Hypomethylating agents-venetoclax as salvage therapy for relapse of AML and MDS after allogeneic HCT

Relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) remains a challenge for patients with acute myeloid leukemia acute myeloid leukemia: (uh-KYOOT my-uh-LOYD loo-KEE-mee-uh) A cancer of the blood cells. It happens when very young white blood cells (blasts) in the bone marrow fail to mature. The blast cells stay in the bone marrow and become to numerous. This slows production of red blood cells and platelets. Some cases of MDS become… (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and salvage therapy in this setting is not standardized. Given the efficacy of hypomethylating agents and venetoclax venetoclax: Venetoclax is used to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic leukemia in adults. Venetoclax is used alone or in combination with other cancer medicines to treat these conditions. (HMA-VEN) in the frontline and relapsed settings, we evaluated the use of this therapy for post-alloHCT relapse. Eighty-three patients with AML (n = 69) or MDS (n = 14) who relapsed after alloHCT were included in this retrospective analysis. The median time to relapse after alloHCT was 7.0 months. Most patients (55%) had prior VEN exposure, and 28% of these patients had previously experienced treatment failure with a VEN-based regimen. HMA-VEN treatment-emergent toxicities were predominantly neutropenia neutropenia: (noo-truh-PEE-nee-uh) A condition in which there is a shortage of neutrophils in the bloodstream. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell. This results in a low white blood cell count. and thrombocytopenia thrombocytopenia: (throm-buh-sie-tuh-PEE-nee-uh) A condition in which there is a shortage of platelets in the bloodstream. This results in a low platelet count. Bleeding and bruising often occur with thrombocytopenia. ; however, the 30-day mortality was only 3.6%. There were 3 deaths within 30 days because of infectious complications. HMA-VEN led to a complete response (CR) or CR with incomplete hematological recovery in 48% of the patients, with 58% of these patients achieving minimal residual disease negativity. In multivariable analysis, European LeukemiaNet 2024 genetic risk stratification was a predictor of survival outcome. Additionally, prior VEN failure was not a predictor of overall survival. In conclusion, HMA-VEN provides an efficacious and well-tolerated option for post-alloHCT AML or MDS relapse regardless of their prior therapy and may allow responders to undergo a second alloHCT with curative intent.