We present the molecular landscape of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and characterize nearly 1,000 participants in Children’s Oncology Group (COG) AML trials. The COG–National Cancer Institute (NCI) TARGET AML initiative assessed cases by whole-genome, targeted DNA, mRNA and microRNA sequencing and CpG methylation profiling. Validated DNA variants corresponded to diverse, infrequent mutations, with fewer than 40 genes mutated in >2% of cases. In contrast, somatic structural variants, including new gene fusions and focal deletions of MBNL1, ZEB2 and ELF1, were disproportionately prevalent in young individuals as compared to adults. Conversely, mutations in DNMT3A and TP53, which were common in adults, were conspicuously absent from virtually all pediatric cases. New mutations in GATA2, FLT3 and CBL and recurrent mutations in MYC-ITD, NRAS, KRAS and WT1 were frequent in pediatric AML. Deletions, mutations and promoter DNA hypermethylation convergently impacted Wnt signaling, Polycomb repression, innate immune cell interactions and a cluster of zinc finger–encoding genes associated with KMT2A rearrangements. These results highlight the need for and facilitate the development of age-tailored targeted therapies for the treatment of pediatric AML.

Chromosomal rearrangements of the human MLL/KMT2A gene are associated with infant, pediatric, adult and therapy-induced acute leukemias. Here we present the data obtained from 2345 acute leukemia patients. Genomic breakpoints within the MLL gene and the involved translocation partner genes (TPGs) were determined and 11 novel TPGs were identified. Thus, a total of 135 different MLL rearrangements have been identified so far, of which 94 TPGs are now characterized at the molecular level. In all, 35 out of these 94 TPGs occur recurrently, but only 9 specific gene fusions account for more than 90% of all illegitimate recombinations of the MLL gene. We observed an age-dependent breakpoint shift with breakpoints localizing within MLL intron 11 associated with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and younger patients, while breakpoints in MLL intron 9 predominate in AML or older patients. The molecular characterization of MLL breakpoints suggests different etiologies in the different age groups and allows the correlation of functional domains of the MLL gene with clinical outcome. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the MLL recombinome in acute leukemia and demonstrates that the establishment of patient-specific chromosomal fusion sites allows the design of specific PCR primers for minimal residual disease analyses for all patients.

IntroductionChildhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a rare and heterogeneous disease, with an incidence of 7 cases per million children younger than 15 years. In high-income countries, intensive therapy in conjunction with effective supportive care has increased survival rates to ϳ 70%. In 1990 and 2003, expert working groups made recommendations for diagnosis, outcomes, standardization of response criteria, and reporting standards for AML. 1,2 Recent improvements in identifying the molecular genetics and pathogenesis of AML have been implemented in the new World Health Organization (WHO) classification of AML. 3 These changes, and the definition of new diagnostic and prognostic markers and their associated targeted therapies, have prompted the update of earlier recommendations by an international group, on behalf of the European LeukemiaNet for AML in adults in 2010. 4 Despite broad overlap in the diagnostic and treatment recommendations for AML for children and adults, there are important differences in both the diagnostic criteria and disease management, which merit age-specific recommendations. The absence of published recommendations specific for pediatric AML motivated an international group of pediatric hematologists and oncologists (panel and participating groups see "Appendix") to develop evidence-and expert opinionbased consensus recommendations for the diagnosis and management of AML in children, incorporating emerging information on the biology of the disease. The scope of the review is presented in the "Appendix." Recommendations for specific subgroups are also included. This article discusses diagnostic procedures and initial workup, prognostic factors, response criteria, and management, and in particular focuses on differences between adults and children with AML. For personal use only. on May 12, 2018. by guest www.bloodjournal.org From WHO classification and pediatric AMLThe recent WHO 2008 classification is applicable to both adult and pediatric AML 3,5 and has been summarized by Döhner et al. 4 The classification contains most, but not all, cytogenetic subgroups specific to children. Differences in genetic background between children and adults are given in Table 1 and discussed further in "Cytogenetics."Compared with previous classifications (European Group of Immunologic Characterization of Leukemias [EGIL], WHO 2001), 6 the new WHO classification introduced a stringently defined subclass of acute leukemias of ambiguous lineage (mixed phenotype acute leukemias [MPALs]), mainly on the basis of detailed immunophenotypic criteria (Table 2) or presence of t(9;22)(q34; q11.2)/BCR-ABL1 or t(v;11q23)/MLL rearrangement. 3,5,6 The new classification aims to create uniform subgroups defined by unifying molecular targets, which allow selection of specific treatment. Diagnostic procedures and initial workupThe minimal diagnostic requirements in childhood AML are morphology with cytochemistry, immunophenotyping, karyotyping, FISH, and specific molecular genetics in the bone marrow, which is comparable ...

Purpose Blinatumomab is a bispecific T-cell engager antibody construct targeting CD19 on B-cell lymphoblasts. We evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics, recommended dosage, and potential for efficacy of blinatumomab in children with relapsed/refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL). Methods This open-label study enrolled children < 18 years old with relapsed/refractory BCP-ALL in a phase I dosage-escalation part and a phase II part, using 6-week treatment cycles. Primary end points were maximum-tolerated dosage (phase I) and complete remission rate within the first two cycles (phase II). Results We treated 49 patients in phase I and 44 patients in phase II. Four patients had dose-limiting toxicities in cycle 1 (phase I). Three experienced grade 4 cytokine-release syndrome (one attributed to grade 5 cardiac failure); one had fatal respiratory failure. The maximum-tolerated dosage was 15 µg/m/d. Blinatumomab pharmacokinetics was linear across dosage levels and consistent among age groups. On the basis of the phase I data, the recommended blinatumomab dosage for children with relapsed/refractory ALL was 5 µg/m/d for the first 7 days, followed by 15 µg/m/d thereafter. Among the 70 patients who received the recommended dosage, 27 (39%; 95% CI, 27% to 51%) achieved complete remission within the first two cycles, 14 (52%) of whom achieved complete minimal residual disease response. The most frequent grade ≥ 3 adverse events were anemia (36%), thrombocytopenia (21%), and hypokalemia (17%). Three patients (4%) and one patient (1%) had cytokine-release syndrome of grade 3 and 4, respectively. Two patients (3%) interrupted treatment after grade 2 seizures. Conclusion This trial, which to the best of our knowledge was the first such trial in pediatrics, demonstrated antileukemic activity of single-agent blinatumomab with complete minimal residual disease response in children with relapsed/refractory BCP-ALL. Blinatumomab may represent an important new treatment option in this setting, requiring further investigation in curative indications.