In this post, we will be taking a closer look at some of the most popular Hematology-related articles recently published across medical journals.

Second primary malignancies following CAR T-cell therapy in patients with hematologic malignancies

  • Journal of Hematology & Oncology
  • March 2025
  • Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy has revolutionized the treatment of relapsed/refractory (R/R) hematologic cancers like B-cell lymphomas and multiple myeloma (MM). Despite well-documented efficacy and toxicity data, long-term complications remain underreported. A retrospective study of 246 patients treated at Ohio State University from 2016 to 2022 (median age: 66; median prior treatments: 4) revealed that 8.5% developed a second primary malignancy (SPM) over a median follow-up of 38 months. Non-melanoma skin cancers were most common (52%), followed by hematologic malignancies (33%) and solid tumors (14%). Frequent SPM types included squamous cell carcinoma, myelodysplastic syndrome, and acute myeloid leukemia, along with bladder, prostate, and breast cancers. These findings highlight possible CAR-T-related risks and underscore the importance of ongoing monitoring and further research into underlying causes and predictive factors.
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Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Myelodysplasia-Related Genetic Features: Relevance of the Genetic Underlying Category. A Retrospective Analysis on Behalf of the Acute Leukemia Working Party of the EBMT

  • American Journal of Hematology
  • March 2025
  • Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy has revolutionized the treatment of relapsed/refractory (R/R) hematologic cancers like B-cell lymphomas and multiple myeloma (MM). Despite well-documented efficacy and toxicity data, long-term complications remain underreported. A retrospective study of 246 patients treated at Ohio State University from 2016 to 2022 (median age: 66; median prior treatments: 4) revealed that 8.5% developed a second primary malignancy (SPM) over a median follow-up of 38 months. Non-melanoma skin cancers were most common (52%), followed by hematologic malignancies (33%) and solid tumors (14%). Frequent SPM types included squamous cell carcinoma, myelodysplastic syndrome, and acute myeloid leukemia, along with bladder, prostate, and breast cancers. These findings highlight possible CAR-T-related risks and underscore the importance of ongoing monitoring and further research into underlying causes and predictive factors.
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Ibrutinib and acalabrutinib use and risk of incident atrial fibrillation: a propensity-matched analysis

  • Experimental Hematology & Oncology
  • March 2025
  • Ibrutinib and acalabrutinib both increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), but the comparative risk between these two BTK inhibitors is not well understood. This study aimed to evaluate the risk of AF in patients treated with ibrutinib versus acalabrutinib. Using the TriNetX research database, researchers created a cohort of patients with B-cell malignancies who started treatment with either ibrutinib or acalabrutinib between 2013 and 2024. After propensity score matching (PSM) and analysis using Cox proportional hazard models, 12,449 patients on ibrutinib and 4,131 on acalabrutinib were included. The results showed that patients on ibrutinib had a significantly higher risk of developing AF compared to those on acalabrutinib (RD 0.09, 95% CI 0.07-0.10), a difference that remained consistent across various subgroups. In conclusion, ibrutinib is associated with a higher risk of incident AF than acalabrutinib in patients with B-cell malignancies.
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Initial management of patients with acquired aplastic anemia in the United States: results from a large national claims database

  • Annals of Hematology
  • March 2025
  • Acquired aplastic anemia (AA) is an immune-mediated disorder causing bone marrow failure, with complications like pancytopenia, infections, and bleeding. The disease can be complicated by paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), requiring flow cytometry (FC) screening at diagnosis. Severe AA (HT-AA) patients often rely on transfusions and receive triple therapy (antithymocyte globulin, calcineurin inhibitor, and eltrombopag), while allogeneic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is typically reserved for younger patients with matched donors. Moderate AA (LT-AA) patients may be observed or treated with calcineurin inhibitors or eltrombopag. A retrospective study using Blue Cross Blue Shield Axis database reviewed 793 adult AA patients diagnosed between 2016 and 2022. Only 42.6% received AA-directed therapy, with triple therapy and HSCT rarely used for HT-AA patients. The most common treatments were CNI and EPAG, used in 37.8% of LT-AA and 51.7% of HT-AA patients. Treatment initiation was delayed for patients aged 40 and older, and FC testing was underused, with only 55.5% of patients undergoing evaluation. These findings highlight the need for improved access to diagnostics and appropriate treatment for AA patients.
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Itacitinib for the Prevention of IEC Therapy-Associated CRS: Results From the Two-Part Phase 2 INCB 39110-211 Study

  • blood
  • March 2025
  • This phase 2 study (INCB 39110-211) evaluated the safety and efficacy of itacitinib, a selective JAK1 inhibitor, in preventing cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) in patients receiving CD19-directed immune effector cell (IEC) therapy. In Part 1, patients received itacitinib 200 mg daily for 3 days before IEC therapy, while Part 2 was a double-blind trial where patients were randomized to receive either itacitinib 200 mg twice daily or placebo. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with grade ≥2 CRS by Day 14. Of the 111 enrolled patients, itacitinib significantly reduced the incidence of grade ≥2 CRS (17.4% vs 56.5%; P=0.003) and ICANS (8.7% vs 21.7%) compared to placebo. Itacitinib was well tolerated, with pyrexia being the most common side effect. Importantly, itacitinib did not affect the efficacy of IEC therapy, with an objective response rate of 39.1% for itacitinib vs 26.1% for placebo at 6 months.
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Safety and activity of talquetamab in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (MonumenTAL-1): a multicentre, open-label, phase 1–2 study

  • The Lancet. Haematology
  • March 2025
  • Talquetamab is the first GPRC5D × CD3 bispecific antibody approved for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. In phase 1 of the MonumenTAL-1 study, early results showed preliminary clinical activity for subcutaneous talquetamab at doses of 0.4 mg/kg weekly and 0.8 mg/kg every two weeks. This post-hoc analysis, based on a more mature median follow-up, focuses on the safety and efficacy of talquetamab 0.8 mg/kg every two weeks, including its effects in patients who had previously undergone T-cell redirection therapy (TCR).
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Risk factors for CAR T-cell manufacturing failure and patient outcomes in large B-cell lymphoma: a report from the UK National CAR T Panel

  • Blood Cancer Journal
  • March 2025
  • A multicenter retrospective study reviewed factors contributing to CAR T-cell manufacturing failure (MF) and patient outcomes in large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) patients. Of 981 patients, 38 (3.87%) experienced MF. Among them, 11 received delayed infusion with a remanufactured product, 13 received an out-of-specification (OOS) product, and 14 were not infused. The study found that prior bendamustine therapy, especially within 6 months, was linked to a higher risk of MF (23.7% for MF vs 0% for controls). However, there was no significant difference in overall survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS) between the infused MF groups and controls. For OOS-infused, delayed-infused, and control patients, 1-year OS/PFS rates were similar. Additionally, rates of cytokine release syndrome (CRS), immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), and cytopenias did not differ significantly. Despite MF, outcomes for OOS-infused patients were promising, with remanufacturing enabling infusion of a suitable product for about 50% of patients.
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The Crossroads of Clonal Evolution, Differentiation Hierarchy, and Ontogeny in Leukemia Development

  • Blood Cancer Discovery
  • March 2025
  • Recent technological advancements have provided significant insights into the pathogenesis of myeloid malignancies, but patient outcomes for these serious diseases have not seen substantial improvement. We propose that a comprehensive understanding of the three key dimensions of hematopoietic cell life—clonal evolution, stem cell hierarchy, and ontogeny—could lead to valuable new insights into disease mechanisms and open up potential therapeutic opportunities.
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Efficacy and safety of anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies-based therapy versus standard therapy in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

  • Therapeutic Advances in Hematology
  • February 2025
  • Anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have notably transformed the treatment approach for multiple myeloma. This meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy and safety of anti-CD38 mAb-based therapy compared to standard treatments in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM). The results showed that anti-CD38 mAb-based therapy significantly improved minimal residual disease (MRD) status and progression-free survival (PFS) compared to standard therapy, in both transplant-eligible (TE) and transplant-ineligible (TIE) patients, indicating a positive benefit-risk profile.
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There you have it - a look at some of the most popular hematology articles recently released. Sign up for alerts and stay informed on the latest published guidelines and articles.

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