric Antigen ; T-Lymphocytes ; Tumor Microenvironment

Despite the advancement of treatments, adults with relapsed/refractory (R/R) B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) have poor prognosis, with an expected five-year overall survival (OS) rate of 10%‒20% (Nguyen et al., 2008; Oriol et al., 2010). Extramedullary relapse of B-ALL is regarded as a high-risk factor generally associated with poor survival, occurring in about 15% to 20% of all relapsed patients (Ding et al., 2017; Sun et al., 2018). The central nervous system (CNS) and the testes are the most common sites of extramedullary relapse of B-ALL. In addition, extramedullary leukemia can appear in the skin, eyes, breasts, bones, muscles, and abdominal organs. The prognosis of relapsed extramedullary B-ALL after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is extremely poor (Spyridonidis et al., 2012; Dahlberg et al., 2019). Conventional chemotherapy or radiation is often ineffective in such patients. At present, there are no optimal treatment strategies for treating extramedullary leukemia after allo-HSCT.
Adult ; Antigens, CD19 ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Immunotherapy, Adoptive/adverse effects* ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/therapy* ; Receptors, Chimeric Antigen ; Recurrence

Objective:This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of humanized CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) in patients with relapsed/refractory acute B cell lymphoblastic leukemia (R/R B-ALL) .Methods:The clinical data of 41 patients with R/R B-ALL treated with humanized CD19-targeted CAR-T cells in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine from February 2020 to July 2021 were analyzed.Results:Cytokine release syndrome occurred in all patients, and 63.4% (26/41) were grades 1-2. Immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome developed in three patients. On median day 15 (9-47) , the complete remission rate was 95.1% (39/41) , of which 38 patients tested negative for bone marrow minimal residual disease detected by flow cytometry. Among the 39 patients with complete remission, 17 patients did not receive further treatment, and 70.6% (12/17) remained in remission at the end of follow-up, with a progression-free survival of 11.6 months of the two patients with the earliest infusion. Another 17 patients underwent consolidation allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (10 cases) or CD22 CAR-T cell sequential therapy (seven cases) after remission, and 76.5% (13/17) of the patients were still in remission at the end of follow-up. The remaining five patients who did not receive consolidation therapy relapsed at a median of 72 (55-115) days after CAR-T cell therapy.Conclusion:In patients with R/R B-ALL, the humanized CD19-targeted CAR-T cells had a high response and manageable toxicity.

The combination of the immunotherapy (i.e., the use of monoclonal antibodies) and the conventional chemotherapy increases the long-term survival of patients with lymphoma. However, for patients with relapsed or treatment-resistant lymphoma, a novel treatment approach is urgently needed. Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells were introduced as a treatment for these patients. Based on recent clinical data, approximately 50% of patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell lymphoma achieved complete remission after receiving the CD19 CAR-T cell therapy. Moreover, clinical data revealed that some patients remained in remission for more than two years after the CAR-T cell therapy. Other than the CD19-targeted CAR-T, the novel target antigens, such as CD20, CD22, CD30, and CD37, which were greatly expressed on lymphoma cells, were studied under preclinical and clinical evaluations for use in the treatment of lymphoma. Nonetheless, the CAR-T therapy was usually associated with potentially lethal adverse effects, such as the cytokine release syndrome and the neurotoxicity. Therefore, optimizing the structure of CAR, creating new drugs, and combining CAR-T cell therapy with stem cell transplantation are potential solutions to increase the effectiveness of treatment and reduce the toxicity in patients with lymphoma after the CAR-T cell therapy.
Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy ; Humans ; Immunotherapy, Adoptive ; Lymphoma/therapy* ; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell ; Receptors, Chimeric Antigen

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell strategy targeting CD19 (CART19) has prominent anti-tumor effect for relapsed/refractory B-cell lymphomas. CART19-associated complications have been gradually recognized, however, late-onset complications have not been extensively studied. Herein, for the first time we report a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patient with terminal ileum involvement obtained rapid remission and developed spontaneous terminal ileal perforation 38 days following CART19 infusion. The late-onset perforation reminds us that, for the safety of CART treatment, more cautions are warranted for the management of delayed GI complications.
B-Lymphocytes* ; Humans ; Ileum ; Lymphoma, B-Cell* ; Receptors, Antigen* ; T-Lymphocytes*

Objective To study the efficacy of performing transvaginal Prosima mesh with high uterosacral ligament suspension (HUS) in treatment of severe pelvic organ prolapse (POP).Methods From July 2010 to February 2011,70 patients with severe POP underwent transvaginal prosima mesh with HUS in First Affiliated Hospital,General Hospital of People's Liberation Army.Clinical parameters of perioperation were collected.After 1 month and 2 - 3 months,perineal two-dimensional ultrasound examination was performed to measure mesh length in midsagittal plane.Validated prolapse quality of life questionnaires,pelvic floor distress inventsry short form 20 (PFDI-20) and pelvic floor impact questionnaire short form 7 (PFIQ-7) were used to evaluate the therapeutic effect.The mean results of pre-operative PFIQ-7 and PFDI-20 was 54 and 51,respectively.Results Median operation time was ( 195 ± 47 ) min and median blood loss was (160 ±64) ml.All the patients were followed for a mean time of 13 months (2 - 19 months).Seven cases were found with mesh exposure with less than 1 cm2.The objective cure rate was 100％.The mean score of post-operative PFIQ-7 and PFDI-20 were both 19,which were significantly lower than those of preoperation ( P ＜ 0.05 ).Anterior Prosima mesh was 3.5 cm at 1 month by ultrasound examination,and the second result of ultrasound scans was 2.8 cm at 2 - 3 month,which were both shortened 2.5 cm and 3.2 cm when compared with that of original size.Conclusions Transvaginal Prosima mesh placement with HUS is a safe and efficient surgery with less complication.Although mesh became shorter after 2 - 3 month,it did not affect surgery efficacy.