Background and Methods:

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) bearing the RUNX1-RUNX1T1 fusion gene is known to be one of the core-binding factor AML (CBF-AML) which exerts relatively good prognosis. The RUNX1-RUNX1T1 fusion gene are present in approximately 3.5% of patients with AML (data from cBioPortal). However, the real-world epidemiology of this mutation and co-existing gene alterations have not been fully investigated in Japan. We launched an actionable mutation profiling multicenter study named Hematologic Malignancies (HM)-SCREEN-Japan 01 (UMIN000035233), in which a comprehensive genomic assay was performed by Foundation One Heme (F1H) panel for patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) AML as well as patients with newly-diagnosed (ND) AML who were ineligible for standard chemotherapy. Paraffin-embedded bone marrow samples were gathered from 17 Japanese faculties and the F1H reports were returned to the patients.

Results:

We found 12 patients (6.8%) with the RUNX1-RUNX1T1 fusion gene out of 177 patients who joined this study and the F1H report was successfully retuned. Eight of these patients were enrolled as R/R AML and four were enrolled as ND AML who are ineligible for standard chemotherapy. Four (50%) of R/R patients were received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Among the 12 patients with the RUNX1-RUNX1T1 fusion gene, eight (66.7%) had KIT mutation. The major amino acid alteration of KIT was D816V/Y and two patients had two different point-mutations of KIT (one with D816Y plus D816V and the other with D816V plus N822K). No particular mutations, other than KIT, were predominantly co-occurred with RUNX1-RUNX1T1 fusion gene. Especially in R/R patients, 75 % of them had the KIT mutation. Two R/R patients without the KITmutation had JAK2 V617F and FLT3 D835Y respectively.

Conclusions:

AML with RUNX1-RUNX1T1 fusion gene is currently not indicated for transplantation in the first remission. Previous studies have demonstrated that approximately 30% of patients with CBF-AML harbored the KIT mutations at diagnosis, which might be an indicator of poor prognosis. In our study, the KIT mutations were detected much more frequently than in previously studies of newly-diagnosed CBF-AML. This result may suggest that patients with the KIT mutations were concentrated because our study targeted AML patients who were R/R to prior therapy or ineligible for standard chemotherapy. In addition, no specific mutations highly related to the RUNX1-RUNX1T1 fusion gene were detected other than the KIT mutation, suggesting the KIT mutation might be a suitable molecular marker to predict poor prognosis in AML with the RUNX1-RUNX1T1 fusion gene. Our study revealed the importance of KIT mutations in patients with R/R AML with RUNX1-RUNX1T1 fusion gene, and that the KITmutations may be a promising therapeutic target for this population. Furthermore, it is interesting that driver mutations such as JAK2 and FLT3 mutation were detected in R/R patients without KIT mutation, although further investigation is needed. This suggests that comprehensive genomic assays are highly useful in establishing precision medicine, even in this type of AML, which is generally considered to have a good prognosis. Since most of R/R patients need allo-SCT, precision medicine targeting KIT may be considered for post-recurrence treatment in AML with RUNX1-RUNX1T1 fusion gene, such as bridge therapy to transplantation, in the future.

Figure 1
Figure 1.
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Disclosures

Shibayama: Janssen Pharmaceutical K.K.: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Nippon Shinyaku Co., Ltd.: Speakers Bureau; Fujimoto Pharmaceutical Corp.: Speakers Bureau; Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd.: Speakers Bureau; Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; AstraZeneca K.K.: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; PharmaEssentia Japan KK: Research Funding; Eisai Co., Ltd.: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Novartis Pharma K.K.: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; AbbVie GK: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Celgene K.K.: Research Funding; Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Sanofi K.K.: Speakers Bureau; Bristol-Myers Squibb K.K.: Speakers Bureau. Yamauchi: Daiichi Sankyo: Research Funding; Astellas: Research Funding; Abbie: Research Funding; Chugai: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria, Research Funding; Ono Pharmaceutical: Honoraria; Otsuka: Research Funding; Solasia Pharma: Research Funding. Kondo: Astellas Pharma Inc.: Consultancy, Honoraria; Otsuka Pharmaceutical: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis Pharma KK: Honoraria; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company: Honoraria; Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma: Honoraria; Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho CO.,LTD: Consultancy. Yamamoto: IQIVA/Incyte: Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Honoraria, Research Funding; IQIVA/HUYA: Honoraria; HUYA: Consultancy; Janssen: Honoraria; Kyowa Kirin: Honoraria; Meiji Seika Pharma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; MSD: Honoraria; Mundipharma: Research Funding; Nippon Shinyaku: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Ono: Honoraria, Research Funding; Otsuka: Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi: Honoraria; Solasia Pharma: Research Funding; SymBio: Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria, Research Funding; Yakult: Honoraria, Research Funding; Zenyaku: Honoraria, Research Funding; Micron: Honoraria; IQIVA/Genmab: Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Honoraria; Eisai: Honoraria, Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Honoraria; Chugai: Honoraria, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb/Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; AbbVie: Honoraria, Research Funding. Kuroda: Fujimoto Pharmaceutical: Current Employment, Honoraria, Research Funding; Taiho Pharmaceutical: Research Funding; Asahi Kasei: Research Funding; Shionogi: Research Funding; Nippon Shinyaku: Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Honoraria, Research Funding; Sysmex: Research Funding; Eisai: Honoraria, Research Funding; Ono Pharmaceutical: Honoraria, Research Funding; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria; MSD: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria, Research Funding; Astellas Pharma: Honoraria, Research Funding; Otsuka Pharmaceutical: Honoraria, Research Funding; Kyowa Kirin: Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Honoraria, Research Funding; Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma: Honoraria, Research Funding; Chugai Pharmaceutical: Honoraria, Research Funding; Bristol-MyersSquibb: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen Pharmaceutical K.K: Consultancy. Usuki: Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Novartis Pharma K.K.: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Janssen Pharmaceutical K.K.: Research Funding; Celgene K.K.: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Nippon-Boehringer-Ingelheim Co., Ltd.: Research Funding; Mundipharma K.K.: Research Funding; Amgen-Astellas Biopharma K.K.: Research Funding; Nippon-Shinyaku Co., Ltd.: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Kyowa-Kirin Co., Ltd.: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer Japan Inc.: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Eisai Co., Ltd.: Speakers Bureau; MSD K.K.: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; PharmaEssentia Japan KK: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd.: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Bristol-Myers-Squibb K.K.: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Sumitomo-Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd.: Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd.: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; SymBio Pharmaceuticals Ltd.: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Research Funding; Gilead Sciences, Inc.: Research Funding; AbbVie GK: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Astellas Pharma Inc.: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Incyte Biosciences Japan G.K.: Research Funding; Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Sanofi K.K.: Speakers Bureau; Amgen K.K.: Research Funding. Yoshimitsu: Sanofi: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria. Ishitsuka: BMS: Other; Takeda: Other: Personal fees, Research Funding; Mundipharma: Other: Personal fees; Taiho Pharmaceuticals: Other: Personal fees, Research Funding; Janssen Pharmaceuticals: Other: Personal fees; Novartis: Other: Personal fees; Pfizer: Other: Personal fees; Astellas Pharma: Other: Personal fees, Research Funding; Genzyme: Other: Personal fees; Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma: Other: Personal fees, Research Funding; Eisai: Other: Personal fees, Research Funding; Chugai Pharmaceutical: Honoraria, Other: Personal fees, Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria, Other: Personal fees; Ono Pharmaceutical: Other: Personal fees, Research Funding; Kyowa Kirin: Other: Personal fees, Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Other: Personal fees; MSD: Research Funding; Teijin Pharma: Research Funding; Otsuka Pharmaceutical: Other: Personal fees; Shire: Other; Mochida: Other: Personal fees, Research Funding; Asahi kasei: Research Funding; Eli Lilly: Research Funding; Huya Japan: Other: Personal fees. Ono: Novartis Pharma KK: Honoraria; Merck Sharp & Dohme: Honoraria, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company: Honoraria; Pfizer Japan Inc.: Honoraria; Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.: Honoraria; ONO PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD.: Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited.: Honoraria; Astellas Pharma Inc.: Honoraria; Eisai Co., Ltd.: Honoraria; Janssen Pharmaceutical K.K: Honoraria; DAIICHI SANKYO COMPANY, LIMITED.: Honoraria; Mundipharma K.K.: Honoraria; TAIHO PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD.: Research Funding; Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.: Honoraria, Research Funding; Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.: Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding. Takahashi: Kyowahakko-Kirin: Research Funding; Ono: Research Funding; Asahikasei: Research Funding; Toyamakagaku: Research Funding; Eizai: Research Funding; Chugai: Research Funding; Otsuka Pharmaceutical: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Iyama: Novartis: Honoraria; Nippon Shinyaku: Honoraria; MSD: Research Funding; Otsuka Pharmaceuticals Factory: Honoraria; Otsuka Pharmaceuticals Factory: Honoraria; Daiichi Sankyo: Honoraria; CSL Behring: Honoraria; Astellas: Honoraria; Alexion Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria, Research Funding; Otsuka: Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi: Honoraria, Research Funding; SymBio Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding. Izutsu: Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Honoraria, Research Funding; Eisai: Honoraria, Research Funding; HUYA Bioscience International: Research Funding; Kyowa Kirin: Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceutical: Honoraria, Research Funding; Yakult: Research Funding; AbbVie: Honoraria, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Honoraria, Research Funding; Bayer: Research Funding; Beigene: Research Funding; Chugai: Honoraria, Research Funding; Genmab: Honoraria, Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding; MSD: Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Ono: Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Symbio: Honoraria, Research Funding; Allergan Japan: Honoraria; FUJI FILM Toyama Chemical: Honoraria. Minami: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company: Honoraria; Pfizer Japan Inc.: Honoraria; Novartis Pharma KK: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Astellas: Honoraria; Ono: Research Funding; CMIC: Research Funding.

© 2021 by The American Society of Hematology
2021
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