Tumours
Tumours

Leukaemia

Description

EORTC Leukaemia Group is mainly concerned with improving the outcome of adult patients with Leukaemia or related haematological malignancies. We operate through clinical trials, such as large standard-practice changing phase III studies, and run strong translational research programmes analysing epigenetic therapy in acute myeloid Leukaemia or myelodysplastic syndrome. EORTC works in collaboration with other national and international study groups, particularly the GIMEMA. We are also developing robust survivorship studies, taking advantage of the large number of patients already included in phase III research.

Main Achievements

  • Completed the database lock for primary analysis of a large, potentially practice-changing phase III trial on the comparison of epigenetic therapy versus standard chemotherapy in first-line treatment of patients with acute myeloid leukaemia. 1 The study is related to 53 sites across nine countries for a total of 600 patients.
  • Active in the Survivorship Project to understand and improve long-term outcomes for acute myeloid leukaemia patients as part of the SPARTA trial. 2 The trial is now closed for recruitment
  • Engaged in HARMONY, the Healthcare Alliance for Resourceful Medicines Offensive against Neoplasms in Haematology. 3 The project gathers, integrates and analyses patient-derived data from diverse sources as part of the Big Data for Better Outcomes programme.

1 0-day Decitabine Versus Conventional Chemotherapy (“3+7”) Followed by Allografting in AML Patients ≥ 60 Years : a Randomized Phase III Study of the EORTC Leukaemia Group, CELG, GIMEMA and German MDS Study Group. EORTC-1301-LG
2 The Survivorship Project to understand and to improve long-Term outcomes for Acute myeloid leukaemia patients (SPARTA) – RP-1479
3 Healthcare Alliance for Resourceful Medicines Offensive against Neoplasms in Hematology (HARMONY) – RP-1655

Demonstrated the superiority of allogeneic vs autologous stem cell transplantation vs intensive consolidation in Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) younger patients.

Showed high-dose cytarabine increased remission and survival rates as compared to standard-dose cytarabine, especially in AML patients younger than 46 years old.

Found that first-line monotherapy with low-dose Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin, as compared with Best Supportive Care, significantly improved OS in older AML patients who were ineligible for intensive chemotherapy.

Demonstrated decitabine administered in 6-week cycles is active in older patients with higher-risk MDS, resulting in improvements of OS and AMLFS (nonsignificant), of PFS and AML transformation (significant), and of QOL.

Related Projects

  • RP-1479 (SPARTA): The Survivorship Project to understand and to improve long-Term outcomes for Acute myeloid Leukaemia patients.
    (Project leaders: F. Efficace / F. Baron) The research project is ongoing.

IMI2 HARMONY – Healthcare Alliance for Resourceful Medicines Offensive against Neoplasms in HematologY. This project will gather, integrate and analyse anonymous patient data from a number of sources. The project is part of IMI’s Big Data for Better Outcomes programme, which aims to facilitate the use of diverse data sources to deliver results that reflect health outcomes of treatments  that are meaningful for patients, clinicians, regulators, researchers, healthcare decision-makers, and others. (No website available yet)

Research Group

Group documents
  • Chair

    Michael Lübbert

    Universitaetsklinikum Freiburg

    Freiburg, Germany

  • Secretary

    Heiko Becker

    Universitaetsklinikum Freiburg

    Freiburg, Germany

  • Treasurer

    Frédéric Baron

    C.H.U. Sart-Tilman

    Liège, Belgium

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