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Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) involving complex coagulopathy resulting in early mortality due to hemorrhagic events. Currently, all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) with arsenic trioxide (ATO) is used as a frontline treatment in low-risk APL patients with excellent cure rates. The use of ATRA with ATO for high-risk APL patients is also under investigation. Despite the benefits offered by ATRA + ATO therapy, there are reports of varicella-zoster virus (VZV)—the causative agent of herpes zoster (HZ)—reactivation in APL patients treated with ATO.
A recent study by Glass et al.1 reported HZ reactivation due to arsenic toxicity when ATO was used in combination with ATRA to treat patients with APL.
Briefly, data was collected from new and relapsed therapy patients with APL (n = 155) diagnosed between 1995−2019. Patients were grouped in 10-year blocks according to the date of diagnosis to allow adjustment for evolving treatment and supportive regimens.
Other covariates included:
Patients were divided into ATO-treated (n = 102) and nontreated cohort (n = 53).
Table 1. Baseline and clinical characteristics of APL patients*
APL, acute promyelocytic leukemia; ATO, arsenic trioxide; ATRA, all-trans retinoic acid; BMT, bone marrow transplant. |
|||
Characteristic |
Overall |
ATO treated |
Not ATO treated |
---|---|---|---|
Age at diagnosis, % |
|||
<27 |
21 |
25 |
15 |
27−42 |
22 |
19 |
32 |
42−57 |
29 |
31 |
28 |
57 |
28 |
25 |
32 |
Male, % |
57 |
57 |
57 |
Herpes zoster infection, % |
10 |
14 |
2 |
Treatments, % |
|||
ATRA |
98 |
100 |
94 |
Acyclovir |
74 |
75 |
70 |
Steroids (>5 days) |
64 |
70 |
53 |
BMT |
15 |
19 |
8 |
Years of diagnosis, % |
|||
1985−1995 |
4 |
1 |
9 |
1995−2005 |
46 |
41 |
57 |
2005−2015 |
36 |
37 |
34 |
>2015 |
14 |
21 |
— |
Death, % |
15 |
10 |
26 |
Table 2. Kaplan-Meier landmark analysis of herpes zoster infection*
Treatment |
Hazard ratio (95% CI) |
p value |
---|---|---|
ATRA |
9.25 (1.13, 75.48) |
0.04 |
BMT |
4.97 (0.95, 26) |
0.06 |
Steroids (>5 days) |
0.99 (0.34, 2.95) |
0.99 |
ATRA, all-trans retinoic acid; BMT, bone marrow transplant. |
It was suggested that ATO therapy affects T cell-mediated immune response. Furthermore, patients who underwent BMT also had predisposition for zoster infection due to impaired cellular immunity and/or ongoing immunosuppression. Reduction in CD4+ effector T cells hampers the ability of T cells against HZ infection. Furthermore, distorted cytokine secretion and higher activity of regulatory T (Treg) cells to suppress immune response, contribute towards HZ reactivation.
Use of upfront viral prophylaxis with acyclovir should be considered prior to the initiation, and during the first 6 months, of ATO therapy to avoid significant risk of herpes zoster infection.
There is a variety of effective therapeutic agents in use to treat AML where each one of them has a distinctive mechanism of action and unique toxicity profile. However, awareness about the impact of adverse events of any treatment, and knowledge about the extent to which a patient can bear the treatment, allows to maintain a balance between prolonging survival and the quality of life of patients.
Strategies to stimulate normal production of CD4+ T cells and/or balance Tregs during the first 6 months of ATO therapy are needed to effectively control herpes zoster reactivation risk.
References
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