Azacitidine and venetoclax for the treatment of AML arising from an underlying telomere biology disorder.

Abstract

Telomere biology disorders (TBDs) are a group of genetic conditions characterized by defects in telomere maintenance leading to multisystemic organ involvement and a predisposition to hematologic malignancies. The management of patients with TBDs who develop acute myeloid leukemia (AML) presents a significant challenge due to their limited bone marrow reserve and non-hematopoietic organ dysfunction. We present the case of a 45-year-old patient with a previously unrecognized TBD who presented with AML. The patient's history of longstanding cytopenias, idiopathic avascular necrosis, and pulmonary fibrosis were suggestive of a TBD, which was confirmed through telomere length testing and the presence of a TERT variant. Due to his underlying TBD, he was treated with dose-reduced azacitidine and venetoclax, adapting the approach commonly employed in elderly, co-morbid AML patients ineligible for intensive chemotherapy. This resulted in a complete remission with incomplete count recovery that has persisted for greater than 12 months to date. Aside from prolonged myelosuppression, the patient tolerated the regimen well with minimal toxicity. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the successful utilization of azacitidine and venetoclax as an AML treatment modality in TBD patients and underscores the potential of this regimen as an effective non-intensive treatment strategy for high grade myeloid neoplasms arising in the context of inherited bone marrow failure syndromes.