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Few DLBCL patients benefit from nivolumab
Nivolumab may provide a benefit for a small group of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who have failed a transplant or are ineligible for one, according to researchers.
Nivolumab produced a response in 10 of 121 DLBCL patients studied. Three patients achieved a complete response (CR) lasting 11 months or more.
Why this small group responded to nivolumab isn’t clear, according to Stephen M. Ansell, MD, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and his colleagues.
Some responders did have 9p24.1 alterations, but others did not. None of the responders had tumor cells positive for programmed death–ligand 1 (PD-L1), and only one responder had detectable PD-L2 expression in malignant cells.
Dr. Ansell and his colleagues described these findings in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
The researchers evaluated nivolumab in a phase 2 trial (NCT02038933) of patients with relapsed/refractory DLBCL. Of the 121 patients, 87 had failed autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and 34 were ineligible for autologous HSCT. The patients received nivolumab at 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or study withdrawal.
HSCT failures
The patients who had failed HSCT had a median age of 62 years (range, 24-75 years). They had received a median of three prior systemic therapies (range, 1-11), and 28% were refractory to their most recent therapy.
About 40% of patients had germinal center B-cell–like (GCB) DLBCL, 32% had non-GCB disease, and data on disease subtype were missing for the rest of the group.
The patients received a median of four nivolumab doses (range, 1-44) and were followed for a median of 9 months (range, 0.1-25 months).
Nine patients (10%) achieved a response, and the median duration of response was 11 months. Responses occurred in patients with GCB and non-GCB DLBCL.
Three patients achieved a CR. Two of them were still on treatment and in CR at the data cutoff. Their responses had lasted 11 months and 14 months, respectively. The third complete responder did not progress on nivolumab but developed myelodysplastic syndrome, which was unrelated to the drug, and died.
Among all patients who had failed HSCT, the median progression-free survival was 1.9 months, and the median overall survival was 12.2 months.
Seven patients in this group were still receiving nivolumab at the data cutoff. Two of them were in CR, two had a partial response, and three had stable disease.
HSCT-ineligible group
The patients who were ineligible for HSCT had a median age of 68 years (range, 28-86 years). They had received a median of three prior systemic therapies (range, 1-7), and 59% were refractory to their most recent therapy.
About 56% of these patients had GCB DLBCL, 18% had non-GCB disease, and data on subtype were missing for the rest of the group.
The patients received a median of three nivolumab doses (range, 1-22) and were followed for a median of 6 months (range, 0.2-24 months). One patient (3%) achieved a partial response, which lasted 8.3 months.
The median progression-free survival in this group was 1.4 months, and the median overall survival was 5.8 months.
None of the patients in this group were still taking nivolumab at the data cutoff.
Biomarkers of response
Dr. Ansell and his colleagues were able to look for 9p24.1 alterations in archival tumor biopsy specimens from 74 patients. The team reported that 9p24.1 alterations were “infrequent,” but they were found in some responders.
Among the three complete responders, one patient had high-level 9p24.1 amplification, one had normal 9p24.1 copy number, and one did not have a biopsy available.
Among the seven patients who achieved a partial response, five had biopsy specimens. Three patients had low-level polysomy, one had copy gain, and one patient had normal 9p24.1.
None of the responders had PD-L1 expression in their tumor cells, but one complete responder had PD-L2–positive malignant cells.
Dr. Ansell and his colleagues wrote that the “biologic basis for response in the other two [complete responders] is unclear,” and the researchers were unable to assess associations between response and c-myc expression or double-hit lymphoma.
Safety
Of all 121 patients, 62% had a treatment-related adverse event (AE) and 24% had a grade 3/4–related AE.
The most common related AEs of any grade were nausea (17%), fatigue (17%), diarrhea (10%), neutropenia (7%), thrombocytopenia (6%), decreased appetite (6%), lipase increase (5%), rash (5%), and pyrexia (5%).
Four patients (3%) stopped taking nivolumab because of treatment-related AEs, including neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, diarrhea, pancreatitis, lipase increase, and psoriasiform dermatitis. There were no fatal treatment-related AEs.
This research was supported by Bristol-Myers Squibb and other groups. The study authors reported relationships with Bristol-Myers Squibb and other companies.
SOURCE: Ansell SM et al. J Clin Oncol. 2019 Jan 8. doi: 10.1200/JCO.18.00766.
Nivolumab may provide a benefit for a small group of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who have failed a transplant or are ineligible for one, according to researchers.
Nivolumab produced a response in 10 of 121 DLBCL patients studied. Three patients achieved a complete response (CR) lasting 11 months or more.
Why this small group responded to nivolumab isn’t clear, according to Stephen M. Ansell, MD, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and his colleagues.
Some responders did have 9p24.1 alterations, but others did not. None of the responders had tumor cells positive for programmed death–ligand 1 (PD-L1), and only one responder had detectable PD-L2 expression in malignant cells.
Dr. Ansell and his colleagues described these findings in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
The researchers evaluated nivolumab in a phase 2 trial (NCT02038933) of patients with relapsed/refractory DLBCL. Of the 121 patients, 87 had failed autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and 34 were ineligible for autologous HSCT. The patients received nivolumab at 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or study withdrawal.
HSCT failures
The patients who had failed HSCT had a median age of 62 years (range, 24-75 years). They had received a median of three prior systemic therapies (range, 1-11), and 28% were refractory to their most recent therapy.
About 40% of patients had germinal center B-cell–like (GCB) DLBCL, 32% had non-GCB disease, and data on disease subtype were missing for the rest of the group.
The patients received a median of four nivolumab doses (range, 1-44) and were followed for a median of 9 months (range, 0.1-25 months).
Nine patients (10%) achieved a response, and the median duration of response was 11 months. Responses occurred in patients with GCB and non-GCB DLBCL.
Three patients achieved a CR. Two of them were still on treatment and in CR at the data cutoff. Their responses had lasted 11 months and 14 months, respectively. The third complete responder did not progress on nivolumab but developed myelodysplastic syndrome, which was unrelated to the drug, and died.
Among all patients who had failed HSCT, the median progression-free survival was 1.9 months, and the median overall survival was 12.2 months.
Seven patients in this group were still receiving nivolumab at the data cutoff. Two of them were in CR, two had a partial response, and three had stable disease.
HSCT-ineligible group
The patients who were ineligible for HSCT had a median age of 68 years (range, 28-86 years). They had received a median of three prior systemic therapies (range, 1-7), and 59% were refractory to their most recent therapy.
About 56% of these patients had GCB DLBCL, 18% had non-GCB disease, and data on subtype were missing for the rest of the group.
The patients received a median of three nivolumab doses (range, 1-22) and were followed for a median of 6 months (range, 0.2-24 months). One patient (3%) achieved a partial response, which lasted 8.3 months.
The median progression-free survival in this group was 1.4 months, and the median overall survival was 5.8 months.
None of the patients in this group were still taking nivolumab at the data cutoff.
Biomarkers of response
Dr. Ansell and his colleagues were able to look for 9p24.1 alterations in archival tumor biopsy specimens from 74 patients. The team reported that 9p24.1 alterations were “infrequent,” but they were found in some responders.
Among the three complete responders, one patient had high-level 9p24.1 amplification, one had normal 9p24.1 copy number, and one did not have a biopsy available.
Among the seven patients who achieved a partial response, five had biopsy specimens. Three patients had low-level polysomy, one had copy gain, and one patient had normal 9p24.1.
None of the responders had PD-L1 expression in their tumor cells, but one complete responder had PD-L2–positive malignant cells.
Dr. Ansell and his colleagues wrote that the “biologic basis for response in the other two [complete responders] is unclear,” and the researchers were unable to assess associations between response and c-myc expression or double-hit lymphoma.
Safety
Of all 121 patients, 62% had a treatment-related adverse event (AE) and 24% had a grade 3/4–related AE.
The most common related AEs of any grade were nausea (17%), fatigue (17%), diarrhea (10%), neutropenia (7%), thrombocytopenia (6%), decreased appetite (6%), lipase increase (5%), rash (5%), and pyrexia (5%).
Four patients (3%) stopped taking nivolumab because of treatment-related AEs, including neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, diarrhea, pancreatitis, lipase increase, and psoriasiform dermatitis. There were no fatal treatment-related AEs.
This research was supported by Bristol-Myers Squibb and other groups. The study authors reported relationships with Bristol-Myers Squibb and other companies.
SOURCE: Ansell SM et al. J Clin Oncol. 2019 Jan 8. doi: 10.1200/JCO.18.00766.
Nivolumab may provide a benefit for a small group of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who have failed a transplant or are ineligible for one, according to researchers.
Nivolumab produced a response in 10 of 121 DLBCL patients studied. Three patients achieved a complete response (CR) lasting 11 months or more.
Why this small group responded to nivolumab isn’t clear, according to Stephen M. Ansell, MD, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and his colleagues.
Some responders did have 9p24.1 alterations, but others did not. None of the responders had tumor cells positive for programmed death–ligand 1 (PD-L1), and only one responder had detectable PD-L2 expression in malignant cells.
Dr. Ansell and his colleagues described these findings in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
The researchers evaluated nivolumab in a phase 2 trial (NCT02038933) of patients with relapsed/refractory DLBCL. Of the 121 patients, 87 had failed autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and 34 were ineligible for autologous HSCT. The patients received nivolumab at 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or study withdrawal.
HSCT failures
The patients who had failed HSCT had a median age of 62 years (range, 24-75 years). They had received a median of three prior systemic therapies (range, 1-11), and 28% were refractory to their most recent therapy.
About 40% of patients had germinal center B-cell–like (GCB) DLBCL, 32% had non-GCB disease, and data on disease subtype were missing for the rest of the group.
The patients received a median of four nivolumab doses (range, 1-44) and were followed for a median of 9 months (range, 0.1-25 months).
Nine patients (10%) achieved a response, and the median duration of response was 11 months. Responses occurred in patients with GCB and non-GCB DLBCL.
Three patients achieved a CR. Two of them were still on treatment and in CR at the data cutoff. Their responses had lasted 11 months and 14 months, respectively. The third complete responder did not progress on nivolumab but developed myelodysplastic syndrome, which was unrelated to the drug, and died.
Among all patients who had failed HSCT, the median progression-free survival was 1.9 months, and the median overall survival was 12.2 months.
Seven patients in this group were still receiving nivolumab at the data cutoff. Two of them were in CR, two had a partial response, and three had stable disease.
HSCT-ineligible group
The patients who were ineligible for HSCT had a median age of 68 years (range, 28-86 years). They had received a median of three prior systemic therapies (range, 1-7), and 59% were refractory to their most recent therapy.
About 56% of these patients had GCB DLBCL, 18% had non-GCB disease, and data on subtype were missing for the rest of the group.
The patients received a median of three nivolumab doses (range, 1-22) and were followed for a median of 6 months (range, 0.2-24 months). One patient (3%) achieved a partial response, which lasted 8.3 months.
The median progression-free survival in this group was 1.4 months, and the median overall survival was 5.8 months.
None of the patients in this group were still taking nivolumab at the data cutoff.
Biomarkers of response
Dr. Ansell and his colleagues were able to look for 9p24.1 alterations in archival tumor biopsy specimens from 74 patients. The team reported that 9p24.1 alterations were “infrequent,” but they were found in some responders.
Among the three complete responders, one patient had high-level 9p24.1 amplification, one had normal 9p24.1 copy number, and one did not have a biopsy available.
Among the seven patients who achieved a partial response, five had biopsy specimens. Three patients had low-level polysomy, one had copy gain, and one patient had normal 9p24.1.
None of the responders had PD-L1 expression in their tumor cells, but one complete responder had PD-L2–positive malignant cells.
Dr. Ansell and his colleagues wrote that the “biologic basis for response in the other two [complete responders] is unclear,” and the researchers were unable to assess associations between response and c-myc expression or double-hit lymphoma.
Safety
Of all 121 patients, 62% had a treatment-related adverse event (AE) and 24% had a grade 3/4–related AE.
The most common related AEs of any grade were nausea (17%), fatigue (17%), diarrhea (10%), neutropenia (7%), thrombocytopenia (6%), decreased appetite (6%), lipase increase (5%), rash (5%), and pyrexia (5%).
Four patients (3%) stopped taking nivolumab because of treatment-related AEs, including neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, diarrhea, pancreatitis, lipase increase, and psoriasiform dermatitis. There were no fatal treatment-related AEs.
This research was supported by Bristol-Myers Squibb and other groups. The study authors reported relationships with Bristol-Myers Squibb and other companies.
SOURCE: Ansell SM et al. J Clin Oncol. 2019 Jan 8. doi: 10.1200/JCO.18.00766.
FROM THE JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
Key clinical point:
Major finding: Nivolumab produced a response in 10 of 121 patients, including three complete responses.
Study details: A phase 2 study of 121 patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
Disclosures: This research was supported by Bristol-Myers Squibb and other organizations. The study authors reported relationships with Bristol-Myers Squibb and other companies.
Source: Ansell SM et al. J Clin Oncol. 2019 Jan 8. doi: 10.1200/JCO.18.00766.
Targeted triplet shows potential for B-cell cancers
A triplet combination of targeted agents ublituximab, umbralisib, and ibrutinib may be a safe and effective regimen for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) and other B-cell malignancies, according to early study results.
The phase 1 trial had an overall response rate of 84% and a favorable safety profile, reported lead author Loretta J. Nastoupil, MD, of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, and her colleagues. The results suggest that the regimen could eventually serve as a nonchemotherapeutic option for patients with B-cell malignancies.
“Therapeutic targeting of the B-cell receptor signaling pathway has revolutionized the management of B-cell lymphomas,” the investigators wrote in the Lancet Haematology. “Optimum combinations that result in longer periods of remission, possibly allowing for discontinuation of therapy, are needed.”
The present triplet combination included ublituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody; ibrutinib, a Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor; and umbralisib, a phosphoinositide 3-kinase delta inhibitor.
A total of 46 patients with CLL/SLL or relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma received at least one dose of the combination in dose-escalation or dose-expansion study sections.
In the dose-escalation group (n = 24), ublituximab was given intravenously at 900 mg, ibrutinib was given orally at 420 mg for CLL and 560 mg for B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and umbralisib was given orally at three dose levels: 400 mg, 600 mg, and 800 mg.
In the dose-expansion group (n = 22), umbralisib was set at 800 mg while the other agents remained at the previous doses; treatment continued until intolerance or disease progression occurred. The investigators monitored efficacy and safety at defined intervals.
Results showed that 37 out of 44 evaluable patients (84%) had partial or complete responses to therapy.
Among the 22 CLL/SLL patients, there was a 100% overall response rate for both previously treated and untreated patients. Similarly, all three of the patients with marginal zone lymphoma responded, all six of the patients with mantle cell lymphoma responded, and five of seven patients with follicular lymphoma responded. However, only one of the six patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma had even a partial response.
The most common adverse events of any kind were diarrhea (59%), fatigue (50%), infusion-related reaction (43%), dizziness (37%), nausea (37%), and cough (35%). The most common grade 3 or higher adverse events were neutropenia (22%) and cellulitis (13%).
Serious adverse events were reported in 24% of patients; pneumonia, rash, sepsis, atrial fibrillation, and syncope occurred in two patients each; abdominal pain, pneumonitis, cellulitis, headache, skin infection, pleural effusion, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, pericardial effusion, weakness, and diarrhea occurred in one patient each. No adverse event–related deaths were reported.
“The findings of this study establish the tolerable safety profile of the ublituximab, umbralisib, and ibrutinib triplet regimen in chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma and relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma,” the investigators wrote. “This triplet combination is expected to be investigated further in future clinical trials in different patient populations.”
The study was funded by TG Therapeutics. The authors reported financial relationships with TG Therapeutics and other companies.
SOURCE: Nastoupil LJ et al. Lancet Haematol. 2019 Feb;6(2):e100-9.
A triplet combination of targeted agents ublituximab, umbralisib, and ibrutinib may be a safe and effective regimen for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) and other B-cell malignancies, according to early study results.
The phase 1 trial had an overall response rate of 84% and a favorable safety profile, reported lead author Loretta J. Nastoupil, MD, of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, and her colleagues. The results suggest that the regimen could eventually serve as a nonchemotherapeutic option for patients with B-cell malignancies.
“Therapeutic targeting of the B-cell receptor signaling pathway has revolutionized the management of B-cell lymphomas,” the investigators wrote in the Lancet Haematology. “Optimum combinations that result in longer periods of remission, possibly allowing for discontinuation of therapy, are needed.”
The present triplet combination included ublituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody; ibrutinib, a Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor; and umbralisib, a phosphoinositide 3-kinase delta inhibitor.
A total of 46 patients with CLL/SLL or relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma received at least one dose of the combination in dose-escalation or dose-expansion study sections.
In the dose-escalation group (n = 24), ublituximab was given intravenously at 900 mg, ibrutinib was given orally at 420 mg for CLL and 560 mg for B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and umbralisib was given orally at three dose levels: 400 mg, 600 mg, and 800 mg.
In the dose-expansion group (n = 22), umbralisib was set at 800 mg while the other agents remained at the previous doses; treatment continued until intolerance or disease progression occurred. The investigators monitored efficacy and safety at defined intervals.
Results showed that 37 out of 44 evaluable patients (84%) had partial or complete responses to therapy.
Among the 22 CLL/SLL patients, there was a 100% overall response rate for both previously treated and untreated patients. Similarly, all three of the patients with marginal zone lymphoma responded, all six of the patients with mantle cell lymphoma responded, and five of seven patients with follicular lymphoma responded. However, only one of the six patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma had even a partial response.
The most common adverse events of any kind were diarrhea (59%), fatigue (50%), infusion-related reaction (43%), dizziness (37%), nausea (37%), and cough (35%). The most common grade 3 or higher adverse events were neutropenia (22%) and cellulitis (13%).
Serious adverse events were reported in 24% of patients; pneumonia, rash, sepsis, atrial fibrillation, and syncope occurred in two patients each; abdominal pain, pneumonitis, cellulitis, headache, skin infection, pleural effusion, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, pericardial effusion, weakness, and diarrhea occurred in one patient each. No adverse event–related deaths were reported.
“The findings of this study establish the tolerable safety profile of the ublituximab, umbralisib, and ibrutinib triplet regimen in chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma and relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma,” the investigators wrote. “This triplet combination is expected to be investigated further in future clinical trials in different patient populations.”
The study was funded by TG Therapeutics. The authors reported financial relationships with TG Therapeutics and other companies.
SOURCE: Nastoupil LJ et al. Lancet Haematol. 2019 Feb;6(2):e100-9.
A triplet combination of targeted agents ublituximab, umbralisib, and ibrutinib may be a safe and effective regimen for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) and other B-cell malignancies, according to early study results.
The phase 1 trial had an overall response rate of 84% and a favorable safety profile, reported lead author Loretta J. Nastoupil, MD, of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, and her colleagues. The results suggest that the regimen could eventually serve as a nonchemotherapeutic option for patients with B-cell malignancies.
“Therapeutic targeting of the B-cell receptor signaling pathway has revolutionized the management of B-cell lymphomas,” the investigators wrote in the Lancet Haematology. “Optimum combinations that result in longer periods of remission, possibly allowing for discontinuation of therapy, are needed.”
The present triplet combination included ublituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody; ibrutinib, a Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor; and umbralisib, a phosphoinositide 3-kinase delta inhibitor.
A total of 46 patients with CLL/SLL or relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma received at least one dose of the combination in dose-escalation or dose-expansion study sections.
In the dose-escalation group (n = 24), ublituximab was given intravenously at 900 mg, ibrutinib was given orally at 420 mg for CLL and 560 mg for B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and umbralisib was given orally at three dose levels: 400 mg, 600 mg, and 800 mg.
In the dose-expansion group (n = 22), umbralisib was set at 800 mg while the other agents remained at the previous doses; treatment continued until intolerance or disease progression occurred. The investigators monitored efficacy and safety at defined intervals.
Results showed that 37 out of 44 evaluable patients (84%) had partial or complete responses to therapy.
Among the 22 CLL/SLL patients, there was a 100% overall response rate for both previously treated and untreated patients. Similarly, all three of the patients with marginal zone lymphoma responded, all six of the patients with mantle cell lymphoma responded, and five of seven patients with follicular lymphoma responded. However, only one of the six patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma had even a partial response.
The most common adverse events of any kind were diarrhea (59%), fatigue (50%), infusion-related reaction (43%), dizziness (37%), nausea (37%), and cough (35%). The most common grade 3 or higher adverse events were neutropenia (22%) and cellulitis (13%).
Serious adverse events were reported in 24% of patients; pneumonia, rash, sepsis, atrial fibrillation, and syncope occurred in two patients each; abdominal pain, pneumonitis, cellulitis, headache, skin infection, pleural effusion, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, pericardial effusion, weakness, and diarrhea occurred in one patient each. No adverse event–related deaths were reported.
“The findings of this study establish the tolerable safety profile of the ublituximab, umbralisib, and ibrutinib triplet regimen in chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma and relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma,” the investigators wrote. “This triplet combination is expected to be investigated further in future clinical trials in different patient populations.”
The study was funded by TG Therapeutics. The authors reported financial relationships with TG Therapeutics and other companies.
SOURCE: Nastoupil LJ et al. Lancet Haematol. 2019 Feb;6(2):e100-9.
FROM LANCET HAEMATOLOGY
Key clinical point:
Major finding: Out of 44 patients, 37 (84%) achieved a partial or complete response to therapy.
Study details: A phase 1, multicenter, dose-escalation and dose-expansion trial involving 46 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, small lymphocytic leukemia, or relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Disclosures: The study was funded by TG Therapeutics. The authors reported financial relationships with TG Therapeutics and other companies.
Source: Nastoupil LJ et al. Lancet Haematol. 2019 Feb;6(2):e100-9.
Anthracyclines, bendamustine are options for grade 3A follicular lymphoma
While optimal treatment for grade 3A follicular lymphoma remains in question, either anthracycline-based chemotherapy or bendamustine appear to be preferable to cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone (CVP), results of a recent analysis suggest.
Time to progression with anthracycline-based chemotherapy was superior to that of CVP in the retrospective, multicenter study.
At the same time, clinical outcomes were comparable between anthracycline-based chemotherapy and bendamustine, according to Nirav N. Shah, MD, of the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and his coinvestigators.
“Both remain appropriate frontline options for this patient population,” Dr. Shah and his colleagues wrote in Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia.
Frontline therapy for follicular lymphoma has evolved, and recently shifted toward bendamustine-based chemotherapy regimens in light of two large randomized trials, according to the investigators. However, optimal therapy – specifically for grade 3A follicular lymphoma – has been debated for more than 20 years, they added.
“While some approach it as an aggressive malignancy, others treat it as an indolent lymphoma,” they wrote.
Accordingly, Dr. Shah and his colleagues sought to evaluate treatment outcomes with these regimens in 103 advanced stage 3/4 follicular lymphoma patients from six centers seen over a 10-year period.
Of those patients, 65 had received anthracycline-based chemotherapy, 30 received bendamustine, and 8 received CVP. All received either rituximab or ofatumumab in combination with the chemotherapy, and about one-third went on to receive maintenance treatment with one of those two anti-CD20 antibodies.
The proportion of patients not experiencing disease progression at 24 months from the initiation of treatment was significantly different between arms, at 72% for those receiving anthracyclines, 79% for bendamustine, and 50% for CVP (P = .01).
Patients who received CVP had a significantly poorer time-to-progression outcomes versus anthracycline-based chemotherapy, an adjusted analysis showed (hazard ratio, 3.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.26-8.25; P = .01), while by contrast, there was no significant difference between bendamustine and anthracyclines on this endpoint.
Progression-free survival was likewise worse for CVP compared with anthracycline-based chemotherapy, but there was no significant difference in overall survival for either CVP or bendamustine compared with anthracycline-based chemotherapy, the investigators said.
The 5-year overall survival was estimated to be 82% for anthracycline-based chemotherapy, 74% for bendamustine, and 58% for CVP (P = .23).
Optimal treatment of grade 3A follicular lymphoma remains controversial despite these findings, the investigators noted.
“Unfortunately, this specific histology was excluded from pivotal trials comparing anthracycline-based chemotherapy to bendamustine, leaving the question of optimal frontline treatment unanswered in this subset,” they wrote.
The situation could change with a subgroup analysis of GALLIUM, which might provide some prospective data for this histology. Beyond that, it would be helpful to have prospective, randomized studies specifically enrolling grade 3A disease, Dr. Shah and his coauthors wrote.
Dr. Shah reported disclosures related to Exelixis, Oncosec, Geron, Jazz, Kite, Juno, and Lentigen Technology. Coauthors provided disclosures related to Sanofi-Genzyme, Celgene, Takeda, Otsuka, Spectrum, Merck, and Astellas, among others.
SOURCE: Shah NN et al. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2019 Feb;19(2):95-102.
While optimal treatment for grade 3A follicular lymphoma remains in question, either anthracycline-based chemotherapy or bendamustine appear to be preferable to cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone (CVP), results of a recent analysis suggest.
Time to progression with anthracycline-based chemotherapy was superior to that of CVP in the retrospective, multicenter study.
At the same time, clinical outcomes were comparable between anthracycline-based chemotherapy and bendamustine, according to Nirav N. Shah, MD, of the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and his coinvestigators.
“Both remain appropriate frontline options for this patient population,” Dr. Shah and his colleagues wrote in Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia.
Frontline therapy for follicular lymphoma has evolved, and recently shifted toward bendamustine-based chemotherapy regimens in light of two large randomized trials, according to the investigators. However, optimal therapy – specifically for grade 3A follicular lymphoma – has been debated for more than 20 years, they added.
“While some approach it as an aggressive malignancy, others treat it as an indolent lymphoma,” they wrote.
Accordingly, Dr. Shah and his colleagues sought to evaluate treatment outcomes with these regimens in 103 advanced stage 3/4 follicular lymphoma patients from six centers seen over a 10-year period.
Of those patients, 65 had received anthracycline-based chemotherapy, 30 received bendamustine, and 8 received CVP. All received either rituximab or ofatumumab in combination with the chemotherapy, and about one-third went on to receive maintenance treatment with one of those two anti-CD20 antibodies.
The proportion of patients not experiencing disease progression at 24 months from the initiation of treatment was significantly different between arms, at 72% for those receiving anthracyclines, 79% for bendamustine, and 50% for CVP (P = .01).
Patients who received CVP had a significantly poorer time-to-progression outcomes versus anthracycline-based chemotherapy, an adjusted analysis showed (hazard ratio, 3.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.26-8.25; P = .01), while by contrast, there was no significant difference between bendamustine and anthracyclines on this endpoint.
Progression-free survival was likewise worse for CVP compared with anthracycline-based chemotherapy, but there was no significant difference in overall survival for either CVP or bendamustine compared with anthracycline-based chemotherapy, the investigators said.
The 5-year overall survival was estimated to be 82% for anthracycline-based chemotherapy, 74% for bendamustine, and 58% for CVP (P = .23).
Optimal treatment of grade 3A follicular lymphoma remains controversial despite these findings, the investigators noted.
“Unfortunately, this specific histology was excluded from pivotal trials comparing anthracycline-based chemotherapy to bendamustine, leaving the question of optimal frontline treatment unanswered in this subset,” they wrote.
The situation could change with a subgroup analysis of GALLIUM, which might provide some prospective data for this histology. Beyond that, it would be helpful to have prospective, randomized studies specifically enrolling grade 3A disease, Dr. Shah and his coauthors wrote.
Dr. Shah reported disclosures related to Exelixis, Oncosec, Geron, Jazz, Kite, Juno, and Lentigen Technology. Coauthors provided disclosures related to Sanofi-Genzyme, Celgene, Takeda, Otsuka, Spectrum, Merck, and Astellas, among others.
SOURCE: Shah NN et al. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2019 Feb;19(2):95-102.
While optimal treatment for grade 3A follicular lymphoma remains in question, either anthracycline-based chemotherapy or bendamustine appear to be preferable to cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone (CVP), results of a recent analysis suggest.
Time to progression with anthracycline-based chemotherapy was superior to that of CVP in the retrospective, multicenter study.
At the same time, clinical outcomes were comparable between anthracycline-based chemotherapy and bendamustine, according to Nirav N. Shah, MD, of the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and his coinvestigators.
“Both remain appropriate frontline options for this patient population,” Dr. Shah and his colleagues wrote in Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia.
Frontline therapy for follicular lymphoma has evolved, and recently shifted toward bendamustine-based chemotherapy regimens in light of two large randomized trials, according to the investigators. However, optimal therapy – specifically for grade 3A follicular lymphoma – has been debated for more than 20 years, they added.
“While some approach it as an aggressive malignancy, others treat it as an indolent lymphoma,” they wrote.
Accordingly, Dr. Shah and his colleagues sought to evaluate treatment outcomes with these regimens in 103 advanced stage 3/4 follicular lymphoma patients from six centers seen over a 10-year period.
Of those patients, 65 had received anthracycline-based chemotherapy, 30 received bendamustine, and 8 received CVP. All received either rituximab or ofatumumab in combination with the chemotherapy, and about one-third went on to receive maintenance treatment with one of those two anti-CD20 antibodies.
The proportion of patients not experiencing disease progression at 24 months from the initiation of treatment was significantly different between arms, at 72% for those receiving anthracyclines, 79% for bendamustine, and 50% for CVP (P = .01).
Patients who received CVP had a significantly poorer time-to-progression outcomes versus anthracycline-based chemotherapy, an adjusted analysis showed (hazard ratio, 3.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.26-8.25; P = .01), while by contrast, there was no significant difference between bendamustine and anthracyclines on this endpoint.
Progression-free survival was likewise worse for CVP compared with anthracycline-based chemotherapy, but there was no significant difference in overall survival for either CVP or bendamustine compared with anthracycline-based chemotherapy, the investigators said.
The 5-year overall survival was estimated to be 82% for anthracycline-based chemotherapy, 74% for bendamustine, and 58% for CVP (P = .23).
Optimal treatment of grade 3A follicular lymphoma remains controversial despite these findings, the investigators noted.
“Unfortunately, this specific histology was excluded from pivotal trials comparing anthracycline-based chemotherapy to bendamustine, leaving the question of optimal frontline treatment unanswered in this subset,” they wrote.
The situation could change with a subgroup analysis of GALLIUM, which might provide some prospective data for this histology. Beyond that, it would be helpful to have prospective, randomized studies specifically enrolling grade 3A disease, Dr. Shah and his coauthors wrote.
Dr. Shah reported disclosures related to Exelixis, Oncosec, Geron, Jazz, Kite, Juno, and Lentigen Technology. Coauthors provided disclosures related to Sanofi-Genzyme, Celgene, Takeda, Otsuka, Spectrum, Merck, and Astellas, among others.
SOURCE: Shah NN et al. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2019 Feb;19(2):95-102.
FROM CLINICAL LYMPHOMA, MYELOMA & LEUKEMIA
Key clinical point:
Major finding: Patients who received CVP had a significantly poorer time-to-progression outcome versus anthracycline-based chemotherapy (hazard ratio, 3.22; 95% CI, 1.26-8.25; P = .01), while there was no significant difference between bendamustine and anthracyclines.
Study details: A multicenter analysis including 103 patients with advanced stage grade 3A follicular lymphoma.
Disclosures: The authors reported disclosures related to Exelixis, OncoSec, Geron, Jazz, Kite, Juno, Lentigen Technology, Sanofi-Genzyme, Celgene, Takeda, Otsuka, Spectrum, Merck, and Astellas, among others.
Source: Shah NN et al. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2019 Feb;19(2):95-102.
Ibrutinib-MTX-rituximab combo shows promise in CNS lymphoma
The three-drug combination of ibrutinib, high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX), and rituximab showed positive safety and clinical outcomes in patients with recurrent/refractory primary/secondary CNS lymphoma, according to results from a phase 1b trial.
Ibrutinib has already shown single-agent activity in recurrent/refractory CNS lymphoma, Christian Grommes, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, and his colleagues, wrote in Blood. “The primary objective was to determine the maximum tolerated dose of ibrutinib in combination with HD-MTX alone and ibrutinib in combination with HD-MTX and rituximab.”
With respect to ibrutinib dosing, the initial cohort was started at 560 mg daily, which was increased to 840 mg daily in successive cohorts using a 3+3 design. HD-MTX was administered every 2 weeks at 3.5 g/m2 for a total of eight infusions, or four cycles, with each cycle lasting of 28 days.
After no dose-limiting adverse effects were seen with the ibrutinib-MTX combination, the researchers added rituximab at 500 mg/m2 every 2 weeks, for a total of eight infusions, which completed the induction phase. The three-agent induction therapy was followed by daily ibrutinib monotherapy, which was maintained until discontinuation caused by malignancy progression, intolerable adverse events, or death.
“To minimize the risk of adverse events, we held ibrutinib on days of HD-MTX infusion and resumed 5 days after HD-MTX infusion or after MTX clearance,” they wrote.
After analysis, Dr. Grommes and his colleagues reported that no dose-limiting or grade 5 toxicities were detected. At a median follow-up of 19.7 months, they saw an 80% overall response rate in study patients treated with combination therapy. The median progression free survival for all 15 patients was 9.2 months and the median overall survival was not reached, with 11 of 15 patients alive.
The researchers proposed an 840-mg dose of ibrutinib for future studies.
The most frequent adverse events were lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, and transaminase elevations. No fungal infections were seen during the study.
The researchers noted that two key limitations of the study were the nonrandomized design and small sample size. As a result, they reported that the degree of ibrutinib-specific activity in the three-drug combination remains unknown.
The study was supported by grant funding from Pharmacyclics to Memorial Sloan Kettering. The authors reported financial ties to AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, BTH, Kite Pharma, Pfizer, and others.
SOURCE: Grommes C et al. Blood. 2019;133(5):436-45.
The three-drug combination of ibrutinib, high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX), and rituximab showed positive safety and clinical outcomes in patients with recurrent/refractory primary/secondary CNS lymphoma, according to results from a phase 1b trial.
Ibrutinib has already shown single-agent activity in recurrent/refractory CNS lymphoma, Christian Grommes, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, and his colleagues, wrote in Blood. “The primary objective was to determine the maximum tolerated dose of ibrutinib in combination with HD-MTX alone and ibrutinib in combination with HD-MTX and rituximab.”
With respect to ibrutinib dosing, the initial cohort was started at 560 mg daily, which was increased to 840 mg daily in successive cohorts using a 3+3 design. HD-MTX was administered every 2 weeks at 3.5 g/m2 for a total of eight infusions, or four cycles, with each cycle lasting of 28 days.
After no dose-limiting adverse effects were seen with the ibrutinib-MTX combination, the researchers added rituximab at 500 mg/m2 every 2 weeks, for a total of eight infusions, which completed the induction phase. The three-agent induction therapy was followed by daily ibrutinib monotherapy, which was maintained until discontinuation caused by malignancy progression, intolerable adverse events, or death.
“To minimize the risk of adverse events, we held ibrutinib on days of HD-MTX infusion and resumed 5 days after HD-MTX infusion or after MTX clearance,” they wrote.
After analysis, Dr. Grommes and his colleagues reported that no dose-limiting or grade 5 toxicities were detected. At a median follow-up of 19.7 months, they saw an 80% overall response rate in study patients treated with combination therapy. The median progression free survival for all 15 patients was 9.2 months and the median overall survival was not reached, with 11 of 15 patients alive.
The researchers proposed an 840-mg dose of ibrutinib for future studies.
The most frequent adverse events were lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, and transaminase elevations. No fungal infections were seen during the study.
The researchers noted that two key limitations of the study were the nonrandomized design and small sample size. As a result, they reported that the degree of ibrutinib-specific activity in the three-drug combination remains unknown.
The study was supported by grant funding from Pharmacyclics to Memorial Sloan Kettering. The authors reported financial ties to AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, BTH, Kite Pharma, Pfizer, and others.
SOURCE: Grommes C et al. Blood. 2019;133(5):436-45.
The three-drug combination of ibrutinib, high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX), and rituximab showed positive safety and clinical outcomes in patients with recurrent/refractory primary/secondary CNS lymphoma, according to results from a phase 1b trial.
Ibrutinib has already shown single-agent activity in recurrent/refractory CNS lymphoma, Christian Grommes, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, and his colleagues, wrote in Blood. “The primary objective was to determine the maximum tolerated dose of ibrutinib in combination with HD-MTX alone and ibrutinib in combination with HD-MTX and rituximab.”
With respect to ibrutinib dosing, the initial cohort was started at 560 mg daily, which was increased to 840 mg daily in successive cohorts using a 3+3 design. HD-MTX was administered every 2 weeks at 3.5 g/m2 for a total of eight infusions, or four cycles, with each cycle lasting of 28 days.
After no dose-limiting adverse effects were seen with the ibrutinib-MTX combination, the researchers added rituximab at 500 mg/m2 every 2 weeks, for a total of eight infusions, which completed the induction phase. The three-agent induction therapy was followed by daily ibrutinib monotherapy, which was maintained until discontinuation caused by malignancy progression, intolerable adverse events, or death.
“To minimize the risk of adverse events, we held ibrutinib on days of HD-MTX infusion and resumed 5 days after HD-MTX infusion or after MTX clearance,” they wrote.
After analysis, Dr. Grommes and his colleagues reported that no dose-limiting or grade 5 toxicities were detected. At a median follow-up of 19.7 months, they saw an 80% overall response rate in study patients treated with combination therapy. The median progression free survival for all 15 patients was 9.2 months and the median overall survival was not reached, with 11 of 15 patients alive.
The researchers proposed an 840-mg dose of ibrutinib for future studies.
The most frequent adverse events were lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, and transaminase elevations. No fungal infections were seen during the study.
The researchers noted that two key limitations of the study were the nonrandomized design and small sample size. As a result, they reported that the degree of ibrutinib-specific activity in the three-drug combination remains unknown.
The study was supported by grant funding from Pharmacyclics to Memorial Sloan Kettering. The authors reported financial ties to AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, BTH, Kite Pharma, Pfizer, and others.
SOURCE: Grommes C et al. Blood. 2019;133(5):436-45.
FROM BLOOD
Key clinical point:
Major finding: The ibrutinib-based regimen showed an 80% overall response rate; no grade 5 adverse events were reported.
Study details: A phase 1b study of 15 patients with recurrent/refractory CNS lymphoma.
Disclosures: The study was supported by grant funding from Pharmacyclics to Memorial Sloan Kettering. The authors reported financial ties to AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, BTH, Kite Pharma, Pfizer, and others.
Source: Grommes C et al. Blood. 2019;133(5):436-45.
Daratumumab disappoints in non-Hodgkin lymphoma trial
Daratumumab is safe but ineffective for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and CD38 expression of at least 50%, according to findings from a recent phase 2 trial.
Unfortunately, the study met headwinds early on, when initial screening of 112 patients with available tumor samples showed that only about half (56%) had CD38 expression of at least 50%, reported lead author Giles Salles, MD, PhD, of Claude Bernard University in Lyon, France, and his colleagues. The cutoff was based on preclinical models, suggesting that daratumumab-induced cytotoxicity depends on a high level of CD38 expression.
“Only 36 [patients] were eligible for study enrollment, questioning the generalizability of the study population,” the investigators wrote in Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia.
Of these 36 patients, 15 had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), 16 had follicular lymphoma (FL), and 5 had mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Median CD38 expression was 70%. Patients were given 16 mg/kg of IV daratumumab once a week for two cycles, then every 2 weeks for four cycles, and finally on a monthly basis. Cycles were 28 days long. The primary endpoint was overall response rate. Safety and pharmacokinetics were also evaluated.
Results were generally disappointing, with ORR occurring in two patients (12.5%) with FL and one patient (6.7%) with DLBCL. No patients with MCL responded before the study was terminated. On a more encouraging note, 10 of 16 patients with FL maintained stable disease.
“All 16 patients in the FL cohort had progressed/relapsed on their prior treatment regimen; therefore, the maintenance of stable disease in the FL cohort may suggest some clinical benefit of daratumumab in this subset of NHL,” the investigators wrote.
Pharmacokinetics and safety data were similar to those from multiple myeloma studies of daratumumab; no new safety signals or instances of immunogenicity were encountered. The most common grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse event was thrombocytopenia, which occurred in 11.1% of patients. Infusion-related reactions occurred in 72.2% of patients, but none were grade 4 and only three reactions were grade 3.
The investigators suggested that daratumumab may still play a role in NHL treatment, but not as a single agent.
“It is possible that daratumumab-based combination therapy would have allowed for more responses to be achieved within the current study,” the investigators wrote. “NHL is an extremely heterogeneous disease and the identification of predictive biomarkers and molecular genetics may provide new personalized therapies.”
The study was funded by Janssen Research & Development; two study authors reported employment by Janssen. Others reported financial ties to Janssen, Celgene, Roche, Gilead, Novartis, Amgen, and others.
SOURCE: Salles G et al. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2019 Jan 2. doi: 10.1016/j.clml.2018.12.013.
Daratumumab is safe but ineffective for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and CD38 expression of at least 50%, according to findings from a recent phase 2 trial.
Unfortunately, the study met headwinds early on, when initial screening of 112 patients with available tumor samples showed that only about half (56%) had CD38 expression of at least 50%, reported lead author Giles Salles, MD, PhD, of Claude Bernard University in Lyon, France, and his colleagues. The cutoff was based on preclinical models, suggesting that daratumumab-induced cytotoxicity depends on a high level of CD38 expression.
“Only 36 [patients] were eligible for study enrollment, questioning the generalizability of the study population,” the investigators wrote in Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia.
Of these 36 patients, 15 had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), 16 had follicular lymphoma (FL), and 5 had mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Median CD38 expression was 70%. Patients were given 16 mg/kg of IV daratumumab once a week for two cycles, then every 2 weeks for four cycles, and finally on a monthly basis. Cycles were 28 days long. The primary endpoint was overall response rate. Safety and pharmacokinetics were also evaluated.
Results were generally disappointing, with ORR occurring in two patients (12.5%) with FL and one patient (6.7%) with DLBCL. No patients with MCL responded before the study was terminated. On a more encouraging note, 10 of 16 patients with FL maintained stable disease.
“All 16 patients in the FL cohort had progressed/relapsed on their prior treatment regimen; therefore, the maintenance of stable disease in the FL cohort may suggest some clinical benefit of daratumumab in this subset of NHL,” the investigators wrote.
Pharmacokinetics and safety data were similar to those from multiple myeloma studies of daratumumab; no new safety signals or instances of immunogenicity were encountered. The most common grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse event was thrombocytopenia, which occurred in 11.1% of patients. Infusion-related reactions occurred in 72.2% of patients, but none were grade 4 and only three reactions were grade 3.
The investigators suggested that daratumumab may still play a role in NHL treatment, but not as a single agent.
“It is possible that daratumumab-based combination therapy would have allowed for more responses to be achieved within the current study,” the investigators wrote. “NHL is an extremely heterogeneous disease and the identification of predictive biomarkers and molecular genetics may provide new personalized therapies.”
The study was funded by Janssen Research & Development; two study authors reported employment by Janssen. Others reported financial ties to Janssen, Celgene, Roche, Gilead, Novartis, Amgen, and others.
SOURCE: Salles G et al. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2019 Jan 2. doi: 10.1016/j.clml.2018.12.013.
Daratumumab is safe but ineffective for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and CD38 expression of at least 50%, according to findings from a recent phase 2 trial.
Unfortunately, the study met headwinds early on, when initial screening of 112 patients with available tumor samples showed that only about half (56%) had CD38 expression of at least 50%, reported lead author Giles Salles, MD, PhD, of Claude Bernard University in Lyon, France, and his colleagues. The cutoff was based on preclinical models, suggesting that daratumumab-induced cytotoxicity depends on a high level of CD38 expression.
“Only 36 [patients] were eligible for study enrollment, questioning the generalizability of the study population,” the investigators wrote in Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia.
Of these 36 patients, 15 had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), 16 had follicular lymphoma (FL), and 5 had mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Median CD38 expression was 70%. Patients were given 16 mg/kg of IV daratumumab once a week for two cycles, then every 2 weeks for four cycles, and finally on a monthly basis. Cycles were 28 days long. The primary endpoint was overall response rate. Safety and pharmacokinetics were also evaluated.
Results were generally disappointing, with ORR occurring in two patients (12.5%) with FL and one patient (6.7%) with DLBCL. No patients with MCL responded before the study was terminated. On a more encouraging note, 10 of 16 patients with FL maintained stable disease.
“All 16 patients in the FL cohort had progressed/relapsed on their prior treatment regimen; therefore, the maintenance of stable disease in the FL cohort may suggest some clinical benefit of daratumumab in this subset of NHL,” the investigators wrote.
Pharmacokinetics and safety data were similar to those from multiple myeloma studies of daratumumab; no new safety signals or instances of immunogenicity were encountered. The most common grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse event was thrombocytopenia, which occurred in 11.1% of patients. Infusion-related reactions occurred in 72.2% of patients, but none were grade 4 and only three reactions were grade 3.
The investigators suggested that daratumumab may still play a role in NHL treatment, but not as a single agent.
“It is possible that daratumumab-based combination therapy would have allowed for more responses to be achieved within the current study,” the investigators wrote. “NHL is an extremely heterogeneous disease and the identification of predictive biomarkers and molecular genetics may provide new personalized therapies.”
The study was funded by Janssen Research & Development; two study authors reported employment by Janssen. Others reported financial ties to Janssen, Celgene, Roche, Gilead, Novartis, Amgen, and others.
SOURCE: Salles G et al. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2019 Jan 2. doi: 10.1016/j.clml.2018.12.013.
FROM CLINICAL LYMPHOMA, MYELOMA & LEUKEMIA
Key clinical point:
Major finding: The overall response rate was 12.5% for patients with follicular lymphoma and 6.7% for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). There were no responders in the mantle cell lymphoma cohort.
Study details: An open-label, phase 2 trial involving 15 patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, 16 patients with follicular lymphoma, and 5 patients with mantle cell lymphoma.
Disclosures: The study was funded by Janssen Research & Development; two study authors reported employment by Janssen. Others reported financial ties to Janssen, Celgene, Roche, Gilead, Novartis, Amgen, and others.
Source: Salles G et al. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2019 Jan 2. doi: 10.1016/j.clml.2018.12.013.
BCL expression intensity key in distinguishing FL lesions
Intensity of BCL2 expression, and to a lesser extent expression of t(14;18), may help distinguish common and indolent cutaneous lymphomas from poorer-prognosis cutaneous lesions secondary to systemic follicular lymphomas, results of a recent investigation show.
Strong expression of BCL2 was almost always associated with secondary cutaneous follicular lymphoma (SCFL), and infrequently associated with primary cutaneous follicular center-cell lymphoma (PCFCL), according to the study results.
The translocation t(14;18) was likewise linked to secondary lesions, occurring less frequently in PCFCL in the study, reported recently in the Journal of Cutaneous Pathology.
“BCL2 expression intensity is the single most valuable clue in differentiating PCFCL from SCFL cases on histopathological grounds,” said Ramon M. Pujol, MD, PhD, of Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain, and colleagues.
One of the main cutaneous B-cell lymphoma subtypes, PCFCL is marked by frequent relapses, but little incidence of systemic spread, meaning that conservative, skin-based therapies are usually warranted. By contrast, patients with SCFLs have a poor prognosis and may require systemic therapy, the investigators noted in their report.
Previous investigations have yielded conflicting results on the role of BCL2 expression, CD10 expression, and presence of t(14;18) translocation in distinguishing PCFCL from SCFL.
While early studies suggested most PCFCLs were negative for these markers, some recent reports suggested BCL positivity in PCFCLs is as high as 86%, the investigators said.
Accordingly, Dr. Pujol and colleagues evaluated clinicopathologic and genetic features in a large series of patients, including 59 with PCFCL and 22 with SCFL.
Significant BCL2 expression was seen in 69% of PCFCLs and in 100% of SCFLs (P = .003) in this patient series; however, when looking at BCL2 intensity, investigators found strong expression almost exclusively in SCFL. Strong expression was seen in 46% of those patients with secondary lymphomas, versus just 4%, or two cases, in the PCFCL group (P = .001).
The t(14;18) translocation was seen in 64% of SCFLs and only 9.1% of PCFCLs (P = .001).
Similar to what was seen for BCL2, expression of CD10 was observed in 66% of PCFCLs and 91% of SCFLs, and again, intensity differences mattered. Strong CD10 expression was seen in 62% of secondary lymphomas and 16% of PCFCLs (P = .01). But the high number of positive PCFCLs made this marker less useful than BCL2, the investigators said.
“We believe that differences in BCL2 and CD10 expression between our results and older previous studies could reflect the improvement of antigen retrieval laboratory techniques,” they said.
The investigators did not report disclosures related to the research.
SOURCE: Servitje O et al. J Cutan Pathol. 2019;46:182-9.
Intensity of BCL2 expression, and to a lesser extent expression of t(14;18), may help distinguish common and indolent cutaneous lymphomas from poorer-prognosis cutaneous lesions secondary to systemic follicular lymphomas, results of a recent investigation show.
Strong expression of BCL2 was almost always associated with secondary cutaneous follicular lymphoma (SCFL), and infrequently associated with primary cutaneous follicular center-cell lymphoma (PCFCL), according to the study results.
The translocation t(14;18) was likewise linked to secondary lesions, occurring less frequently in PCFCL in the study, reported recently in the Journal of Cutaneous Pathology.
“BCL2 expression intensity is the single most valuable clue in differentiating PCFCL from SCFL cases on histopathological grounds,” said Ramon M. Pujol, MD, PhD, of Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain, and colleagues.
One of the main cutaneous B-cell lymphoma subtypes, PCFCL is marked by frequent relapses, but little incidence of systemic spread, meaning that conservative, skin-based therapies are usually warranted. By contrast, patients with SCFLs have a poor prognosis and may require systemic therapy, the investigators noted in their report.
Previous investigations have yielded conflicting results on the role of BCL2 expression, CD10 expression, and presence of t(14;18) translocation in distinguishing PCFCL from SCFL.
While early studies suggested most PCFCLs were negative for these markers, some recent reports suggested BCL positivity in PCFCLs is as high as 86%, the investigators said.
Accordingly, Dr. Pujol and colleagues evaluated clinicopathologic and genetic features in a large series of patients, including 59 with PCFCL and 22 with SCFL.
Significant BCL2 expression was seen in 69% of PCFCLs and in 100% of SCFLs (P = .003) in this patient series; however, when looking at BCL2 intensity, investigators found strong expression almost exclusively in SCFL. Strong expression was seen in 46% of those patients with secondary lymphomas, versus just 4%, or two cases, in the PCFCL group (P = .001).
The t(14;18) translocation was seen in 64% of SCFLs and only 9.1% of PCFCLs (P = .001).
Similar to what was seen for BCL2, expression of CD10 was observed in 66% of PCFCLs and 91% of SCFLs, and again, intensity differences mattered. Strong CD10 expression was seen in 62% of secondary lymphomas and 16% of PCFCLs (P = .01). But the high number of positive PCFCLs made this marker less useful than BCL2, the investigators said.
“We believe that differences in BCL2 and CD10 expression between our results and older previous studies could reflect the improvement of antigen retrieval laboratory techniques,” they said.
The investigators did not report disclosures related to the research.
SOURCE: Servitje O et al. J Cutan Pathol. 2019;46:182-9.
Intensity of BCL2 expression, and to a lesser extent expression of t(14;18), may help distinguish common and indolent cutaneous lymphomas from poorer-prognosis cutaneous lesions secondary to systemic follicular lymphomas, results of a recent investigation show.
Strong expression of BCL2 was almost always associated with secondary cutaneous follicular lymphoma (SCFL), and infrequently associated with primary cutaneous follicular center-cell lymphoma (PCFCL), according to the study results.
The translocation t(14;18) was likewise linked to secondary lesions, occurring less frequently in PCFCL in the study, reported recently in the Journal of Cutaneous Pathology.
“BCL2 expression intensity is the single most valuable clue in differentiating PCFCL from SCFL cases on histopathological grounds,” said Ramon M. Pujol, MD, PhD, of Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain, and colleagues.
One of the main cutaneous B-cell lymphoma subtypes, PCFCL is marked by frequent relapses, but little incidence of systemic spread, meaning that conservative, skin-based therapies are usually warranted. By contrast, patients with SCFLs have a poor prognosis and may require systemic therapy, the investigators noted in their report.
Previous investigations have yielded conflicting results on the role of BCL2 expression, CD10 expression, and presence of t(14;18) translocation in distinguishing PCFCL from SCFL.
While early studies suggested most PCFCLs were negative for these markers, some recent reports suggested BCL positivity in PCFCLs is as high as 86%, the investigators said.
Accordingly, Dr. Pujol and colleagues evaluated clinicopathologic and genetic features in a large series of patients, including 59 with PCFCL and 22 with SCFL.
Significant BCL2 expression was seen in 69% of PCFCLs and in 100% of SCFLs (P = .003) in this patient series; however, when looking at BCL2 intensity, investigators found strong expression almost exclusively in SCFL. Strong expression was seen in 46% of those patients with secondary lymphomas, versus just 4%, or two cases, in the PCFCL group (P = .001).
The t(14;18) translocation was seen in 64% of SCFLs and only 9.1% of PCFCLs (P = .001).
Similar to what was seen for BCL2, expression of CD10 was observed in 66% of PCFCLs and 91% of SCFLs, and again, intensity differences mattered. Strong CD10 expression was seen in 62% of secondary lymphomas and 16% of PCFCLs (P = .01). But the high number of positive PCFCLs made this marker less useful than BCL2, the investigators said.
“We believe that differences in BCL2 and CD10 expression between our results and older previous studies could reflect the improvement of antigen retrieval laboratory techniques,” they said.
The investigators did not report disclosures related to the research.
SOURCE: Servitje O et al. J Cutan Pathol. 2019;46:182-9.
FROM THE JOURNAL OF CUTANEOUS PATHOLOGY
Key clinical point:
Major finding: Strong BCL2 expression was seen in 46% of secondary lymphomas, versus just 4% of primary cutaneous follicular center-cell lymphomas (P = .001).
Study details: A comparative study evaluating clinicopathologic and genetic features in a series of patients, including 59 with PCFCL and 22 with SCFL.
Disclosures: Investigators did not report disclosures related to the research.
Source: Servitje O et al. J Cutan Pathol. 2019;46:182-9.
Combo appears to overcome aggressive L-NN-MCL
Some patients with aggressive leukemic nonnodal mantle cell lymphoma (L-NN-MCL) respond very well to combination therapy with rituximab and ibrutinib, according to two case reports.
Both patients, who had aggressive L-NN-MCL and P53 abnormalities, remain free of disease 18 months after treatment with rituximab/ibrutinib and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), reported Shahram Mori, MD, PhD, of the Florida Hospital Cancer Institute in Orlando, and his colleagues.
The findings suggest that P53 gene status in L-NN-MCL may have a significant impact on prognosis and treatment planning. There are currently no guidelines for risk stratifying L-NN-MCL patients.
“Although the recognition of L-NN-MCL is important to avoid overtreatment, there appears to be a subset of patients who either have a more aggressive form or disease that has transformed to a more aggressive form who present with symptomatic disease and/or cytopenias,” the investigators wrote in Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia.
The investigators described two such cases in their report. Both patients had leukocytosis with various other blood cell derangements and splenomegaly without lymphadenopathy.
The first patient was a 53-year-old African American man with L-NN-MCL and a number of genetic aberrations, including loss of the P53 gene. After two cycles of rituximab with bendamustine proved ineffective, he was switched to rituxan with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, adriamycin, and dexamethasone with high-dose methotrexate and cytarabine. This regimen was also ineffective and his white blood cell count kept rising.
His story changed for the better when the patient was switched to ibrutinib 560 mg daily and rituximab 375 mg/m2 monthly. Within 2 months of starting therapy, his blood abnormalities normalized, and bone marrow biopsy at the end of treatment revealed complete remission without evidence of minimal residual disease. The patient remains in complete remission 18 months after ASCT.
The second patient was a 49-year-old Hispanic man with L-NN-MCL. He had missense mutations in TP53 and KMT2A (MLL), a frameshift mutation in BCOR, and a t(11;14) translocation. Ibrutinib/rituximab was started immediately. After 1 month, his blood levels began to normalize. After five cycles, bone marrow biopsy showed complete remission with no evidence of minimal residual disease. Like the first patient, the second patient remains in complete remission 18 months after ASCT.
“To our knowledge, these are the first two cases of L-NN-MCL with P53 gene mutations/alterations that were successfully treated with a combination of rituximab and ibrutinib,” the investigators wrote. “Our two cases confirm the previous studies by Chapman-Fredricks et al, who also noted P53 gene mutation or deletion is associated with the aggressive course.”
The researchers reported having no financial disclosures.
SOURCE: Mori S et al. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2019 Feb;19(2):e93-7.
Some patients with aggressive leukemic nonnodal mantle cell lymphoma (L-NN-MCL) respond very well to combination therapy with rituximab and ibrutinib, according to two case reports.
Both patients, who had aggressive L-NN-MCL and P53 abnormalities, remain free of disease 18 months after treatment with rituximab/ibrutinib and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), reported Shahram Mori, MD, PhD, of the Florida Hospital Cancer Institute in Orlando, and his colleagues.
The findings suggest that P53 gene status in L-NN-MCL may have a significant impact on prognosis and treatment planning. There are currently no guidelines for risk stratifying L-NN-MCL patients.
“Although the recognition of L-NN-MCL is important to avoid overtreatment, there appears to be a subset of patients who either have a more aggressive form or disease that has transformed to a more aggressive form who present with symptomatic disease and/or cytopenias,” the investigators wrote in Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia.
The investigators described two such cases in their report. Both patients had leukocytosis with various other blood cell derangements and splenomegaly without lymphadenopathy.
The first patient was a 53-year-old African American man with L-NN-MCL and a number of genetic aberrations, including loss of the P53 gene. After two cycles of rituximab with bendamustine proved ineffective, he was switched to rituxan with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, adriamycin, and dexamethasone with high-dose methotrexate and cytarabine. This regimen was also ineffective and his white blood cell count kept rising.
His story changed for the better when the patient was switched to ibrutinib 560 mg daily and rituximab 375 mg/m2 monthly. Within 2 months of starting therapy, his blood abnormalities normalized, and bone marrow biopsy at the end of treatment revealed complete remission without evidence of minimal residual disease. The patient remains in complete remission 18 months after ASCT.
The second patient was a 49-year-old Hispanic man with L-NN-MCL. He had missense mutations in TP53 and KMT2A (MLL), a frameshift mutation in BCOR, and a t(11;14) translocation. Ibrutinib/rituximab was started immediately. After 1 month, his blood levels began to normalize. After five cycles, bone marrow biopsy showed complete remission with no evidence of minimal residual disease. Like the first patient, the second patient remains in complete remission 18 months after ASCT.
“To our knowledge, these are the first two cases of L-NN-MCL with P53 gene mutations/alterations that were successfully treated with a combination of rituximab and ibrutinib,” the investigators wrote. “Our two cases confirm the previous studies by Chapman-Fredricks et al, who also noted P53 gene mutation or deletion is associated with the aggressive course.”
The researchers reported having no financial disclosures.
SOURCE: Mori S et al. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2019 Feb;19(2):e93-7.
Some patients with aggressive leukemic nonnodal mantle cell lymphoma (L-NN-MCL) respond very well to combination therapy with rituximab and ibrutinib, according to two case reports.
Both patients, who had aggressive L-NN-MCL and P53 abnormalities, remain free of disease 18 months after treatment with rituximab/ibrutinib and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), reported Shahram Mori, MD, PhD, of the Florida Hospital Cancer Institute in Orlando, and his colleagues.
The findings suggest that P53 gene status in L-NN-MCL may have a significant impact on prognosis and treatment planning. There are currently no guidelines for risk stratifying L-NN-MCL patients.
“Although the recognition of L-NN-MCL is important to avoid overtreatment, there appears to be a subset of patients who either have a more aggressive form or disease that has transformed to a more aggressive form who present with symptomatic disease and/or cytopenias,” the investigators wrote in Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia.
The investigators described two such cases in their report. Both patients had leukocytosis with various other blood cell derangements and splenomegaly without lymphadenopathy.
The first patient was a 53-year-old African American man with L-NN-MCL and a number of genetic aberrations, including loss of the P53 gene. After two cycles of rituximab with bendamustine proved ineffective, he was switched to rituxan with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, adriamycin, and dexamethasone with high-dose methotrexate and cytarabine. This regimen was also ineffective and his white blood cell count kept rising.
His story changed for the better when the patient was switched to ibrutinib 560 mg daily and rituximab 375 mg/m2 monthly. Within 2 months of starting therapy, his blood abnormalities normalized, and bone marrow biopsy at the end of treatment revealed complete remission without evidence of minimal residual disease. The patient remains in complete remission 18 months after ASCT.
The second patient was a 49-year-old Hispanic man with L-NN-MCL. He had missense mutations in TP53 and KMT2A (MLL), a frameshift mutation in BCOR, and a t(11;14) translocation. Ibrutinib/rituximab was started immediately. After 1 month, his blood levels began to normalize. After five cycles, bone marrow biopsy showed complete remission with no evidence of minimal residual disease. Like the first patient, the second patient remains in complete remission 18 months after ASCT.
“To our knowledge, these are the first two cases of L-NN-MCL with P53 gene mutations/alterations that were successfully treated with a combination of rituximab and ibrutinib,” the investigators wrote. “Our two cases confirm the previous studies by Chapman-Fredricks et al, who also noted P53 gene mutation or deletion is associated with the aggressive course.”
The researchers reported having no financial disclosures.
SOURCE: Mori S et al. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2019 Feb;19(2):e93-7.
FROM CLINICAL LYMPHOMA, MYELOMA & LEUKEMIA
Key clinical point:
Major finding: Two patients with aggressive L-NN-MCL and P53 abnormalities who were treated with rituximab/ibrutinib and autologous stem cell transplantation remain free of disease 18 months later.
Study details: Two case reports.
Disclosures: The authors reported having no financial disclosures.
Source: Mori S et al. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2019 Feb;19(2):e93-7.
Novel bispecific CAR shows promise in B-cell malignancies
SAN DIEGO – A chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) targeting both CD19 and CD22 shows promising safety and efficacy for the treatment of relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies in adults, according to early findings from a phase 1 trial of the novel bispecific CAR.
Of six patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and two patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) enrolled in the single-institution dose escalation study and available for safety analysis after the bispecific CAR T-cell infusion, five developed reversible grade 1 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and one developed grade 2 CRS requiring treatment with tocilizumab, Nasheed Hossain, MD, reported at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology.
Additionally, two patients developed grade 1 neurotoxicity, and one developed grade 2 neurotoxicity requiring treatment with dexamethasone.
“But no dose-limiting toxicities have been encountered thus far,” said Dr. Hossain of Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago. “With regard to efficacy, the DLBCL overall response rate is 60%, with 1 [complete response] and 2 [partial responses] at day 28 and day 90, and the ALL overall response rate is 100%, with 1 CR and 1 PR at day 28.
“With longer follow-up, five patients have relapsed and biopsies at the time of progression all showed ongoing CD19 expression,” he said, adding that all enrolled patients are alive, except for one patient who died from disease progression.
Study participants were adults aged 35-75 years with DLBCL or B-ALL that was refractory to standard therapies.
“Our primary objectives are twofold: One is to determine the feasibility of making our CAR ... and [the other] is to assess the safety using an escalating CAR dose following standard cyclophosphamide/fludarabine conditioning,” Dr. Hossain said.
The dose assessed in the current analysis was 1 x 106 CAR T cells/kg; other planned doses include 3 x 106 CAR T cells/kg and 1 x 107 CAR T cells/kg, he said.
All patients underwent lymphodepletion with cyclophosphamide (500 mg/m2 daily x 3 doses) and fludarabine (30 mg/m2 daily x 3 doses) followed by CAR T-cell infusion 2 days later.
The findings of this ongoing study – the first in-human study of a bispecific loop CAR in the United States – suggest that the novel CAR has low toxicity and promising efficacy, Dr. Hossain said.
Currently approved therapies target CD19 alone, he said, noting that they all use the same anti-CD19 domain, but different costimulatory domains, and have good clinical efficacy of greater than 70% CRs in ALL and up to 52% CRs in DLBCL.
“But questions remain about determining the durability of response and the causes of therapy failure,” he said.
One common cause of treatment failure is CD19 antigen loss, and efforts to reduce such antigen loss using bispecific loop CARs targeting both CD19 and CD22 have shown promise. The CAR construct evaluated in this study was developed to target CD19 and CD22 with intracellular signaling domains incorporating 4-1BB and CD3-zeta to overcome CD19 immune escape.
“We have now escalated the dose to 3 x 106 CAR T cells/kg ... and an expansion study of 60 patients will follow,” Dr. Hossain said.
A companion phase 1 pediatric trial using the same CAR construct is also underway, with preliminary data presented at the ASH meeting demonstrating safety and tolerability in children with relapsed or refractory B-cell ALL.
Dr. Hossain reported having no financial disclosures.
SOURCE: Hossain N et al. ASH 2018, Abstract 490.
SAN DIEGO – A chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) targeting both CD19 and CD22 shows promising safety and efficacy for the treatment of relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies in adults, according to early findings from a phase 1 trial of the novel bispecific CAR.
Of six patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and two patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) enrolled in the single-institution dose escalation study and available for safety analysis after the bispecific CAR T-cell infusion, five developed reversible grade 1 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and one developed grade 2 CRS requiring treatment with tocilizumab, Nasheed Hossain, MD, reported at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology.
Additionally, two patients developed grade 1 neurotoxicity, and one developed grade 2 neurotoxicity requiring treatment with dexamethasone.
“But no dose-limiting toxicities have been encountered thus far,” said Dr. Hossain of Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago. “With regard to efficacy, the DLBCL overall response rate is 60%, with 1 [complete response] and 2 [partial responses] at day 28 and day 90, and the ALL overall response rate is 100%, with 1 CR and 1 PR at day 28.
“With longer follow-up, five patients have relapsed and biopsies at the time of progression all showed ongoing CD19 expression,” he said, adding that all enrolled patients are alive, except for one patient who died from disease progression.
Study participants were adults aged 35-75 years with DLBCL or B-ALL that was refractory to standard therapies.
“Our primary objectives are twofold: One is to determine the feasibility of making our CAR ... and [the other] is to assess the safety using an escalating CAR dose following standard cyclophosphamide/fludarabine conditioning,” Dr. Hossain said.
The dose assessed in the current analysis was 1 x 106 CAR T cells/kg; other planned doses include 3 x 106 CAR T cells/kg and 1 x 107 CAR T cells/kg, he said.
All patients underwent lymphodepletion with cyclophosphamide (500 mg/m2 daily x 3 doses) and fludarabine (30 mg/m2 daily x 3 doses) followed by CAR T-cell infusion 2 days later.
The findings of this ongoing study – the first in-human study of a bispecific loop CAR in the United States – suggest that the novel CAR has low toxicity and promising efficacy, Dr. Hossain said.
Currently approved therapies target CD19 alone, he said, noting that they all use the same anti-CD19 domain, but different costimulatory domains, and have good clinical efficacy of greater than 70% CRs in ALL and up to 52% CRs in DLBCL.
“But questions remain about determining the durability of response and the causes of therapy failure,” he said.
One common cause of treatment failure is CD19 antigen loss, and efforts to reduce such antigen loss using bispecific loop CARs targeting both CD19 and CD22 have shown promise. The CAR construct evaluated in this study was developed to target CD19 and CD22 with intracellular signaling domains incorporating 4-1BB and CD3-zeta to overcome CD19 immune escape.
“We have now escalated the dose to 3 x 106 CAR T cells/kg ... and an expansion study of 60 patients will follow,” Dr. Hossain said.
A companion phase 1 pediatric trial using the same CAR construct is also underway, with preliminary data presented at the ASH meeting demonstrating safety and tolerability in children with relapsed or refractory B-cell ALL.
Dr. Hossain reported having no financial disclosures.
SOURCE: Hossain N et al. ASH 2018, Abstract 490.
SAN DIEGO – A chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) targeting both CD19 and CD22 shows promising safety and efficacy for the treatment of relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies in adults, according to early findings from a phase 1 trial of the novel bispecific CAR.
Of six patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and two patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) enrolled in the single-institution dose escalation study and available for safety analysis after the bispecific CAR T-cell infusion, five developed reversible grade 1 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and one developed grade 2 CRS requiring treatment with tocilizumab, Nasheed Hossain, MD, reported at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology.
Additionally, two patients developed grade 1 neurotoxicity, and one developed grade 2 neurotoxicity requiring treatment with dexamethasone.
“But no dose-limiting toxicities have been encountered thus far,” said Dr. Hossain of Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago. “With regard to efficacy, the DLBCL overall response rate is 60%, with 1 [complete response] and 2 [partial responses] at day 28 and day 90, and the ALL overall response rate is 100%, with 1 CR and 1 PR at day 28.
“With longer follow-up, five patients have relapsed and biopsies at the time of progression all showed ongoing CD19 expression,” he said, adding that all enrolled patients are alive, except for one patient who died from disease progression.
Study participants were adults aged 35-75 years with DLBCL or B-ALL that was refractory to standard therapies.
“Our primary objectives are twofold: One is to determine the feasibility of making our CAR ... and [the other] is to assess the safety using an escalating CAR dose following standard cyclophosphamide/fludarabine conditioning,” Dr. Hossain said.
The dose assessed in the current analysis was 1 x 106 CAR T cells/kg; other planned doses include 3 x 106 CAR T cells/kg and 1 x 107 CAR T cells/kg, he said.
All patients underwent lymphodepletion with cyclophosphamide (500 mg/m2 daily x 3 doses) and fludarabine (30 mg/m2 daily x 3 doses) followed by CAR T-cell infusion 2 days later.
The findings of this ongoing study – the first in-human study of a bispecific loop CAR in the United States – suggest that the novel CAR has low toxicity and promising efficacy, Dr. Hossain said.
Currently approved therapies target CD19 alone, he said, noting that they all use the same anti-CD19 domain, but different costimulatory domains, and have good clinical efficacy of greater than 70% CRs in ALL and up to 52% CRs in DLBCL.
“But questions remain about determining the durability of response and the causes of therapy failure,” he said.
One common cause of treatment failure is CD19 antigen loss, and efforts to reduce such antigen loss using bispecific loop CARs targeting both CD19 and CD22 have shown promise. The CAR construct evaluated in this study was developed to target CD19 and CD22 with intracellular signaling domains incorporating 4-1BB and CD3-zeta to overcome CD19 immune escape.
“We have now escalated the dose to 3 x 106 CAR T cells/kg ... and an expansion study of 60 patients will follow,” Dr. Hossain said.
A companion phase 1 pediatric trial using the same CAR construct is also underway, with preliminary data presented at the ASH meeting demonstrating safety and tolerability in children with relapsed or refractory B-cell ALL.
Dr. Hossain reported having no financial disclosures.
SOURCE: Hossain N et al. ASH 2018, Abstract 490.
REPORTING FROM ASH 2018
Key clinical point:
Major finding: Grade 1 cytokine release syndrome occurred in five patients, and grade 2 CRS occurred in one patient; there were no dose-limiting toxicities.
Study details: A phase 1 dose escalation study of nine patients.
Disclosures: Dr. Hossain reported having no financial disclosures.
Source: Hossain N et al. ASH 2018, Abstract 490.
Imaging, radiotherapy clarified in new PMBCL guidelines
Fertility preservation, imaging and radiotherapy guidelines, and best practices in relapse or salvage therapy for primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) are all highlighted in a new good practice paper from the British Society for Haematology.
Though PMBCL was previously thought of as a subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, “gene expression profiling data has shown it to be a separate clinicopathological entity with evidence of an overlap with classic Hodgkin lymphoma,” said Kate Cwynarski, MD, PhD, of University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in England, and her coauthors. The recommendations were published in the British Journal of Haematology.
PMBCL makes up 2%-4% of non-Hodgkin lymphomas, they said; a bulky anterior mediastinal mass is the usual initial presentation. PMBCL does not usually spread beyond the thoracic cavity.
Biopsy, which should be reviewed by a hematopathologist, is required for a histological diagnosis of PMBCL. A multidisciplinary team should review the clinical presentation, pathology, and management plan, according to the good practice paper authors. This was a strong recommendation backed by a high level of evidence.
In addition, patients should receive positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET/CT) at diagnosis, before steroids are administered, if possible, as standard of care. Results from the PET/CT should be reported in accordance with international guidelines. These strong recommendations are backed by high-quality evidence.
If PET/CT is performed, then “a bone marrow biopsy is not considered essential,” said Dr. Cwynarski and her coauthors. However, if the findings would influence management, such as when there is extranodal disease that presents central nervous system opportunities, then bone marrow biopsy should be performed. It should also be performed when cytotoxic therapy was initiated before PET/CT could be done. This is a weak recommendation supported by moderate evidence.
Since patients with PMBCL are usually young adults at presentation, it’s important to consider fertility preservation in the face of chemotherapy. For males, semen preservation should be offered. Female patients may not be able to postpone treatment long enough to accomplish egg harvesting. The risk of infertility and premature ovarian failure will depend on the treatment regimen, so “the risks of each individual therapeutic regimen should be discussed with the patient,” Dr. Cwynarski and her colleagues said.
If a patient is diagnosed with PMBCL while pregnant, treatment should be managed in conjunction with high-risk obstetrics and anesthesia specialists. Rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) has been used in pregnancy, and immunotherapy without antimetabolites can be considered in the second and third trimesters, according to the good practice paper. These are strong fertility and pregnancy recommendations, backed by moderate to low-quality evidence.
If superior vena cava obstruction causes thrombosis, local standard of care for anticoagulation should be used, but therapy-induced thrombocytopenia should be taken into consideration.
There is a lack of prospective, randomized studies to guide treatment decisions in PMBCL, according to the paper. Still, adding rituximab improves both response rates and duration of remission, they noted.
The standard of care for treatment is six cycles of R-CHOP and involved site radiotherapy (ISRT). If the patient is being cared for at a site that can manage the complexities of dose adjustment and monitoring, dose-adjusted etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and rituximab (DA-EPOCH-R) without ISRT is an alternative, according to the good practice paper.
All patients should be offered clinical trial participation when feasible, a strong recommendation based on high-quality evidence.
To assess the response to therapy, R-CHOP and ISRT recipients not participating in a clinical trial should receive a PET-CT scan 2-3 months after treatment is completed, and DA-EPOCH-R patients should receive their scan 6 weeks after the end of therapy. For all patients, Deauville criteria should be used in reporting response scan results. These strong recommendations about posttherapy imaging are based on moderate-quality evidence.
The rate of relapse and refractory disease is relatively low at about 10%-30%, Dr. Cwynarski and her colleagues said. Relapse usually happens within the first year and is rare after 2 years; extranodal disease is common, but usually spares the central nervous system and bone marrow. The good practice paper authors strongly recommend, based on high-quality evidence, that biopsy and fluorodeoxyglucose-PET/CT should be performed with relapse.
Radiotherapy can be considered if the relapse is localized and the patient didn’t receive initial radiotherapy, a strong recommendation with moderate evidence to support it.
Salvage regimens for patients who have not previously achieved complete metabolic response lack a disease-specific evidence base, noted Dr. Cwynarski and her colleagues. Taking this into consideration, a PMBCL salvage regimen should be the same as that offered to patients with relapsed diffused large B-cell lymphoma. High-dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation is appropriate for responsive disease.
If radiotherapy had not been given previously, it should be considered either pre- or post transplant. This, along with the other salvage therapy guidance, is a weak recommendation, backed by moderate evidence.
For longer-term follow-up, asymptomatic patients should not have routine imaging, a strong recommendation with moderate evidence. “[P]atients who remain in remission may be considered for discharge back to primary care,” Dr. Cwynarski and her coauthors said, making a weak recommendation based on low-quality evidence. Patients and their primary care providers should know about the potential for such long-term complications as cardiac toxicities and second malignancies.
SOURCE: Cwynarski K et al. Br J Haematol. 2019 Jan 4. doi:10.1111/bjh.15731
Fertility preservation, imaging and radiotherapy guidelines, and best practices in relapse or salvage therapy for primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) are all highlighted in a new good practice paper from the British Society for Haematology.
Though PMBCL was previously thought of as a subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, “gene expression profiling data has shown it to be a separate clinicopathological entity with evidence of an overlap with classic Hodgkin lymphoma,” said Kate Cwynarski, MD, PhD, of University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in England, and her coauthors. The recommendations were published in the British Journal of Haematology.
PMBCL makes up 2%-4% of non-Hodgkin lymphomas, they said; a bulky anterior mediastinal mass is the usual initial presentation. PMBCL does not usually spread beyond the thoracic cavity.
Biopsy, which should be reviewed by a hematopathologist, is required for a histological diagnosis of PMBCL. A multidisciplinary team should review the clinical presentation, pathology, and management plan, according to the good practice paper authors. This was a strong recommendation backed by a high level of evidence.
In addition, patients should receive positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET/CT) at diagnosis, before steroids are administered, if possible, as standard of care. Results from the PET/CT should be reported in accordance with international guidelines. These strong recommendations are backed by high-quality evidence.
If PET/CT is performed, then “a bone marrow biopsy is not considered essential,” said Dr. Cwynarski and her coauthors. However, if the findings would influence management, such as when there is extranodal disease that presents central nervous system opportunities, then bone marrow biopsy should be performed. It should also be performed when cytotoxic therapy was initiated before PET/CT could be done. This is a weak recommendation supported by moderate evidence.
Since patients with PMBCL are usually young adults at presentation, it’s important to consider fertility preservation in the face of chemotherapy. For males, semen preservation should be offered. Female patients may not be able to postpone treatment long enough to accomplish egg harvesting. The risk of infertility and premature ovarian failure will depend on the treatment regimen, so “the risks of each individual therapeutic regimen should be discussed with the patient,” Dr. Cwynarski and her colleagues said.
If a patient is diagnosed with PMBCL while pregnant, treatment should be managed in conjunction with high-risk obstetrics and anesthesia specialists. Rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) has been used in pregnancy, and immunotherapy without antimetabolites can be considered in the second and third trimesters, according to the good practice paper. These are strong fertility and pregnancy recommendations, backed by moderate to low-quality evidence.
If superior vena cava obstruction causes thrombosis, local standard of care for anticoagulation should be used, but therapy-induced thrombocytopenia should be taken into consideration.
There is a lack of prospective, randomized studies to guide treatment decisions in PMBCL, according to the paper. Still, adding rituximab improves both response rates and duration of remission, they noted.
The standard of care for treatment is six cycles of R-CHOP and involved site radiotherapy (ISRT). If the patient is being cared for at a site that can manage the complexities of dose adjustment and monitoring, dose-adjusted etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and rituximab (DA-EPOCH-R) without ISRT is an alternative, according to the good practice paper.
All patients should be offered clinical trial participation when feasible, a strong recommendation based on high-quality evidence.
To assess the response to therapy, R-CHOP and ISRT recipients not participating in a clinical trial should receive a PET-CT scan 2-3 months after treatment is completed, and DA-EPOCH-R patients should receive their scan 6 weeks after the end of therapy. For all patients, Deauville criteria should be used in reporting response scan results. These strong recommendations about posttherapy imaging are based on moderate-quality evidence.
The rate of relapse and refractory disease is relatively low at about 10%-30%, Dr. Cwynarski and her colleagues said. Relapse usually happens within the first year and is rare after 2 years; extranodal disease is common, but usually spares the central nervous system and bone marrow. The good practice paper authors strongly recommend, based on high-quality evidence, that biopsy and fluorodeoxyglucose-PET/CT should be performed with relapse.
Radiotherapy can be considered if the relapse is localized and the patient didn’t receive initial radiotherapy, a strong recommendation with moderate evidence to support it.
Salvage regimens for patients who have not previously achieved complete metabolic response lack a disease-specific evidence base, noted Dr. Cwynarski and her colleagues. Taking this into consideration, a PMBCL salvage regimen should be the same as that offered to patients with relapsed diffused large B-cell lymphoma. High-dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation is appropriate for responsive disease.
If radiotherapy had not been given previously, it should be considered either pre- or post transplant. This, along with the other salvage therapy guidance, is a weak recommendation, backed by moderate evidence.
For longer-term follow-up, asymptomatic patients should not have routine imaging, a strong recommendation with moderate evidence. “[P]atients who remain in remission may be considered for discharge back to primary care,” Dr. Cwynarski and her coauthors said, making a weak recommendation based on low-quality evidence. Patients and their primary care providers should know about the potential for such long-term complications as cardiac toxicities and second malignancies.
SOURCE: Cwynarski K et al. Br J Haematol. 2019 Jan 4. doi:10.1111/bjh.15731
Fertility preservation, imaging and radiotherapy guidelines, and best practices in relapse or salvage therapy for primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) are all highlighted in a new good practice paper from the British Society for Haematology.
Though PMBCL was previously thought of as a subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, “gene expression profiling data has shown it to be a separate clinicopathological entity with evidence of an overlap with classic Hodgkin lymphoma,” said Kate Cwynarski, MD, PhD, of University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in England, and her coauthors. The recommendations were published in the British Journal of Haematology.
PMBCL makes up 2%-4% of non-Hodgkin lymphomas, they said; a bulky anterior mediastinal mass is the usual initial presentation. PMBCL does not usually spread beyond the thoracic cavity.
Biopsy, which should be reviewed by a hematopathologist, is required for a histological diagnosis of PMBCL. A multidisciplinary team should review the clinical presentation, pathology, and management plan, according to the good practice paper authors. This was a strong recommendation backed by a high level of evidence.
In addition, patients should receive positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET/CT) at diagnosis, before steroids are administered, if possible, as standard of care. Results from the PET/CT should be reported in accordance with international guidelines. These strong recommendations are backed by high-quality evidence.
If PET/CT is performed, then “a bone marrow biopsy is not considered essential,” said Dr. Cwynarski and her coauthors. However, if the findings would influence management, such as when there is extranodal disease that presents central nervous system opportunities, then bone marrow biopsy should be performed. It should also be performed when cytotoxic therapy was initiated before PET/CT could be done. This is a weak recommendation supported by moderate evidence.
Since patients with PMBCL are usually young adults at presentation, it’s important to consider fertility preservation in the face of chemotherapy. For males, semen preservation should be offered. Female patients may not be able to postpone treatment long enough to accomplish egg harvesting. The risk of infertility and premature ovarian failure will depend on the treatment regimen, so “the risks of each individual therapeutic regimen should be discussed with the patient,” Dr. Cwynarski and her colleagues said.
If a patient is diagnosed with PMBCL while pregnant, treatment should be managed in conjunction with high-risk obstetrics and anesthesia specialists. Rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) has been used in pregnancy, and immunotherapy without antimetabolites can be considered in the second and third trimesters, according to the good practice paper. These are strong fertility and pregnancy recommendations, backed by moderate to low-quality evidence.
If superior vena cava obstruction causes thrombosis, local standard of care for anticoagulation should be used, but therapy-induced thrombocytopenia should be taken into consideration.
There is a lack of prospective, randomized studies to guide treatment decisions in PMBCL, according to the paper. Still, adding rituximab improves both response rates and duration of remission, they noted.
The standard of care for treatment is six cycles of R-CHOP and involved site radiotherapy (ISRT). If the patient is being cared for at a site that can manage the complexities of dose adjustment and monitoring, dose-adjusted etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and rituximab (DA-EPOCH-R) without ISRT is an alternative, according to the good practice paper.
All patients should be offered clinical trial participation when feasible, a strong recommendation based on high-quality evidence.
To assess the response to therapy, R-CHOP and ISRT recipients not participating in a clinical trial should receive a PET-CT scan 2-3 months after treatment is completed, and DA-EPOCH-R patients should receive their scan 6 weeks after the end of therapy. For all patients, Deauville criteria should be used in reporting response scan results. These strong recommendations about posttherapy imaging are based on moderate-quality evidence.
The rate of relapse and refractory disease is relatively low at about 10%-30%, Dr. Cwynarski and her colleagues said. Relapse usually happens within the first year and is rare after 2 years; extranodal disease is common, but usually spares the central nervous system and bone marrow. The good practice paper authors strongly recommend, based on high-quality evidence, that biopsy and fluorodeoxyglucose-PET/CT should be performed with relapse.
Radiotherapy can be considered if the relapse is localized and the patient didn’t receive initial radiotherapy, a strong recommendation with moderate evidence to support it.
Salvage regimens for patients who have not previously achieved complete metabolic response lack a disease-specific evidence base, noted Dr. Cwynarski and her colleagues. Taking this into consideration, a PMBCL salvage regimen should be the same as that offered to patients with relapsed diffused large B-cell lymphoma. High-dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation is appropriate for responsive disease.
If radiotherapy had not been given previously, it should be considered either pre- or post transplant. This, along with the other salvage therapy guidance, is a weak recommendation, backed by moderate evidence.
For longer-term follow-up, asymptomatic patients should not have routine imaging, a strong recommendation with moderate evidence. “[P]atients who remain in remission may be considered for discharge back to primary care,” Dr. Cwynarski and her coauthors said, making a weak recommendation based on low-quality evidence. Patients and their primary care providers should know about the potential for such long-term complications as cardiac toxicities and second malignancies.
SOURCE: Cwynarski K et al. Br J Haematol. 2019 Jan 4. doi:10.1111/bjh.15731
FROM BRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY
Four-drug combo shows durable responses in relapsed/refractory lymphomas
LA JOLLA, CALIF. — Results of a phase 1 trial suggest a four-drug combination can produce durable responses in patients with relapsed or refractory T- and B-cell lymphomas.
Seven of 15 patients responded to treatment with romidepsin, gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, and dexamethasone, including six patients who achieved a complete response (CR).
The median duration of response was 8.5 months, and three patients had responses lasting more than 24 months.
Patients with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) in particular responded well to the combination.
Neha Mehta-Shah, MD, of Washington University in St. Louis, and her colleagues presented these results in a poster at the annual T-cell Lymphoma Forum.
“[I]t was thought that the addition of histone deacetylase inhibitors to traditional platinum-based chemotherapies, which tend to cause DNA damage, would increase the response of platinum-based therapies,” Dr. Shah said.
With that in mind, she and her colleagues added romidepsin to gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, and dexamethasone and evaluated this combination in patients with relapsed/refractory lymphomas.
The trial (NCT02181218) enrolled 15 patients — 6 with peripheral T-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS), 6 with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and 3 with AITL.
The patients’ median age was 66 (range, 55-83), and they had received a median of 2 (range, 1-4) prior therapies.
The researchers tested three dose levels of romidepsin — 8 mg/m2, 10 mg/m2, and 12 mg/m2 — given on day 2 of a 21-day cycle. The study originally included romidepsin on day 8 as well. However, the researchers discontinued the day 8 dose after patients developed grade 4 thrombocytopenia.
Patients also received gemcitabine at 1,000 mg/m2 (day 1), oxaliplatin at 100 mg/m2 (day 1), and dexamethasone at 20 mg (days 1-4). All patients received pegfilgrastim at 6 mg (day 3) as well.
The patients could receive up to eight cycles of treatment if they had stable disease or better and did not experience significant toxicity.
Safety
There was one dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) — pneumonia — at the 8 mg/m2 dose of romidepsin (given on days 2 and 8). There was one DLT — bleeding — at the 10 mg/m2 dose (day 2 only).
Two patients experienced DLTs — neutropenic fever and grade 4 thrombocytopenia — at the 12 mg/m2 dose (day 2 only).
Based on these events, 10 mg/m2 was considered the maximum-tolerated dose of romidepsin.
The most common adverse events (AEs) in this trial were thrombocytopenia (n = 13), electrolyte abnormalities (n = 12), liver function abnormalities (n = 10), anemia (n = 9), neutropenia (n = 8), fatigue (n = 7), nausea (n = 7), and creatinine increase (n = 5).
Grade 3/4 AEs included thrombocytopenia (n = 13), neutropenia (n = 5), anemia (n = 3), hyperglycemia (n = 2), hyperuricemia (n = 2), febrile neutropenia (n = 1), tumor lysis syndrome (n = 1), vomiting (n = 1), peripheral sensory neuropathy (n = 1), pneumonia (n = 1), sepsis (n = 1), bleeding (n = 1), and elevated troponin (n = 1).
Serious AEs requiring hospitalization included pneumonia (n = 1), nausea and vomiting (n = 1), tumor lysis syndrome (n = 1), and complications of disease progression (n = 4).
Efficacy
The overall response rate was 47% (7/15). CRs occurred in all three patients with AITL and two patients with DLBCL. One patient with PTCL-NOS had a CR, and one had a partial response.
The median duration of response was 8.5 months (range, 1.2-36.6 months). Four patients remain in CR — two with AITL, one with PTCL-NOS, and one with DLBCL.
Dr. Shah noted that the CRs in the AITL patients “have been quite prolonged.” One patient had a CR lasting 27 months, and another had a CR lasting 29 months.
Dr. Shah said these results are particularly exciting because patients discontinued study treatment after eight cycles or two cycles after they achieved a CR.
“[S]ome of these patients remained in remission for 2 years without any therapy thereafter, which is quite impressive in a population where the median survival — for patients with relapsed/refractory AITL — is thought to be 6-10 months,” Dr. Shah said.
She noted that this study is ongoing with an expansion cohort of patients with T-cell lymphomas.
This research was supported by Celgene. Dr. Shah reported relationships with Celgene, Kyowa Kirin, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Verastem, and Genentech.
The T-cell Lymphoma Forum is organized by Jonathan Wood & Associates, which is owned by the same company as this news organization.
LA JOLLA, CALIF. — Results of a phase 1 trial suggest a four-drug combination can produce durable responses in patients with relapsed or refractory T- and B-cell lymphomas.
Seven of 15 patients responded to treatment with romidepsin, gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, and dexamethasone, including six patients who achieved a complete response (CR).
The median duration of response was 8.5 months, and three patients had responses lasting more than 24 months.
Patients with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) in particular responded well to the combination.
Neha Mehta-Shah, MD, of Washington University in St. Louis, and her colleagues presented these results in a poster at the annual T-cell Lymphoma Forum.
“[I]t was thought that the addition of histone deacetylase inhibitors to traditional platinum-based chemotherapies, which tend to cause DNA damage, would increase the response of platinum-based therapies,” Dr. Shah said.
With that in mind, she and her colleagues added romidepsin to gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, and dexamethasone and evaluated this combination in patients with relapsed/refractory lymphomas.
The trial (NCT02181218) enrolled 15 patients — 6 with peripheral T-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS), 6 with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and 3 with AITL.
The patients’ median age was 66 (range, 55-83), and they had received a median of 2 (range, 1-4) prior therapies.
The researchers tested three dose levels of romidepsin — 8 mg/m2, 10 mg/m2, and 12 mg/m2 — given on day 2 of a 21-day cycle. The study originally included romidepsin on day 8 as well. However, the researchers discontinued the day 8 dose after patients developed grade 4 thrombocytopenia.
Patients also received gemcitabine at 1,000 mg/m2 (day 1), oxaliplatin at 100 mg/m2 (day 1), and dexamethasone at 20 mg (days 1-4). All patients received pegfilgrastim at 6 mg (day 3) as well.
The patients could receive up to eight cycles of treatment if they had stable disease or better and did not experience significant toxicity.
Safety
There was one dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) — pneumonia — at the 8 mg/m2 dose of romidepsin (given on days 2 and 8). There was one DLT — bleeding — at the 10 mg/m2 dose (day 2 only).
Two patients experienced DLTs — neutropenic fever and grade 4 thrombocytopenia — at the 12 mg/m2 dose (day 2 only).
Based on these events, 10 mg/m2 was considered the maximum-tolerated dose of romidepsin.
The most common adverse events (AEs) in this trial were thrombocytopenia (n = 13), electrolyte abnormalities (n = 12), liver function abnormalities (n = 10), anemia (n = 9), neutropenia (n = 8), fatigue (n = 7), nausea (n = 7), and creatinine increase (n = 5).
Grade 3/4 AEs included thrombocytopenia (n = 13), neutropenia (n = 5), anemia (n = 3), hyperglycemia (n = 2), hyperuricemia (n = 2), febrile neutropenia (n = 1), tumor lysis syndrome (n = 1), vomiting (n = 1), peripheral sensory neuropathy (n = 1), pneumonia (n = 1), sepsis (n = 1), bleeding (n = 1), and elevated troponin (n = 1).
Serious AEs requiring hospitalization included pneumonia (n = 1), nausea and vomiting (n = 1), tumor lysis syndrome (n = 1), and complications of disease progression (n = 4).
Efficacy
The overall response rate was 47% (7/15). CRs occurred in all three patients with AITL and two patients with DLBCL. One patient with PTCL-NOS had a CR, and one had a partial response.
The median duration of response was 8.5 months (range, 1.2-36.6 months). Four patients remain in CR — two with AITL, one with PTCL-NOS, and one with DLBCL.
Dr. Shah noted that the CRs in the AITL patients “have been quite prolonged.” One patient had a CR lasting 27 months, and another had a CR lasting 29 months.
Dr. Shah said these results are particularly exciting because patients discontinued study treatment after eight cycles or two cycles after they achieved a CR.
“[S]ome of these patients remained in remission for 2 years without any therapy thereafter, which is quite impressive in a population where the median survival — for patients with relapsed/refractory AITL — is thought to be 6-10 months,” Dr. Shah said.
She noted that this study is ongoing with an expansion cohort of patients with T-cell lymphomas.
This research was supported by Celgene. Dr. Shah reported relationships with Celgene, Kyowa Kirin, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Verastem, and Genentech.
The T-cell Lymphoma Forum is organized by Jonathan Wood & Associates, which is owned by the same company as this news organization.
LA JOLLA, CALIF. — Results of a phase 1 trial suggest a four-drug combination can produce durable responses in patients with relapsed or refractory T- and B-cell lymphomas.
Seven of 15 patients responded to treatment with romidepsin, gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, and dexamethasone, including six patients who achieved a complete response (CR).
The median duration of response was 8.5 months, and three patients had responses lasting more than 24 months.
Patients with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) in particular responded well to the combination.
Neha Mehta-Shah, MD, of Washington University in St. Louis, and her colleagues presented these results in a poster at the annual T-cell Lymphoma Forum.
“[I]t was thought that the addition of histone deacetylase inhibitors to traditional platinum-based chemotherapies, which tend to cause DNA damage, would increase the response of platinum-based therapies,” Dr. Shah said.
With that in mind, she and her colleagues added romidepsin to gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, and dexamethasone and evaluated this combination in patients with relapsed/refractory lymphomas.
The trial (NCT02181218) enrolled 15 patients — 6 with peripheral T-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS), 6 with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and 3 with AITL.
The patients’ median age was 66 (range, 55-83), and they had received a median of 2 (range, 1-4) prior therapies.
The researchers tested three dose levels of romidepsin — 8 mg/m2, 10 mg/m2, and 12 mg/m2 — given on day 2 of a 21-day cycle. The study originally included romidepsin on day 8 as well. However, the researchers discontinued the day 8 dose after patients developed grade 4 thrombocytopenia.
Patients also received gemcitabine at 1,000 mg/m2 (day 1), oxaliplatin at 100 mg/m2 (day 1), and dexamethasone at 20 mg (days 1-4). All patients received pegfilgrastim at 6 mg (day 3) as well.
The patients could receive up to eight cycles of treatment if they had stable disease or better and did not experience significant toxicity.
Safety
There was one dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) — pneumonia — at the 8 mg/m2 dose of romidepsin (given on days 2 and 8). There was one DLT — bleeding — at the 10 mg/m2 dose (day 2 only).
Two patients experienced DLTs — neutropenic fever and grade 4 thrombocytopenia — at the 12 mg/m2 dose (day 2 only).
Based on these events, 10 mg/m2 was considered the maximum-tolerated dose of romidepsin.
The most common adverse events (AEs) in this trial were thrombocytopenia (n = 13), electrolyte abnormalities (n = 12), liver function abnormalities (n = 10), anemia (n = 9), neutropenia (n = 8), fatigue (n = 7), nausea (n = 7), and creatinine increase (n = 5).
Grade 3/4 AEs included thrombocytopenia (n = 13), neutropenia (n = 5), anemia (n = 3), hyperglycemia (n = 2), hyperuricemia (n = 2), febrile neutropenia (n = 1), tumor lysis syndrome (n = 1), vomiting (n = 1), peripheral sensory neuropathy (n = 1), pneumonia (n = 1), sepsis (n = 1), bleeding (n = 1), and elevated troponin (n = 1).
Serious AEs requiring hospitalization included pneumonia (n = 1), nausea and vomiting (n = 1), tumor lysis syndrome (n = 1), and complications of disease progression (n = 4).
Efficacy
The overall response rate was 47% (7/15). CRs occurred in all three patients with AITL and two patients with DLBCL. One patient with PTCL-NOS had a CR, and one had a partial response.
The median duration of response was 8.5 months (range, 1.2-36.6 months). Four patients remain in CR — two with AITL, one with PTCL-NOS, and one with DLBCL.
Dr. Shah noted that the CRs in the AITL patients “have been quite prolonged.” One patient had a CR lasting 27 months, and another had a CR lasting 29 months.
Dr. Shah said these results are particularly exciting because patients discontinued study treatment after eight cycles or two cycles after they achieved a CR.
“[S]ome of these patients remained in remission for 2 years without any therapy thereafter, which is quite impressive in a population where the median survival — for patients with relapsed/refractory AITL — is thought to be 6-10 months,” Dr. Shah said.
She noted that this study is ongoing with an expansion cohort of patients with T-cell lymphomas.
This research was supported by Celgene. Dr. Shah reported relationships with Celgene, Kyowa Kirin, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Verastem, and Genentech.
The T-cell Lymphoma Forum is organized by Jonathan Wood & Associates, which is owned by the same company as this news organization.
REPORTING FROM TCLF 2019
Key clinical point:
Major finding: Seven patients responded, and three patients had responses lasting more than 24 months.
Study details: Phase 1 trial of 15 patients.
Disclosures: This research was supported by Celgene. The presenter reported relationships with Celgene, Kyowa Kirin, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Verastem, and Genentech.
