Monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (MBL) is one of the most common pre-malignant conditions and is characterized by a circulating population of clonal B-cells with an absolute clonal B-cell count < 5x10 9/L and no evidence of lymphadenopathy, organomegaly, or cytopenias. MBL can be classified by the immunophenotype: CLL-like MBL (CD5+, CD20dim), atypical MBL (CD5+, CD20+), or non-CLL-like MBL (CD5-, CD20+), as well as by the size of the clone (low-count or high-count) with low-count MBL (LC-MBL) defined as clonal B-cell <0.5x10 9/L or percent clonal B-cell count <85% out of total B-cell count. The prevalence of MBL varies depending on detection methods and population tested. In a Spanish screening study of 608 individuals, they identified 73 MBLs (12%) with CLL-like MBL; moreover, these authors also evaluated overall survival (OS) compared to 290 individuals without MBL and found a significantly shorter OS among these predominantly LC-MBLs. Here, we evaluate the prevalence and OS of LC-MBL in a large screening cohort of 8,297 individuals.

Study participants from the Mayo Clinic Biobank, a large-scale biorepository of adult patients, who had no prior history of hematologic malignancy, provided blood samples between 7/2009 to 4/2021. Stored peripheral blood mononuclear cells were screened for MBL with an eight-color flow cytometry assay capable of detecting clonal B-cell event to the 0.005% level. We classified each MBL by immunophenotype as CLL-like MBL, atypical MBL, and non-CLL-like MBL. Individuals with more than one immunophenotype were classified into one immunophenotype based on the following hierarchy: CLL-like MBL, then atypical MBL, then non-CLL like MBL. Based on previously published evidence, individuals were also classified by clonal counts using the percent clonal B-cell count <85% out of the total B-cell count to define LC-MBL. Individuals were followed from sample date to the earliest of death, loss to follow-up, or 5/31/2021. OS for LC-MBL and controls (individuals who screened negative for MBL) was assessed by Kaplan-Meier method. Age- and sex-adjusted OS was analyzed using inverse weights methods. Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for age and sex.

We screened 8,297 individuals 40 years or older (median age 67 years, 39% male) and identified 1,326 (16%) with LC-MBL and 6,651 (80%) controls. Those individuals detected with high-count MBL (N=90, 1%) or individuals who had insufficient cells for flow cytometry interpretation (N=230, 3%) were excluded from subsequent analyses. The prevalence of LC-MBL was higher in males (21%) than females (14%; p<0.01) and significantly increased with age (p<0.01) ranging from 3% among those 40-49 years, 10% among those 50-59 years, 15% among those 60-69 years, 23% among those 70-79 years, and 29% for those 80+ years. Sixty-one individuals had clones with more than one type of immunophenotype. Based on our hierarchy, CLL-like MBL was the most common (N=1,155), followed by non-CLL-like (N=168) and atypical MBL (N=67). The median follow-up time in our cohort was 26 months (range 0-142), and 432 individuals had subsequently died. The 5-year and 10-year OS adjusted for age and sex among LC-MBLs was 95% and 87%, respectively; control estimates were 95% and 84%, respectively. We did not observe a significant difference in OS between those individuals with LC-MBL versus controls (HR=0.98, CI=0.77-1.24, P=0.84, Fig 1a), nor when we stratified individuals by age <65 (P=0.77) or age >= 65 (P=0.68). Among females, OS was longer among LC-MBL compared to controls (HR=0.61, CI=0.38-0.97, P=0.04); but no evidence of a difference in OS among males was observed (HR=1.22, CI=0.92-1.62, P=0.17). When we evaluated OS by MBL immunophenotype, we observed no statistically significant difference (Fig 1b, log rank P=0.44). When we stratified the MBLs by immunophenotype versus controls, we also did not observe a difference: CLL-like (HR=0.91, CI=0.71-1.18, P=0.5), atypical (HR=1.73, CI=0.92-3.27, P=0.09), non-CLL like (HR=0.98, CI=0.58-1.66, P=0.95).

In the largest MBL screening cohort to date, LC-MBL was a common condition among adults 40 years or older reaching a prevalence as high as 29% among individuals 80 years of age or older. OS among those with and without LC-MBL was similar, regardless of immunophenotype and age. The longer survival in females with MBL versus controls requires further evaluation.

Figure 1
Figure 1.
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Disclosures

Parikh: Pharmacyclics, AstraZeneca, Genentech, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline, Verastem Oncology, and AbbVie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pharmacyclics, MorphoSys, Janssen, AstraZeneca, TG Therapeutics, Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck, AbbVie, and Ascentage Pharma: Research Funding. Kay: Juno Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pharmacyclics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Bristol Meyer Squib: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Targeted Oncology: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; TG Therapeutics: Research Funding; Sunesis: Research Funding; Dava Oncology: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Genentech: Research Funding; Behring: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AstraZeneca: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Acerta Pharma: Research Funding; MEI Pharma: Research Funding; Tolero Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; CytomX Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Oncotracker: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Agios Pharm: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Morpho-sys: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Rigel: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Shanafelt: Genentech, Pharmacyclics: Research Funding.

© 2021 by The American Society of Hematology
2021
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