Clofarabine improves relapse-free survival of acute myeloid leukemia in younger adults with micro-complex karyotype

Abstract

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) encompasses heterogeneous entities with dismal outcomes. Intermediate and unfavorable-risk AML represent the most difficult-to-treat entities. We recently reported the benefit of the clofarabine-based consolidation (CLARA) regimen compared to the standard high-dose cytarabine (HDAC) regimen in younger AML patients. Here, we aimed at assessing the clinical significance of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-array alterations and their interactions with chemotherapy regimens. A SNP-array was successfully performed in 187 out of the 221 intent-to-treat patients (CLARA arm: n = 92 patients, HDAC arm: n = 95 patients). The CLARA regimen did not significantly improve relapse-free survival (RFS) among patients who displayed a complex karyotype when compared to the HDAC regimen (4-year RFS (4y-RFS): 36.4% vs. 18.8%, respectively; p = 0.134). Defining micro-complex karyotypes from at least four SNP-array lesions enabled us to refine and enlarge the subset of adverse patients. In such patients, the CLARA regimen significantly improved RFS compared to the HDAC regimen (4y-RFS: 44.4% vs. 13.8%, respectively; p = 0.004). From our study cohort, 8% of patients displayed TP53 mutations, which were associated with an impaired RFS (4y-RFS: 20.0% vs. 43.7%; p = 0.029). In a multivariate analysis, micro-complex karyotypes remained the sole poor prognostic factor in the HDAC arm (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.324 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.337–4.041), p = 0.003). The SNP array represents a powerful and reproductive approach to refine adverse AML patients that may benefit from alternative consolidation regimens.