• When reclassifying 2130 oligomonocytosis cases using the WHO and ICC 2022 classifications, 356 and 241 cases are newly classified as CMML.

  • Compared with MD-CMML, newly classified CMML cases show distinct mutational and transcriptional profiles but comparable overall survival.

Abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) classification of hematolymphoid tumors and the International Consensus Classification (ICC) of 2022 introduced major changes to the definition of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). To assess its qualitative and quantitative implications for patient care, we started with 3311 established CMML cases (according to WHO 2017 criteria) and included 2130 oligomonocytosis cases fulfilling the new CMML diagnostic criteria. Applying both 2022 classification systems, 356 and 241 of oligomonocytosis cases were newly classified as myelodysplastic (MD)-CMML (WHO and ICC 2022, respectively), most of which were diagnosed as myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) according to the WHO 2017 classification. Importantly, 1.5 times more oligomonocytosis cases were classified as CMML according to WHO 2022 than based on ICC, because of different diagnostic criteria. Genetic analyses of the newly classified CMML cases showed a distinct mutational profile with strong enrichment of MDS-typical alterations, resulting in a transcriptional subgroup separated from established MD and myeloproliferative CMML. Despite a different cytogenetic, molecular, immunophenotypic, and transcriptional landscape, no differences in overall survival were found between newly classified and established MD-CMML cases. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the most comprehensive analysis of routine CMML cases to date, both in terms of clinical characterization and transcriptomic analysis, placing newly classified CMML cases on a disease continuum between MDS and previously established CMML.

1.
Bennett
JM
,
Catovsky
D
,
Daniel
MT
, et al
.
Proposals for the classification of the myelodysplastic syndromes
.
Br J Haematol
.
1982
;
51
(
2
):
189
-
199
.
2.
Vardiman
JW
,
Harris
NL
,
Brunning
RD
.
The World Health Organization (WHO) classification of the myeloid neoplasms
.
Blood
.
2002
;
100
(
7
):
2292
-
2302
.
3.
Arber
DA
,
Orazi
A
,
Hasserjian
R
, et al
.
The 2016 revision to the World Health Organization classification of myeloid neoplasms and acute leukemia
.
Blood
.
2016
;
127
(
20
):
2391
-
2405
.
4.
Khoury
JD
,
Solary
E
,
Abla
O
, et al
.
The 5th edition of the World Health Organization classification of haematolymphoid tumours: myeloid and histiocytic/dendritic neoplasms
.
Leukemia
.
2022
;
36
(
7
):
1703
-
1719
.
5.
Arber
DA
,
Orazi
A
,
Hasserjian
RP
, et al
.
International Consensus classification of myeloid neoplasms and acute leukemia: integrating morphological, clinical, and genomic data
.
Blood
.
2022
;
140
(
11
):
1200
-
1228
.
6.
Montalban-Bravo
G
,
Kanagal-Shamanna
R
,
Guerra
V
, et al
.
Clinical outcomes and influence of mutation clonal dominance in oligomonocytic and classical chronic myelomonocytic leukemia
.
Am J Hematol
.
2021
;
96
(
2
):
E50
-
E53
.
7.
Calvo
X
,
Garcia-Gisbert
N
,
Parraga
I
, et al
.
Oligomonocytic and overt chronic myelomonocytic leukemia show similar clinical, genomic, and immunophenotypic features
.
Blood Adv
.
2020
;
4
(
20
):
5285
-
5296
.
8.
Geyer
JT
,
Tam
W
,
Liu
YC
, et al
.
Oligomonocytic chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (chronic myelomonocytic leukemia without absolute monocytosis) displays a similar clinicopathologic and mutational profile to classical chronic myelomonocytic leukemia
.
Mod Pathol
.
2017
;
30
(
9
):
1213
-
1222
.
9.
Valent
P
,
Orazi
A
,
Savona
MR
, et al
.
Proposed diagnostic criteria for classical chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), CMML variants and pre-CMML conditions
.
Haematologica
.
2019
;
104
(
10
):
1935
-
1949
.
10.
Loghavi
S
,
Sui
D
,
Wei
P
, et al
.
Validation of the 2017 revision of the WHO chronic myelomonocytic leukemia categories
.
Blood Adv
.
2018
;
2
(
15
):
1807
-
1816
.
11.
Xicoy
B
,
Triguero
A
,
Such
E
, et al
.
The division of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML)-1 into CMML-0 and CMML-1 according to 2016 World Health Organization (WHO) classification has no impact in outcome in a large series of patients from the Spanish group of MDS
.
Leuk Res
.
2018
;
70
:
34
-
36
.
12.
Patnaik
MM
,
Zeidan
AM
,
Padron
E
, et al
.
Differences in classification schemata for myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative overlap neoplasms
.
Leukemia
.
2022
;
36
(
12
):
2934
-
2938
.
13.
Schoch
C
,
Schnittger
S
,
Bursch
S
, et al
.
Comparison of chromosome banding analysis, interphase- and hypermetaphase-FISH, qualitative and quantitative PCR for diagnosis and for follow-up in chronic myeloid leukemia: a study on 350 cases
.
Leukemia
.
2002
;
16
(
1
):
53
-
59
.
14.
Haferlach
T
,
Schoch
C
,
Löffler
H
, et al
.
Morphologic dysplasia in de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is related to unfavorable cytogenetics but has no independent prognostic relevance under the conditions of intensive induction therapy: results of a multiparameter analysis from the German AML Cooperative Group studies
.
J Clin Oncol
.
2003
;
21
(
2
):
256
-
265
.
15.
Kern
W
,
Westers
TM
,
Bellos
F
, et al
.
Multicenter prospective evaluation of diagnostic potential of flow cytometric aberrancies in myelodysplastic syndromes by the ELN iMDS flow working group
.
Cytometry B Clin Cytom
.
2023
;
104
(
1
):
51
-
65
.
16.
Such
E
,
Germing
U
,
Malcovati
L
, et al
.
Development and validation of a prognostic scoring system for patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia
.
Blood
.
2013
;
121
(
15
):
3005
-
3015
.
17.
Elena
C
,
Gallì
A
,
Such
E
, et al
.
Integrating clinical features and genetic lesions in the risk assessment of patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia
.
Blood
.
2016
;
128
(
10
):
1408
-
1417
.
18.
Malcovati
L
,
Della Porta
MG
,
Strupp
C
, et al
.
Impact of the degree of anemia on the outcome of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome and its integration into the WHO classification-based Prognostic Scoring System (WPSS)
.
Haematologica
.
2011
;
96
(
10
):
1433
-
1440
.
19.
Greenberg
PL
,
Tuechler
H
,
Schanz
J
, et al
.
Revised International Prognostic Scoring System for myelodysplastic syndromes
.
Blood
.
2012
;
120
(
12
):
2454
-
2465
.
20.
Bernard
E
,
Tuechler
H
,
Greenberg
PL
, et al
.
Molecular International Prognostic Scoring System for myelodysplastic syndromes
.
NEJM Evid
.
2022
;
1
(
7
):
1
-
14
.
21.
Fuhrmann
I
,
Lenk
M
,
Haferlach
T
, et al
.
AML, NOS and AML-MRC as defined by multilineage dysplasia share a common mutation pattern which is distinct from AML-MRC as defined by MDS-related cytogenetics
.
Leukemia
.
2022
;
36
(
7
):
1939
-
1942
.
22.
Höllein
A
,
Twardziok
SO
,
Walter
W
, et al
.
The combination of WGS and RNA-Seq is superior to conventional diagnostic tests in multiple myeloma: ready for prime time?
.
Cancer Genet
.
2020
;
242
:
15
-
24
.
23.
Raczy
C
,
Petrovski
R
,
Saunders
CT
, et al
.
Isaac: ultra-fast whole-genome secondary analysis on Illumina sequencing platforms
.
Bioinformatics
.
2013
;
29
(
16
):
2041
-
2043
.
24.
Dobin
A
,
Davis
CA
,
Schlesinger
F
, et al
.
STAR: ultrafast universal RNA-seq aligner
.
Bioinformatics
.
2013
;
29
(
1
):
15
-
21
.
25.
Dobin
A
,
Gingeras
TR
.
Mapping RNA-seq reads with STAR
.
Curr Protoc Bioinformatics
.
2015
;
51
(
1
):
11.14.1
-
11.14.19
.
26.
Dunn
T
,
Berry
G
,
Emig-Agius
D
, et al
.
Pisces: an accurate and versatile variant caller for somatic and germline next-generation sequencing data
.
Bioinformatics
.
2019
;
35
(
9
):
1579
-
1581
.
27.
Kim
S
,
Scheffler
K
,
Halpern
AL
, et al
.
Strelka2: fast and accurate calling of germline and somatic variants
.
Nat Methods
.
2018
;
15
(
8
):
591
-
594
.
28.
Mangaonkar
AA
,
Lasho
TL
,
Finke
C
, et al
.
SF3B1-mutant myelodysplastic syndrome/myeloproliferative neoplasms: a unique molecular and prognostic entity
.
Haematologica
.
2022
;
107
(
5
):
1189
-
1192
.
29.
R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. R Core Team
. Accessed 10 January 2024. https://www.r-project.org/.
30.
Bowen
DT
.
Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia: lost in classification?
.
Hematol Oncol
.
2005
;
23
(
1
):
26
-
33
.
31.
Singh
ZN
,
Post
GR
,
Kiwan
E
,
Maddox
AM
.
Cytopenia, dysplasia, and monocytosis: a precursor to chronic myelomonocytic leukemia or a distinct subgroup? Case reports and review of literature
.
Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk
.
2011
;
11
(
3
):
293
-
297
.
32.
Wang
SA
,
Galili
N
,
Cerny
J
, et al
.
Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia evolving from preexisting myelodysplasia shares many features with de novo disease
.
Am J Clin Pathol
.
2006
;
126
(
5
):
789
-
797
.
33.
Patnaik
MM
.
How I diagnose and treat chronic myelomonocytic leukemia
.
Haematologica
.
2022
;
107
(
7
):
1503
-
1517
.
34.
Patnaik
MM
,
Tefferi
A
.
Cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia
.
Blood Cancer J
.
2016
;
6
(
2
):
e393
.
35.
Tang
G
,
Zhang
L
,
Fu
B
, et al
.
Cytogenetic risk stratification of 417 patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia from a single institution
.
Am J Hematol
.
2014
;
89
(
8
):
813
-
818
.
36.
Schwind
S
,
Jentzsch
M
,
Kubasch
AS
,
Metzeler
KH
,
Platzbecker
U
.
Myelodysplastic syndromes: biological and therapeutic consequences of the evolving molecular aberrations landscape
.
Neoplasia
.
2021
;
23
(
11
):
1101
-
1109
.
37.
Garcia-Gisbert
N
,
Arenillas
L
,
Roman-Bravo
D
, et al
.
Multi-hit TET2 mutations as a differential molecular signature of oligomonocytic and overt chronic myelomonocytic leukemia
.
Leukemia
.
2022
;
36
(
12
):
2922
-
2926
.
38.
Ricci
C
,
Fermo
E
,
Corti
S
, et al
.
RAS mutations contribute to evolution of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia to the proliferative variant
.
Clin Cancer Res
.
2010
;
16
(
8
):
2246
-
2256
.
39.
Onida
F
,
Beran
M
.
Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia: myeloproliferative variant
.
Curr Hematol Rep
.
2004
;
3
(
3
):
218
-
226
.
40.
Liberzon
A
,
Birger
C
,
Thorvaldsdóttir
H
,
Ghandi
M
,
Mesirov
JP
,
Tamayo
P
.
The Molecular Signatures Database (MSigDB) hallmark gene set collection
.
Cell Syst
.
2015
;
1
(
6
):
417
-
425
.
41.
Zurdo
M
,
Hurtado López
AM
,
Chen-Liang
TH
, et al
.
Integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of inflammasome in myelodysplastic syndromes and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia
.
Blood
.
2019
;
134
(
suppl 1
):
2991
.
42.
Cordova
AF
,
Ritchie
C
,
Böhnert
V
,
Li
L
.
Human SLC46A2 is the dominant cGAMP importer in extracellular cGAMP-sensing macrophages and monocytes
.
ACS Cent Sci
.
2021
;
7
(
6
):
1073
-
1088
.
43.
Calvo
X
,
Roman-Bravo
D
,
Garcia-Gisbert
N
, et al
.
Outcomes and molecular profile of oligomonocytic CMML support its consideration as the first stage in the CMML continuum
.
Blood Adv
.
2022
;
6
(
13
):
3921
-
3931
.
44.
World Health Organization
.
WHO Classification of Tumours Online
. Accessed 10 January 2024. https://tumourclassification.iarc.who.int/welcome/.
45.
Meggendorfer
M
,
Roller
A
,
Haferlach
T
, et al
.
SRSF2 mutations in 275 cases with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML)
.
Blood
.
2012
;
120
(
15
):
3080
-
3088
.
46.
Gelsi-Boyer
V
,
Brecqueville
M
,
Devillier
R
,
Murati
A
,
Mozziconacci
MJ
,
Birnbaum
D
.
Mutations in ASXL1 are associated with poor prognosis across the spectrum of malignant myeloid diseases
.
J Hematol Oncol
.
2012
;
5
:
12
.
47.
Patnaik
MM
,
Zahid
MF
,
Lasho
TL
, et al
.
Number and type of TET2 mutations in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia and their clinical relevance
.
Blood Cancer J
.
2016
;
6
(
9
):
e472
.
48.
Kuo
M-C
,
Liang
D-C
,
Huang
C-F
, et al
.
RUNX1 mutations are frequent in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia and mutations at the C-terminal region might predict acute myeloid leukemia transformation
.
Leukemia
.
2009
;
23
(
8
):
1426
-
1431
.
49.
Itzykson
R
,
Solary
E
.
An evolutionary perspective on chronic myelomonocytic leukemia
.
Leukemia
.
2013
;
27
(
7
):
1441
-
1450
.
50.
Geissler
K
,
Jäger
E
,
Barna
A
, et al
.
Correlation of RAS-pathway mutations and spontaneous myeloid colony growth with progression and transformation in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia—a retrospective analysis in 337 patients
.
Int J Mol Sci
.
2020
;
21
(
8
):
3025
.
51.
Gelsi-Boyer
V
,
Trouplin
V
,
Adélaïde
J
, et al
.
Genome profiling of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia: frequent alterations of RAS and RUNX1 genes
.
BMC Cancer
.
2008
;
8
:
299
.
52.
Tyner
JW
,
Erickson
H
,
Deininger
MWN
, et al
.
High-throughput sequencing screen reveals novel, transforming RAS mutations in myeloid leukemia patients
.
Blood
.
2009
;
113
(
8
):
1749
-
1755
.
53.
Wu
S-J
,
Kuo
Y-Y
,
Hou
H-A
, et al
.
The clinical implication of SRSF2 mutation in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome and its stability during disease evolution
.
Blood
.
2012
;
120
(
15
):
3106
-
3111
.
You do not currently have access to this content.
Sign in via your Institution