The incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is more than 1 per thousand annually in the general population and increases further in cancer patients. The risk of VTE is higher in multiple myeloma (MM) patients who receive thalidomide or lenalidomide, especially in combination with dexamethasone or chemotherapy. Various VTE prophylaxis strategies, such as low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), warfarin or aspirin, have been investigated in small, uncontrolled clinical studies. This manuscript summarizes the available evidence and recommends a prophylaxis strategy according to a risk-assessment model. Individual risk factors for thrombosis associated with thalidomide/lenalidomide-based therapy include age, history of VTE, central venous catheter, comorbidities (infections, diabetes, cardiac disease), immobilization, surgery and inherited thrombophilia. Myeloma-related risk factors include diagnosis and hyperviscosity. VTE is very high in patients who receive high-dose dexamethasone, doxorubicin or multiagent chemotherapy in combination with thalidomide or lenalidomide, but not with bortezomib. The panel recommends aspirin for patients with < or = 1 risk factor for VTE. LMWH (equivalent to enoxaparin 40 mg per day) is recommended for those with two or more individual/myeloma-related risk factors. LMWH is also recommended for all patients receiving concurrent high-dose dexamethasone or doxorubicin. Full-dose warfarin targeting a therapeutic INR of 2-3 is an alternative to LMWH, although there are limited data in the literature with this strategy. In the absence of clear data from randomized studies as a foundation for recommendations, many of the following proposed strategies are the results of common sense or derive from the extrapolation of data from many studies not specifically designed to answer these questions. Further investigation is needed to define the best VTE prophylaxis.

No abstract

To assess the frequency of TP53 alterations and their correlation with other genetic changes and outcome in acute myeloid leukemia with complex karyotype (CK-AML), we performed integrative analysis using TP53 mutational screening and array-based genomic profiling in 234 CKAMLs. TP53 mutations were found in 141 of 234 (60%) and TP53 losses were identified in 94 of 234 (40%) CK-AMLs; in total, 164 of 234 (70%) cases had TP53 alterations. TP53-altered CK-AML were characterized by a higher degree of genomic complexity (aberrations per case, 14.30 vs 6.16; P < .0001) and by a higher frequency of specific copy number alterations, such as ؊5/5q؊, ؊7/7q؊, ؊16/ 16q؊, ؊18/18q؊, ؉1/؉1p, and ؉11/؉11q/ amp11q13ϳ25; among CK-AMLs, TP53-altered more frequently exhibited a monosomal karyotype (MK). Patients with TP53 alterations were older and had significantly lower complete remission rates, inferior event-free, relapse-free, and overall survival. In multivariable analysis for overall survival, TP53 alterations, white blood cell counts, and age were the only significant factors. In conclusion, TP53 is the most frequently known altered gene in CK-AML. TP53 alterations are associated with older age, genomic complexity, specific DNA copy number alterations, MK, and dismal outcome. In multivariable analysis, TP53 alteration is the most important prognostic factor in CK-AML, outweighing all other variables, including the MK category. (Blood. 2012;119(9):2114-2121)

To study the characteristics and clinical impact of therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (t-AML). 200 patients (7.0%) had t-AML and 2653 de novo AML (93%). Patients with t-AML were older (P < .0001) and they had lower white blood counts (P ‫؍‬ .003) compared with de novo AML patients; t-AML patients had abnormal cytogenetics more frequently, with overrepresentation of 11q23 translocations as well as adverse cytogenetics, including complex and monosomal karyotypes, and with underrepresentation of intermediaterisk karyotypes (P < .0001); t-AML patients had NPM1 mutations (P < .0001) and FLT3 internal tandem duplications (P ‫؍‬ .0005) less frequently. Younger age at diagnosis of primary malignancy and treatment with intercalating agents as well as topoisomerase II inhibitors were associated with shorter latency periods to the occurrence of t-AML. In multivariable analyses, t-AML was an adverse prognostic factor for death in complete remission but not relapse in younger intensively treated patients (P < .0001 and P ‫؍‬ .39, respectively), relapse but not death in complete remission in older, less intensively treated patients (P ‫؍‬ .02 and P ‫؍‬ .22, respectively) and overall survival in younger intensively treated patients (P ‫؍‬ .01). In more intensively treated younger adults, treatment-related toxicity had a major negative impact on outcome, possibly reflecting cumulative toxicity of cancer treatment. (Blood. 2011;117(7): 2137-2145)

We defined clinically relevant time points for NPM1(mut) MRD assessment that allow for the identification of patients with AML who are at high risk of relapse. Monitoring of NPM1(mut) transcript levels should be incorporated in future clinical trials to guide therapeutic decisions.