Objective:This study evaluates the efficacy and safety of dasatinib combined with a multi-agent chemotherapy regimen of Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph + ALL) patients. Methods:This prospective, single-arm, and open clinical study enrolled 30 adult Ph + ALL patients who were newly diagnosed and treated from January 2016 to April 2018 in the center of this study. Standard induction chemotherapy was given for 4 weeks. However, dasatinib (100 mg/d) was continuously administered from day 8 until the end of the whole therapy in the induction therapy. Patients who are available for allogeneic or autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT) received transplantation when the disease was evaluated as complete remission. Results:All 30 patients achieved hematological complete remission (HCR) after the induction chemotherapy, and 70.0% (21/30) of them achieved the accumulated molecular complete remission (MCR) . The patients were followed up with a median follow-up time of 37.8 months (32.0-46.6) . The 3 year overall survival (OS) and 3 year hematological relapse-free survival (HRFS) were 68.1% and 61.6%, respectively. Moreover, 63.3% and 43.3% of the patients achieved molecular major remission and MCR, respectively. Consequently, 60.0% of the patients achieved MCR until 6 months. The patients who achieved MCR within 6 months had superior OS ( P=0.004) , HRFS ( P=0.049) , and event-free survival (EFS; P=0.001) . Fifteen patients (50.0%) received SCT at the first HCR. However, HRFS ( P=0.030) and EFS ( P=0.010) in the SCT group were better than those in the chemotherapy group. Conclusions:The regimen of dasatinib combined with a multi-agent chemotherapy was proven safe and effective in the treatment of newly diagnosed adult Ph + ALL patients. Clinical trial registration:ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02523976.

Objective:This study aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of rituximab combined with short-course and intensive regimens in the treatment of adult patients with Burkitt leukemia.Methods:The clinical data of 11 Burkitt leukemia patients in our hospital from January 30, 2006, to September 12, 2018, were collected. The clinical details, complete remission (CR) rate, overall survival (OS) , relapse-free survival (RFS) , and adverse events were evaluated.Results:The median age of 11 patients was 34 (15-54) years, of which six were males and five were females (M∶F, 1.2∶1) . The median white blood cell (WBC) count was 12.28 (2.21-48.46) ×10 9/L, and the median blast percent of peripheral blood and bone marrow were 40% (3%-76%) and 84.0% (29.5%-94.5%) , respectively. Ten patients were administered with rituximab combined with a short-course and intensive regimens, and two patients underwent autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation following consolidation chemotherapy. The CR rate after one cycle of induction therapy was 100%, the four-year OS was 90%, and RFS was 90%. Out of the ten treated patients, only one patient suffered from tumor lysis syndrome during the induction chemotherapy. Consequently, renal function recovered after hemodialysis and other treatments. The regimen is safe with no treatment-related deaths. Conclusions:Rituximab combined with short-course and intensive chemotherapy regimens is effective and well-tolerated in adult Burkitt leukemia.

Objective: To compare the time of the recovery of neutrophils or leukocytes by pegylated recombinant human granulocyte stimulating factor (PEG-rhG-CSF) or common recombinant human granulocyte stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) in the myelosuppressive phase after induction chemotherapy in newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. At the same time, the incidences of infection and hospitalization were compared. Methods: A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted in patients with newly diagnosed AML who met the enrollment criteria from August 2014 to December 2017. The patients were randomly divided into two groups according to a 1:1 ratio: PEG-rhG-CSF group and rhG-CSF group. The time of neutrophil or leukocyte recovery, infection rate and hospitalization interval were compared between the two groups. Results: 60 patients with newly diagnosed AML were enrolled: 30 patients in the PEG-rhG-CSF group and 30 patients in the rhG-CSF group. There were no significant differences in age, chemotherapy regimen, pre-chemotherapy ANC, WBC, and induction efficacy between the two groups (P>0.05) . The median time (range) of ANC or WBC recovery in patients with PEG-rhG-CSF and rhG-CSF were 19 (14-35) d and 19 (15-26) d, respectively, with no statistical difference (P=0.566) . The incidences of infection in the PEG-rhG-CSF group and the rhG-CSF group were 90.0%and 93.3%, respectively, and there was no statistical difference (P=1.000) . The median days of hospitalization (range) was 20.5 (17-49) days and 21 (19-43) days, respectively, with no statistical difference (P=0.530) . Conclusions In AML patients after induction therapy, there was no significant difference between the application of PEG-rhG-CSF and daily rhG-CSF in ANC or WBC recovery time, infection incidence and hospitalization time.

Objective: To investigate the clinic-pathological features, diagnosis and treatment of 8p11 myeloproliferative syndrome (EMS) . Methods: Five patients diagnosed as EMS from Jan 2014 to May 2018 at Blood Disease Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences were enrolled. The clinical manifestations, laboratory characteristics, treatment and outcome of these patients were summarized. Results: The peripheral blood leukocyte count of 5 patients with EMS increased significantly, accompanied with an elevated absolute eosinophils value (the average as 18.89×10⁹/L) . The hypercellularity of myeloid cells was common in bone marrow, always with the elevated proportion of eosinophils (the average as 17.24%) , but less than 5% of blast cells. The chromosome karyotype of the 5 cases differed from each other, but presenting with the same rearrangement of FGFR1 gene by fluorescence in situ hybridization technology. The average interval between onset and diagnosis was 4.8 months with a median survival of only 14 months. Conclusion EMS was a rare hematologic malignancy with poor prognosis and short survival. It was commonly to be misdiagnosed. Analysis of cytogenetics and molecular biology were helpful for early diagnosis.

Objective: To analyze the clinical and laboratory characteristics, and prognosis of adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with MLL gene rearrangements. Methods: The medical records of 92 adult AML patients with MLL gene rearrangements from January 2010 to December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: 92 cases (6.5%) with MLL gene rearrangements were identified in 1 417 adult AML (Non-M₃) patients, the median age of the patients was 35.5 years (15 to 64 years old) with an equal sex ratio, the median WBC were 21.00(0.42-404.76)×10⁹/L, and 78 patients (84.8%) were acute monoblastic leukemia according to FAB classification. Eleven common partner genes were detected in 32 patients, 9 cases (28.1%) were MLL/AF9(+), 5 cases (15.6%) were MLL/AF6(+), 5 cases (15.6%) were MLL/ELL(+), 2 cases (6.3%) were MLL/AF10(+), 1 case (3.1%) was MLL/SETP6(+), and the remaining 10 patients’ partner genes weren’t identified. Of 92 patients, 83 cases with a median follow-up of 10.3 (0.3-74.0) months were included for the prognosis analysis, the complete remission (CR) rate was 85.5% (71/83), the median overall survival (OS) and relapse free survival (RFS) were 15.4 and 13.1 months, respectively. Two-year OS and RFS were 36.6% and 29.5%, respectively. Of 31 patients underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), two-year OS and RFS for patients received and non-received allo-HSCT were 57.9% and 21.4%, 52.7% and 14.9%, respectively (P<0.001). Among patients with partner genes tested, 9 of 32 cases (28.1%) were MLL/AF9(+), the median follow-up was 6.0(4.1-20.7) months. 3 patients with MLL/AF9 underwent allo-HSCT. 23 cases (71.9%) were non- MLL/AF9(+), the median follow-up was 7.8 (0.3-26.6) months. 14 patients (60.1%) with non-MLL/AF9 underwent allo-HSCT. One-year OS for patients with MLL/AF9 and non-MLL/AF9 were 38.1% and 55.5%, respectively (P=0.688). Multivariate analysis revealed that high WBC (RR=1.825, 95% CI 1.022-3.259, P=0.042), one cycle to achieve CR (RR=0.130, 95% CI 0.063-0.267, P<0.001), post-remission treatment with allo-HSCT (RR=0.169, 95% CI 0.079-0.362, P<0.001) were independent prognostic factors affecting OS. Conclusions AML with MLL gene rearrangements was closely associated with monocytic differentiation, and MLL/AF9 was the most frequent partner gene. Conventional chemotherapy produced a high response rate, but likely to relapse, allo-HSCT may have the potential to further improve the prognosis of this group of patients.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of KIT D816 mutation on the salvage therapy in relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with t(8;21) translocation. Method: The characteristics of the first relapsed AML with t(8;21) translocation from 10 hospitals were retrospectively collected, complete remission (CR₂) rate after one course salvage chemotherapy and the relationship between KIT mutation and CR₂ rate was analyzed. Results: 68 cases were enrolled in this study, and 30 cases (44.1%) achieved CR₂. All patients received KIT mutation detection, and KIT D816 mutation was identified in 26 cases. The KIT D816 positive group had significantly lower CR₂ compared with non-KIT D816 group (23.1% vs 57.1%, χ²=7.559, P=0.006), and patients with longer CR₁ duration achieved significantly higher CR₂ than those with CR₁ duration less than 12 months (74.1% vs 31.9%, χ²=9.192, P=0.002). KIT D816 mutation was tightly related to shorter CR₁ duration. No significant difference of 2 years post relapse survival was observed between KIT D816 mutation and non-KIT D816 mutation group. Conclusion KIT D816 mutation at diagnosis was an adverse factor on the salvage therapy in relapsed AML with t(8;21) translocation, significantly related to shorter CR1 duration, and can be used for prediction of salvage therapy response. KIT D816 mutation could guide the decision-making of salvage therapy in relapsed AML with t(8;21) translocation.

Objectives: To investigate the influence of duration of antibiotic therapy on the prognosis of patients with AML who had Gram-negative bloodstream infection during consolidation chemotherapy. Methods: Data were collected retrospectively from 591 patients enrolled from the registered "A Phase III study on optimizing treatment based on risk stratification for acute myeloid leukemia, ChiCTR-TRC-10001202" treatment protocol between September 2010 and January 2016 in different treatment cycles. Results: A total of 119 episodes of Gram-negative bloodstream infection occurred during consolidation chemotherapy. Excluding the 5 episodes in which fever lasted longer than 7 days, 114 episodes of infection were analyzed. The median neutrophil count was 0 (0-5.62)×10⁹/L, median neutropenia duration was 9 (3-26) days, median interval of antibiotics administration was 7 (4-14) days. Logistic regression analysis showed that there is no significant difference on 3-day recurrent fever rate and reinfection by the same type bacteria between antibiotics administration ≤7 days or >7 days (1.2% vs 3.0%, P=0.522, OR=0.400, 95% CI 0.024-6.591; 18.5% vs 21.2%, P=0.741, OR=0.844, 95% CI 0.309-2.307). Propensity score analysis confirmed there was no significant difference on same pathogen infection rate between antibiotics application time ≤ 7 days or >7 days (P=0.525, OR=0.663, 95% CI 0.187-2.352). No infection associated death occurred within 7 or 30 days in both groups. Conclusion Discontinuation of therapy until sensitive antibiotics treated for 7 days does not increase the recurrent fever rate and the infection associated death rate. Indicating that, for AML who had Gram-negative bloodstream infection during consolidation chemotherapy, short courses of antibiotic therapy is a reasonable treatment option when the infection is controlled.

Objective: To analyze the clinical, laboratory characteristics and prognosis of adult early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ETP-ALL). Methods: The clinical data of 13 adult ETP-ALL patients from January 2009 to March 2017 were retrospectively analyzed and compared with non-ETP ALL patients. Results: 13 ETP-ALL patients (17.3%) were identified in 75 adult T-ALL patients, the median age of the patients was 35 years old (15 to 49 years) and 10 patients were male (76.9%). ETP-ALL patients had lower WBC count, LDH level, blasts in peripheral blood, lower incidence of thymic mass and higher PLT count compared to non-ETP ALL patients. The CR rate after one course induction chemotherapy for ETP-ALL and non-ETP ALL patients was 33.3% and 90.1%, respectively (χ²=26.521, P<0.001). The median overall survival(OS) was 11.33 (95%CI 0-28.46) and 25.69 (95%CI 11.98-39.41) months, respectively. The 3-year OS was 41.7% and 40.7%, respectively (P=0.699). The median event free survival (EFS) was 1.51 (95%CI 1.23-1.79) and 21.36 (95%CI 4.67-38.04) months, respectively. The 3-year EFS was 16.7% and 39.5%, respectively (P=0.002). The 3-year relapse free survival (RFS) was 53.0% and 52.0%, respectively (P=0.797). Multivariate analysis revealed that CNSL and allo-HSCT were independent risk factors affecting OS of T-ALL and ETP-ALL didn’t affect the prognosis of T-ALL. Conclusion To our knowledge, this study is the first report on characteristics and prognosis of adult ETP-ALL patients in China. At total of 13 T-ALL patients (17.3%) were classified as having ETP-ALL. These patients had a lower leukemia burden and lower CR rate after one course induction compared to non-ETP ALL patients. Allo-HSCT can improve the prognosis of ETP-ALL.

Objective: To explore the predictive value of minimal residual disease (MRD) level in Ph-negative precursor B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. Methods: De novo 193 Ph-negative B-ALL patients from Sep 2010 to Nov 2017 were involved in the study. The patients' MRD evaluation which can be performed by multiparametric flow cytometry (MFC) after 1 month, 3-month, 6-month treatment. Relapse free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared in patients with different MRD level. Results: The median follow-up was 22 months. All patients was evaluated at 497 MRD level. Patients who reach the good MRD level at 1 month (<0.1% or ≥0.1%), 3-month (negative or positive), 6-month (negative or positive) had a significantly higher probability of estimated RFS (74.5% vs 29.9%; 75.6% vs 29.7%; 74.6% vs 11.6%) and of estimated OS (67.5% vs 30.3%; 71.6% vs 27.8%; 74.0% vs 15.7%). Patients who reach the MRD negative at all 3 times had a significantly higher probability of estimated RFS (80.5% vs 30.5%) and better estimated OS (77.1% vs 29.4%) compared to patients with at least MRD failure in one time (P<0.001). Multivariable analysis showed MRD level at 3-month was an independent prognostic factor for DFS and OS. Conclusion MRD is an important prognosis factor for Ph-negative B- ALL patients.

Objective To investigate the characteristics of NPM-MLF1 fusion gene in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Methods The data of one AML patient with NPM-MLF1 fusion gene was analyzed,and literatures were reviewed. Results A female patient was diagnosed as AML M6. In the course of the disease, 2 hematologic relapsed, and 2 recurrences were associated with NPM-MLF1 fusion gene positive. After inductive treatment, hematologic complete remission was achieved, and NPM-MLF1 fusion genes were all negative. Survival time surpassed 6 years when the chemotherapy was performed alone. Conclusion The incidence of NPM-MLF1 fusion gene in AML is low. It is necessary to collect more clinical data to judge whether an independent disease type or not.