Comparing Outcomes of First-Line Intensive Chemotherapeutic Regimens in Adult Patients With Acute Lymphoblastic...

Survival outcomes of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in adults remain inferior to those in the pediatric population. Limited data is present directly comparing different first-line intensive regimens in adult patients with ALL.

We conducted a retrospective study comparing outcomes of first-line intensive chemotherapeutic regimens utilized in adult ALL patients at Cleveland Clinic. Outcomes included composite complete response (CCR), minimal residual disease (MRD) flow cytometry (FC-MRD) response, overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS). Multivariable regression and propensity score (PS) weighting were used for adjustment.

Out of 161 adult patients with ALL between January, 2017 and August, 2023, 100 received an intensive regimen. Of those, 33% (n = 33) received a pediatric-inspired regimen (PIR) (CALGB-10403, n = 32 (97%)), 39% (n = 39) received CALGB-19802, and 28% (n = 28) received Hyper-CVAD. The median age (IQR) was 27 (21-34) for PIR group, 59 (52-65) years for CALGB-19802 group, and 57 (41-66) years for Hyper-CVAD group. The CCR rates were 88%, 82%, and 81% in PIR, CALGB-19802, and Hyper-CVAD groups. The 3-year OS was 78% (95% CI, 63-95), 58% (95% CI, 44-77), and 70% (95% CI, 52-93) (P = .2) in the above groups, respectively. Hyper-CVAD was associated with a higher odds of FC-MRD negative response to CALGB-19802 (PS-adjusted odds ratio: 3.72, 95% CI, 1.05-14.7, P = .041). The 3-year PS-adjusted OS in Hyper-CVAD was 71% (95% CI, 52-97) compared to 49% (95% CI, 33-73) in CALGB-19802 (P = .14).

Compared to an asparaginase-utilizing regimen, CALGB-19802, Hyper-CVAD was associated with higher FC-MRD negative responses. The long-term survival outcomes for patients receiving PIR in young individuals were comparable to those of Hyper-CVAD. Future combination therapies involving blinatumomab and inotuzumab ozogamicin are expected to enhance these outcomes.