Hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome during maintenance therapy of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia is associated with continuous asparaginase therapy and mercaptopurine metabolites

Linea Natalie Toksvang, Silvia De Pietri, Stine N. Nielsen, Jacob Nersting, Birgitte K. Albertsen, Peder S. Wehner, Steen Rosthøj, Päivi M. Lähteenmäki, Daniel Nilsson, Tove A. Nystad, Kathrine Grell, Thomas L. Frandsen, Kjeld Schmiegelow

13 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) during treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has mainly been associated with 6-thioguanine. The occurrence of several SOS cases after the introduction of extended pegylated asparaginase (PEG-asparaginase) therapy in the Nordic Society of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology (NOPHO) ALL2008 protocol led us to hypothesize that PEG-asparaginase, combined with other drugs, may trigger SOS during 6-thioguanine-free maintenance therapy. Procedure: In children with ALL treated in Denmark according to the NOPHO ALL2008 protocol, we investigated the risk of SOS during methotrexate (MTX)/6-mercaptopurine (6MP) maintenance therapy that included PEG-asparaginase until week 33 (randomized to two- vs. six-week intervals), as well as alternating high-dose MTX or vincristine/dexamethasone pulses every four weeks. Results: Among 130 children receiving PEG-asparaginase biweekly, 29 developed SOS (≥2 criteria: hyperbilirubinemia, hepatomegaly, ascites, weight gain ≥2.5%, unexplained thrombocytopenia <75 × 109 l–1) at a median of 30 days (interquartile range [IQR]: 17–66) into maintenance (cumulative incidence: 27%). SOS cases fulfilling one, two, or three Ponte di Legno criteria were classified as possible (n = 2), probable (n = 8), or verified (n = 19) SOS, respectively. Twenty-six cases (90%) occurred during PEG-asparaginase treatment, including 21 (81%) within 14 days from the last chemotherapy pulse compared with the subsequent 14 days (P = 0.0025). Cytotoxic 6MP metabolites were significantly higher on PEG-asparaginase compared to after its discontinuation. Time-dependent Cox regression analysis showed increased SOS hazard ratio (HR) for erythrocyte levels of methylated 6MP metabolites (HR: 1.09 per 1,000 nmol/mmol hemoglobin increase, 95% confidence interval: 1.05–1.14). Six-week PEG-asparaginase intervals significantly reduced SOS-specific hazards (P < 0.01). Conclusions: PEG-asparaginase increases cytotoxic 6MP metabolite levels and risk of SOS, potentially interacting with other chemotherapy pulses.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere26519
JournalPediatric Blood & Cancer
Volume64
Issue number9
Pages (from-to)1-8
Number of pages8
ISSN1545-5009
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2017

Keywords

  • Journal Article

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