Indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Research Articles

Radiothérapie des lymphomes malins non hodgkiniens localisés de type MALT (gastriques et de la région orbitaire)

Primary gastric and orbital MALT lymphomas are both low grade (indolent) B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Traditionally, these tumors are radiosensitive and have a good prognosis. In localized orbital and stages IE–IIE gastric MALT lymphomas without Helicobacter pylori infection or in case of persistent H. pylori infection after eradication therapy, several retrospective studies have shown that radiotherapy was an effective and well-tolerated treatment.

Red Marrow-Absorbed Dose for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients Treated with 177Lu-Lilotomab Satetraxetan, a Novel Anti-CD37 Antibody-Radionuclide Conjugate.

Eight patients with relapsed CD37+ indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma were included for RM dosimetry. Hybrid SPECT and CT images were used to estimate the activity concentration in the RM of L2-L4. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated after measurement of the 177Lu-lilotomab satetraxetan concentration in blood samples. Adverse events were graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0. The mean absorbed doses to RM were 0.9 mGy/MBq for arm 1 (lilotomab+) and 1.5 mGy/MBq for arm 2 (lilotomab-). There was a statistically significant difference between arms 1 and 2 (Student t test, P = 0.02). Total RM-absorbed doses ranged from 67 to 127 cGy in arm 1 and from 158 to 207 cGy in arm 2. For blood, the area under the curve was higher with lilotomab predosing than without (P = 0.001), whereas the volume of distribution and the clearance of 177Lu-lilotomab satetraxetan was significantly lower (P = 0.01 and P = 0.03, respectively). Patients with grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia had received significantly higher radiation doses to RM than patients with grade 1/2 thrombocytopenia (P = 0.02). A surrogate, non-imaging-based, method underestimated the RM dose and did not show any correlation with toxicity. Predosing with lilotomab reduces the RM-absorbed dose for 177Lu-lilotomab satetraxetan patients. The decrease in RM dose could be explained by the lower volume of distribution. Hematologic toxicity was more severe for patients receiving higher absorbed radiation doses, indicating that adverse events possibly can be predicted by the calculation of absorbed dose to RM from SPECT/CT images.

Abstract CT085: Phase III randomized, double-blind, controlled studies of the PI3K inhibitor copanlisib in combination with rituximab or rituximab-based chemotherapy in subjects with relapsed indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (iNHL): CHRONOS-3 and CHRONOS-4

Abstract Background: Patients with newly diagnosed iNHL generally receive rituximab (R) either alone or given with an alkylating agent (bendamustine, ie R-B) or a chemotherapy combination containing an alkylating agent (CHOP, ie R-CHOP). Patients progressing after 6 months or more from last treatment are considered to be R-sensitive and candidates for re-treatment, whether with R treatment alone if ineligible for treatment with an alkylating agent or with a different R-chemotherapy treatment compared to initial treatment. Copanlisib is a novel pan-Class I PI3K inhibitor with potent preclinical inhibitory activity against both PI3K-δ and PI3K-α isoforms. Copanlisib has activity as monotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory iNHL (Dreyling et al., ASH 2014). Therefore, in two separate phase III studies in the second line setting, we seek to evaluate the efficacy and safety of copanlisib in combination with R or R-based chemotherapy; namely CHRONOS-3, copanlisib plus R versus placebo plus R; and CHRONOS-4, copanlisib plus chemotherapy (R-B or R-CHOP) versus chemotherapy alone. The primary endpoints are progression-free survival. Methods: Patients must have histologically confirmed diagnosis of iNHL (including follicular lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma (splenic, nodal, or extra-nodal), small lymphocytic lymphoma, or lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma/Waldenström macroglobulinemia) and have previously received at least one line of therapy including rituximab and alkylating agents. Patients must be not refractory to rituximab during any prior line of therapy (response <6 months). Patients contraindicated for chemotherapy in the second line setting or with a treatment-free interval after the last rituximab-based treatment of ?12 months are eligible for CHRONOS-3, whereas patients able to receive chemotherapy are eligible for CHRONOS-4. For CHRONOS-3, patients will be randomized 2:1 to copanlisib (60 mg) or placebo administered intravenously on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle in combination with 375 mg/m2 of rituximab administered on days 1, 8, 15 and 22. Radiologic tumor assessment will be performed every 8, 12, or 24 weeks for years 1, 2, and 3, respectively. For CHRONOS-4, there will be an initial safety run-in with 45 mg copanlisib with either R-B or R-CHOP and if well tolerated, 60 mg, on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle with B iv 90 mg/m2 days 1 and 2, or on days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle with CHOP per standard dosing. After the run-in phase, patients eligible to receive R-B or R-CHOP will be randomized 1:1 to either copanlisib or placebo and receive up to 6 cycles of R-B or R-CHOP after which they will receive either copanlisib or placebo as monotherapy. Radiologic tumor assessment will be performed every 12 weeks for years 1 and 2, and every 24 weeks years 3-5. Citation Format: John F. Gerecitano, Pier L. Zinzani, HongXia Zheng, Rodrigo Ito, Paula Y. Tanaka, Katharina Mueller, Jason Yuan, Barrett H. Childs. Phase III randomized, double-blind, controlled studies of the PI3K inhibitor copanlisib in combination with rituximab or rituximab-based chemotherapy in subjects with relapsed indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (iNHL): CHRONOS-3 and CHRONOS-4. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr CT085.

Abstract CT084: A randomized, double-blind phase III study of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase alpha/delta inhibitor copanlisib versus placebo in patients with rituximab-refractory indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (iNHL): CHRONOS-2

Abstract Background: Copanlisib is a novel pan-Class I phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor with potent preclinical inhibitory activity against both PI3K-δ and PI3K-α isoforms. A phase II study of copanlisib in patients with relapsed/refractory indolent or aggressive lymphoma reported promising activity in the indolent NHL group (Dreyling et al., ENA 2014). The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of copanlisib in patients with indolent B-cell NHL relapsed after or refractory to standard therapy. Methods: Patients meeting the following criteria are eligible for enrollment: histologically confirmed diagnosis of indolent B-cell NHL, with follicular lymphoma (FL) grade 1-2-3a, marginal zone lymphoma (MZL; splenic, nodal, or extra-nodal), small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) with absolute lymphocyte count < 5 × 109/L at the time of diagnosis and at study entry, or lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma/Waldenström macroglobulinemia (LPL/WM), and who have previously received ? 2 prior lines of therapy with rituximab and an alkylating agent and must be refractory to the last treatment with rituximab (refractory defined as progressing or not responding within 6 months of the last course of treatment). Patients will be randomized in 2:1 manner to receive 60 mg of copanlisib administered intravenously on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle or placebo administered on the same schedule until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. Patients in the placebo arm will be allowed to cross-over to receive follow-up treatment with copanlisib, after confirmed disease progression. Dose reductions due to toxicities will be allowed. Radiologic tumor assessment will be performed every 12, 16 or 24 weeks for years 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The primary endpoint will be progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary objectives include overall objective response rate (ORR), duration of response (DOR), time to progression (TTP), complete response rate (CRR), overall survival (OS), time to deterioration as well as time to improvement in disease-related symptoms. Exploratory objectives will include secondary PFS after first progression in placebo-treated patients who cross over to receive copanlisib and time to improvement and the time to deterioration in disease-related symptoms - physical (DRS-P) of at least 3 points as measured by the FLymSI-18 questionnaire. Approximately 189 patients who meet the eligibility criteria will be randomized 2:1, with approximately 126 patients in the copanlisib monotherapy arm and approximately 63 patients in placebo arm. The study is planned to detect a 132% increase in median PFS in copanlisib versus placebo (i.e. to detect a hazard ratio of 0.43), using a stratified log-rank test. This study is currently enrolling patients (NCT02369016). Citation Format: Grzegorz S. Nowakowski, Igor Gorbatchevsky, Florian Hiemeyer, Lisa Cupit, Barrett H. Childs. A randomized, double-blind phase III study of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase alpha/delta inhibitor copanlisib versus placebo in patients with rituximab-refractory indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (iNHL): CHRONOS-2. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr CT084.

Phase II trial of bendamustine plus rituximab for previously untreated patients with indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma or elderly mantle cell lymphoma in Japan.

e19050Background: No clinical evidence is available about the bendamustine and rituximab (BR) regimen as the first-line treatment of indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) or mantle cell lymp...

Identification of granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (G-MDSCs) in the peripheral blood of Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients.

Human granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (G-MDSCs) have been described as low-density immunosuppressive CD66b+CD33dimHLA-DR-granulocytes that co-purify with mononuclear cells after density gradient centrifugation of blood from cancer patients. The role of G-MDSCs in Hodgkin (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) remains unclear.The percentage and immunophenotype of CD66b+CD33dimHLA-DR-cells were analyzed in PBMCs from HL and B-cell NHL patients (n = 124) and healthy donors (n = 48). The immunosuppressive functions of these cells were tested in vitro. Correlations between CD66b+CD33dimHLA-DR-cells and patient clinicopathological features and outcome, were evaluated.CD66b+CD33dimHLA-DR-cells were increased in PBMCs from HL and B-cell NHL patients as compared to healthy donors: 2.18 (0.02–70.92) vs 0.42 (0.04–2.97), p < 0.0001. Their percentage remained significantly higher even considering HL (n = 31), indolent (n = 31) and aggressive (n = 62) B-cell NHL patients separately: 1.54 (0.28–26.34), 2.15 (0.02–20.08), and 2.96 (0.25–70.92), respectively, p < 0.0001. CD66b+CD33dimHLA-DR-cells in patient PBMCs were mostly composed of mature CD11b+CD16+ low-density neutrophils in an activated status, as revealed by their higher CD11b and CD66b expression as compared to conventionally isolated (normal-density) autologous or healthy donor neutrophils. The in vitro depletion of CD66b+ cells from patient PBMCs restored the proliferation of autologous T cells. Higher frequencies of CD66b+CD33dimHLA-DR− G-MDSCs correlated significantly with unfavorable prognostic index scores and a shorter freedom from disease progression.PBMCs from HL and B-cell NHL patients contain a population of CD66b+CD33dimHLA-DR− G-MDSCs, mostly composed of activated low-density neutrophils with immunosuppressive properties. These findings disclose a previously unknown G-MDSC-mediated mechanism of immune-escape in lymphomas, therefore anticipating possible targets for therapeutic interventions.

Hepatitis C virus - associated B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected patients are prone to develop bone marrow or various tissue infiltrates with monoclonal B cells, monoclonal B lymphocytosis or different types of B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (BCNHL), of which the most common are splenic marginal zone BCNHL, diffuse large BCNHL and follicular lymphoma. The association between chronic HCV infection and non Hodgkin's lymphoma has been observed especially in areas with high prevalence of this viral infection. Outside the limitations of some studies that have been conducted, there are also geographic, environmental, and genetic factors that contribute to the epidemiological differences. Various microenvironmental signals, such as cytokines, viral antigenic external stimulation of lymphocyte receptors by HCV antigens, and intercellular interactions contribute to B cell proliferation. HCV lymphotropism and chronic antigenic stimulation are involved in B-lymphocyte expansion, as mixted cryoglobulinemia or monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, which can progress to BCNHL. HCV replication in B lymphocytes has oncogenic effect mediated by intracellular HCV proteins. It is also involved in an important induction of reactive oxygen species that can lead to permanent B lymphocyte damage, as DNA mutations, after binding to surface B-cell receptors. Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder could appear and it has a multiclonal potentiality that may develop into different types of lymphomas. The hematopoietic stem cell transplant made for lymphoma in HCV-infected patients can increase the risk of earlier progression to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. HCV infected patients with indolent BCNHL who receive antiviral therapy can be potentially cured. Viral clearance was related to lymphoma response, fact that highlights the probable involvement of HCV in lymphomagenesis. Direct acting antiviral drugs could be a solution for the patients who did not tolerate or respond to interferon, as they seem to be safe and highly effective. The use of chemotherapy in combination with rituximab for the treatment of BCNHL in patients infected with HCV can produce liver dysfunction. The addition of immunotherapy with rituximab can increase the viral replication, and severe complications can occure especially in patients co-infected with hepatitis B virus or immune immunodeficiency virus, in those with hepatocarcinoma, cirrhosis, or liver cytolysis. But the final result of standard immunochemotherapy applied to diffuse large BCNHL patients with HCV infection is not notably worse than in those without this viral infection. The treatment of patients chronically infected with HCV and having BCNHL is complex and requires a multidisciplinary approach and the risk / benefit ratio of rituximab treatment must be evaluated especially in those with liver cytolysis.

Augmenting Neutrophil Function By Administration of Peg-Filgrastim Potentiates Rituximab and Is Safe in Patients with Indolent B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas: Results of a Phase II Study

Background: Pre-clinical studies have shown that host immune system activation by G-CSF/GM-CSF enhances the biologic activity of rituximab through up-regulation of CD11b/18 expression on neutrophils, increase in the number of circulating granulocytes and higher CD20 epitope density on tumor cells. To further explore the role of augmenting neutrophil function in B-cell lymphoma, we conducted an open-label, single-arm, phase II study evaluating the safety and clinical efficacy of peg-filgrastim and rituximab in patients with low-grade CD20 positive B-cell Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (B-NHL) [chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), follicular lymphoma (FL) and marginal zone lymphoma (MZL)]. (NCT01682044)Materials and methods: Twenty patients with untreated or relapsed/refractory indolent lymphoma were treated with rituximab (375 mg/m2) every other week for 4 doses, and after 8 weeks every 2 months for 4 additional doses (total 8 doses). Peg-filgrastim (6mg) was administered subcutaneously 3 days before each dose of rituximab. Clinical responses and tolerability were examined according to standard international criteria. Biologic monitoring included evaluation of phenotype characteristics of host neutrophils, changes in oxidative burst, and in vitro functional assays including CMC and ADCC at baseline and before each dose of rituximab.Results: Baseline patient characteristics were as follows: Median age: 64 (28-86) yrs; 70% male; FL: 70%, CLL: 20%, MZL: 10%; Ann-Arbor stage- II- 10%, III- 30% and IV- 60%; disease status- newly diagnosed: 1, rituximab refractory: 2, relapsed ≥1 line of therapies: 17. Median number of prior therapies was 2 (1-5); 75% had previously received rituximab and 90% had received prior anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody therapy. The addition of peg-filgrastim to rituximab was well tolerated, and did not increase the frequency or severity of rituximab-related toxicities. Most of the adverse events were grade 1-2 infusion-related toxicities. One patient developed grade 4 hyperuricemia. One patient with MZL died while on treatment due to disease progression. The overall response rate (ORR) was 60% (12/20) with a complete response (CR) rate of 35% (7/20). Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 17.9 months (95% CI- 9.9-27.6 months); median overall survival (OS) was not reached. A shorter time-to-peak oxidative burst after first dose of peg-filgrastim was associated with higher rates of CR (p= 0.04) and longer PFS (p=0.03, figure 1). Though intensity of peak oxidative burst did not correlate statistically with outcomes, patients who achieved CR (and OR) had consistently higher free radical levels compared to those who did not, especially during the first 2 months of treatment. This trend waned during the latter part of therapy suggesting neutrophil exhaustion. Further analyses are ongoing to evaluate the association between rituximab ex vivo immunological assays and clinical endpoints outcomes.Conclusion: The combination of peg-filgrastim and rituximab was well tolerated with favorable response rates and PFS compared to historical controls treated with single-agent rituximab. Augmented neutrophil function was associated with higher CR rates and OS. Our results support further evaluation of strategies that enhance the innate immune system to improve rituximab activity in B-cell lymphoma. [Display omitted] DisclosuresOff Label Use: Pegfilgrastim has been combined with rituximab in this phase 2 study for treatment of indolent B-cell Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.. Czuczman:Celgene: Employment; Immunogen: Other: Advisory board; MorphoSys: Consultancy; Boehringer-Ingelheim: Other: Advisory Board.

Anti-Lymphoma Activity of Interferon-Free Antiviral Treatment in Patients with Indolent B-Cell Lymphomas Associated with Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Background: The regression of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated lymphoma with antiviral treatment (AT) is the strongest argument in favour of an etiological link between lymphoma, especially marginal zone lymphoma (MZL), and HCV infection. In addition, the favourable impact of AT on overall survival of these patients has been reported (Arcaini 2014, Michot 2015). Although there is a clear association across the studies between the lymphoma regression and the clearance of HCV, the direct anti-lymphoma activity of interferon (IFN) cannot be ruled out. AT is undergoing a revolution: new antiviral drugs, including direct-acting antiviral (DAA) like sofosbuvir (SOF) cure more than 90% of infections. However, data on new IFN-free regimens in HCV-associated lymphoproliferative disorders are scanty and based on clinical reports (Rossotti 2015; Sultanik 2015; Carrier 2015).Patients and Methods: We analyzed virological and hematological response of 26 patients (pts) with indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) or chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and HCV infection treated with an IFN-free AT. We included the 5 cases reported in literature (Rossotti 2015; Sultanik 2015; Carrier 2015) with updated follow up.Results: Histological, virological and hematological features are summarized in Table 1. Histology distribution was as follows: 12 splenic MZL, 6 extranodal MZL of MALT, 2 leukemic MZL, 2 nodal MZL, 2 CLL/SLL, 1 lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL) and 1 low grade NHL NOS. Cryoglobulins were present in 13 (symptomatic cryoglobulinemia in 5). HCV genotype was 1 in 15 pts, 2 in 4 pts, 3 in 3 pts and 4 in 2 pts, NA in 2 pts. Three pts previously received chemotherapy and 4 underwent IFN-based therapy before. Twenty-four pts received a SOF-based regimens (SOF + simeprevir in 10, SOF + ribavirin in 5, SOF + daclatasvir in 8, SOF + ledipasvir in 1) and 2 pts other regimens (ombitasvir + paritaprevir + ritonavir + ribavirin and faldaprevir + deleobuvir + ribavirin). In one pt with renal MZL 4 rituximab (R) doses have been added to SOF + simeprevir. Median AT duration was 12 weeks (range: 6-24). At time of present analysis, virological response is available in 21 pts while hematological response has been assessed in 20 pts. A sustained virological response has been obtained in 20 pts; hematological response has been observed only in pts with HCV clearance: in particular 8 pts (all MZL) achieved a complete response and 4 (all MZL) a partial response (comprising one treated also with R) while 5 had stable disease (response by histology is summarized in Table 1). In 7 pts response duration is +1 mo (in 2 pts), +2 mo (in 1 pt), +6 mo (in 3 pts), and +22 mo (in 1 pt); 6 pts (60%) cleared cryoglobulins after AT. After a median follow-up of 6 mo (range: 1-28), 2 pts progressed: one pt shifted to DLBCL and one pt without virological response progressed and died of lymphoma; another pt with hematological CR died of metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma 8 mo after AT. Complete data for all pts will be presented at the meeting.Conclusions: Our study shows that a significant rate of hematological response can be achieved in HCV-associated MZL also with IFN-free AT. These data are a strong rationale for planning prospective trials with DAA in this setting.Table 1Features of 26 pts with NHL associated with HCV infection treated with IFN-free regimen and lymphoma response by histologyN%Age, median (range)2657 (40-78)M/F11/1542/58- Marginal-zone lymphoma SplenicNodalExtranodal of MALTLeukemic MZL- CLL - Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma - Low-grade B-cell NHL NOS22 12 2 6 2 2 1 184.7 46.2 7.7 23.1 7.7 7.7 3.8 3.8Ann Arbor stage III-IV1973B symptoms415ECOG 0 1 2 311 10 0 150 45 0 5BM involvement1454Extranodal disease1765Splenic involvement1350Liver involvement519Nodal disease1558Bulky disease727Leukemic disease935Elevated LDH8/2236Elevated b2-microglobulin8/1080Albumin <3.5 g/dl3/2114Serum MC9/2241HCV genotype - 1 - 2 - 3 - 415 4 3 263 17 12 8Cryoglobulins1350Symptomatic cryoglobulinemia5/1338HBsAg1/254Anti-HBc4/2516Lymphoma response by histology- Marginal-zone lymphoma (n=17) Splenic (n=9)Nodal (n=1)Extranodal of MALT (n=5)Leukemic MZL (n=2)- CLL (n=2) - Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (n=1)CR/PR/SD/Progression8/4/2/3 4/2/2/1 1/-/-/- 2/1/-/2 1/1/-/- -/-/2/- -/-/1/- DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Maintenance Rituximab Following R-CHOP Chemotherapy in Patients with Composite or Discordant, Indolent and Aggressive, B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas

Background:Patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) who achieve a complete (CR) or partial (PR) response to rituximab-containing chemotherapy followed by maintenance rituximab (MR) experience improved progression-free survival (PFS). In contrast, MR does not improve outcomes in chemo-sensitive patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). There are no published data describing the impact of MR in patients presenting with indolent and aggressive histology lymphoma simultaneously in the same biopsy (composite, COM) or two separate sites (discordant, DIS).Methods:Patients with newly-diagnosed COM/DIS lymphomas composed of an indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (excluding CLL/SLL, mantle cell lymphoma, and grade 3B FL) and DLBCL were identified in the British Columbia Cancer Agency Lymphoid Cancer Database. All patients received first-line chemotherapy with R-CHOP. In early 2006, a treatment policy was introduced recommending MR 375 mg/m2 IV every 3 months for 2 years in patients with COM/DIS lymphomas achieving a CR/PR to R-CHOP induction. PFS, time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) were calculated from the time of diagnosis and compared between treatment groups.Results:98 patients with COM/DIS lymphomas were identified between January 2001 and December 2013: median age 64 y (range 22 - 86), 56% male, 48% elevated LDH, 30% performance status ≥ 2, 87% stage III/IV, and 51% high-intermediate or high IPI. 58 (59%) and 40 (41%) patients had COM and DIS lymphoma, respectively. FL was the indolent component in 65% of all cases. 35/40 patients with DIS had low-grade histology in the bone marrow. Following R-CHOP, 77 (79%) and 21 (21%) patients achieved CR and PR, respectively. 43 patients were treated with R-CHOP alone before the MR policy introduction, and 55 were treated with R-CHOP+MR; the latter group received a median of 8 (range 1 - 8) MR doses. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics or response rates between the two groups with the exception of a higher proportion of patients with poor performance status in the group not given MR.With a median follow-up of 10y (range 1.5 - 13.6) in living patients treated with R-CHOP and 6y (range 0.9-9.5) in patients treated with R-CHOP+MR, there were 20 (47%) and 15 (27%) relapses, respectively (p=0.26). Of these, 11 relapsed with indolent histology, 11 relapsed with DLBCL, 3 relapsed in the central nervous system (CNS), and 10 had no biopsy at relapse (8 had aggressive and 2 indolent clinical behavior on review of medical records). There were 6 (30%) indolent and 14 (70%) aggressive relapses in patients treated with R-CHOP, while there were 7 (47%) indolent and 8 (53%) aggressive relapses in patients treated with R-CHOP+MR (p=0.31). 19 patients eventually died from lymphoma (8 with DLBCL relapse, 5 without a biopsy at relapse, and all 3 with CNS recurrence).The 6-y PFS was 60% (standard error [SE] 5%) with no difference between patients treated with or without MR (Hazard ratio (HR) 0.74, 95% CI 0.39 - 1.37, p= 0.33). The 6-year TTP was 64% (SE 5%), again with no differences between the two groups (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.34 - 1.33, p= 0.25). The 6-year OS was similar between the two groups (p= 0.89). In the subgroup of patients with FL (21 R-CHOP and 43 R-CHOP+MR) the addition of MR did not impact PFS (p= 0.90), TTP (p= 0.99), or OS (p=0.55).An additional 52 patients were diagnosed after the treatment policy introduction in 2006, but did not receive MR for several reasons including physician non-adherence, progressive disease on R-CHOP, toxicity from R-CHOP or patient refusal. In an intent-to-treat analysis (43 pre-policy and 107 post-policy) there were no differences in outcomes. In a per-protocol analysis (95 R-CHOP and 55 R-CHOP+MR), there were no significant differences in outcomes.Conclusion:The addition of MR does not appear to improve PFS, TTP or OS in patients with COM/DIS lymphomas achieving CR/PR to R-CHOP, although comparisons are likely underpowered and 6-year median length of follow-up in the MR group may not be sufficient. However, the majority (63%) of relapses are aggressive and unlikely to be impacted by MR. The role of MR in these uncommon lymphomas requires further exploration. DisclosuresConnors:Roche: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding. Savage:Seattle Genetics: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; BMS: Honoraria; Infinity: Honoraria; Roche: Other: Institutional research funding. Scott:Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; NanoString: Patents & Royalties: Inventor on a patent that NanoString has licensed. Gerrie:Roche: Honoraria, Other: Advisory board, Research Funding; Lundbeck: Honoraria, Other: Advisory board, Research Funding; Janssen: Other: Advisory board. Villa:Roche: Research Funding.

Rituximab for indolent lymphomas before and after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

The most substantial advancement in the treatment of indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), since the advent of combination chemotherapy, has been the introduction of the monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody rituximab. However, the optimal schedule, timing, and duration of rituximab therapy remain controversial. Since its initially reported single-agent activity in 1997, the role of rituximab has greatly expanded and it is now ubiquitously integrated in all treatment phases of indolent NHL. Yet, several questions remain to be addressed: should asymptomatic patients be treated at diagnosis with single-agent rituximab or still kept in watchful waiting, what are the optimal first-line treatments to combine with rituximab, what is the role of maintenance therapy, and is there a benefit in incorporating rituximab in autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation schemes for these diseases? Recent and ongoing clinical trials tackling these relevant issues will be presented and critically discussed in this article. Excellent outcomes are reported with rituximab therapy in indolent NHL, both early and late in the disease course. Continued study of this most valuable therapeutic agent is warranted to set the optimal treatment approach leading to cure the majority of patients.

Whole exome sequencing of microdissected splenic marginal zone lymphoma: a study to discover novel tumor-specific mutations.

BackgroundSplenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) is an indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and represents the most common primary malignancy of the spleen. Its precise molecular pathogenesis is still unknown and specific molecular markers for diagnosis or possible targets for causal therapies are lacking.MethodsWe performed whole exome sequencing (WES) and copy number analysis from laser-microdissected tumor cells of two primary SMZL discovery cases. Selected somatic single nucleotide variants (SNVs) were analyzed using pyrosequencing and Sanger sequencing in an independent validation cohort.ResultsOverall, 25 nonsynonymous somatic SNVs were identified, including known mutations in the NOTCH2 and MYD88 genes. Twenty-three of the mutations have not been associated with SMZL before. Many of these seem to be subclonal. Screening of 24 additional SMZL for mutations at the same positions found mutated in the WES approach revealed no recurrence of mutations for ZNF608 and PDE10A, whereas the MYD88 L265P missense mutation was identified in 15 % of cases. An analysis of the NOTCH2 PEST domain and the whole coding region of the transcription factor SMYD1 in eight cases identified no additional case with a NOTCH2 mutation, but two additional cases with SMYD1 alterations.ConclusionsIn this first WES approach from microdissected SMZL tissue we confirmed known mutations and discovered new somatic variants. Recurrence of MYD88 mutations in SMZL was validated, but NOTCH2 PEST domain mutations were relatively rare (10 % of cases). Recurrent mutations in the transcription factor SMYD1 have not been described in SMZL before and warrant further investigation.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-015-1766-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

PI3K isoform-selective inhibitors: next-generation targeted cancer therapies.

The pivotal roles of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3Ks) in human cancers have inspired active development of small molecules to inhibit these lipid kinases. However, the first-generation pan-PI3K and dual-PI3K/mTOR inhibitors have encountered problems in clinical trials, with limited efficacies as a monotherapeutic agent as well as a relatively high rate of side effects. It is increasingly recognized that different PI3K isoforms play non-redundant roles in particular tumor types, which has prompted the development of isoform-selective inhibitors for pre-selected patients with the aim for improving efficacy while decreasing undesirable side effects. The success of PI3K isoform-selective inhibitors is represented by CAL101 (Idelalisib), a first-in-class PI3Kδ-selective small-molecule inhibitor that has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and relapsed small lymphocytic lymphoma. Inhibitors targeting other PI3K isoforms are also being extensively developed. This review focuses on the recent progress in development of PI3K isoform-selective inhibitors for cancer therapy. A deeper understanding of the action modes of novel PI3K isoform-selective inhibitors will provide valuable information to further validate the concept of targeting specific PI3K isoforms, while the identification of biomarkers to stratify patients who are likely to benefit from the therapy will be essential for the success of these agents.

Lymphoma Immunotherapy: Current Status.

The rationale to treat lymphomas with immunotherapy comes from long-standing evidence on their distinctive immune responsiveness. Indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas, in particular, establish key interactions with the immune microenvironment to ensure prosurvival signals and prevent antitumor immune activation. However, reports of spontaneous regressions indicate that, under certain circumstances, patients develop therapeutic antitumor immunity. Several immunotherapeutic approaches have been thus developed to boost these effects in all patients. To date, targeting CD20 on malignant B cells with the antibody rituximab has been the most clinically effective strategy. However, relapse and resistance prevent to cure approximately half of B-NHL patients, underscoring the need of more effective therapies. The recognition of B-cell receptor variable regions as B-NHL unique antigens promoted the development of specific vaccines to immunize patients against their own tumor. Despite initial promising results, this strategy has not yet demonstrated a sufficient clinical benefit to reach the regulatory approval. Several novel agents are now available to stimulate immune effector functions or counteract immunosuppressive mechanisms, such as engineered antitumor T cells, co-stimulatory receptor agonist, and immune checkpoint-blocking antibodies. Thus, multiple elements can now be exploited in more effective combinations to break the barriers for the induction of anti-lymphoma immunity.

Abstract CT212: CHRONOS-2: A randomized, double-blind phase III study of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase alpha/delta inhibitor copanlisib versus placebo in patients with rituximab-refractory indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (iNHL)

Abstract Background: Copanlisib is a novel pan-Class I phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor with potent preclinical inhibitory activity against both PI3K-δ and PI3K-α isoforms. A phase II study of copanlisib in patients with relapsed/refractory indolent or aggressive lymphoma reported a promising overall response rate of up to 53% for patients in the indolent NHL group (Dreyling et al., ENA 2014). The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of copanlisib in patients with indolent B-cell NHL relapsed after or refractory to standard therapy. Methods: In this study, patients meeting the following criteria will be eligible for enrollment: histologically confirmed diagnosis of indolent B-cell NHL, with follicular lymphoma (FL) grade 1-2-3a, marginal zone lymphoma (MZL; splenic, nodal, or extra-nodal), small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) with absolute lymphocyte count &amp;lt; 5 × 109/L at the time of diagnosis and at study entry, or lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma/Waldenström macroglobulinemia (LPL/WM), and who have previously received ≥ 2 prior lines of therapy with rituximab and an alkylating agent and must be refractory to the last treatment with rituximab (refractory defined as not responding or progressing within 6 months of the last course of treatment). Patients will be randomized in 2:1 manner to receive 60 mg of copanlisib administered intravenously on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle or placebo administered on the same schedule. Patients will be treated until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. Patients in the placebo arm will be allowed to cross-over to receive follow-up treatment with copanlisib, after confirmed disease progression. Dose reductions due to toxicities to 45 mg and 30 mg will be allowed. Radiologic tumor assessment will be performed every 12, 16 or 24 weeks for years 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The primary endpoint will be progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary objectives include overall objective response rate (ORR), duration of response (DOR), time to progression (TTP), complete response rate (CRR), overall survival (OS), time to deterioration as well as time to improvement in disease-related symptoms. Exploratory objectives will include secondary PFS after first progression in placebo-treated patients who cross over to receive copanlisib and time to improvement and the time to deterioration in disease-related symptoms-physical (DRS-P) of at least 3 points as measured by the FLymSI-18 questionnaire. Approximately 189 patients who meet the eligibility criteria will be randomized 2:1, with approximately 126 patients in the copanlisib monotherapy arm and approximately 63 patients in placebo arm. The study is planned to detect a 132% increase in median PFS in copanlisib versus placebo (i.e. to detect a hazard ratio of 0.43), using a stratified log-rank test. Citation Format: Grzegorz S. Nowakowski, Igor Gorbatchevsky, Florian Hiemeyer, Lisa Cupit, Barrett H. Childs. CHRONOS-2: A randomized, double-blind phase III study of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase alpha/delta inhibitor copanlisib versus placebo in patients with rituximab-refractory indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (iNHL). [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr CT212. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-CT212

Abstract CT215: CHRONOS-1: Open-label, uncontrolled phase II trial of intravenous phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase alpha/delta inhibitor copanlisib in patients with relapsed, indolent Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (iNHL)

Abstract Background: Copanlisib is a novel pan-Class I phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor with potent preclinical inhibitory activity against both PI3K-δ and PI3K-α isoforms. Results from a phase II study of copanlisib in 67 patients with relapsed/refractory indolent or aggressive lymphoma have been reported, with a promising overall response rate for 53% seen for patients in the indolent lymphoma group (Dreyling et al., ASH 2014; Dreyling et al., ENA 2014). Enrollment in an expansion cohort of 120 patients with indolent lymphoma has been initiated. The objective of the study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of copanlisib in patients with indolent B-cell NHL relapsed after or refractory to standard therapy. Methods: In this study (NCT01660451), patients meeting the following criteria will be eligible for enrollment: histologically confirmed diagnosis of indolent B-cell NHL, with follicular lymphoma (FL) grade 1-2-3a, marginal zone lymphoma (MZL; splenic, nodal, or extra-nodal), small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) with absolute lymphocyte count &amp;lt; 5 × 109/L at the time of diagnosis and at study entry, or lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma/Waldenström macroglobulinemia (LPL/WM), and who have relapsed or are refractory after ≥ 2 prior lines of therapy (refractory defined as not responding to a standard regimen or progressing within 6 months of the last course of a standard regimen; patients must have received Rituximab and alkylating agents). Patients will receive 60 mg of copanlisib administered intravenously on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle. Dose reductions due to toxicities to 45 mg and 30 mg will be allowed. Patients will be followed until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. Radiologic tumor assessment will be performed every 2 cycles. Adverse events will be collected and graded using NCI-CTCAE v4. The primary endpoint will be overall objective response rate (ORR), defined as a complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) up to 16 weeks after the last patient fully evaluable for the primary endpoint started treatment. Secondary objectives include duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and quality of Life questionnaire (FACT-Lym symptoms subscale and total score) at week 16. Assuming a one-sided alpha of 0.025, 90% power and a true ORR of 75%, a total of 120 patients will be required. The trial is currently enrolling patients. Citation Format: Martin Dreyling, Marius Giurescu, Julia Grunert, Felipe Fittipaldi, Lisa Cupit, Barrett H. Childs. CHRONOS-1: Open-label, uncontrolled phase II trial of intravenous phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase alpha/delta inhibitor copanlisib in patients with relapsed, indolent Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (iNHL). [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr CT215. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-CT215

Chronic HCV infection and lymphoproliferative disorders: association or causal relationship?

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been associated with several extrahepatic manifestations. A causal relationship has been suggested for lymphoproliferative disorders (LPD) development in the setting of chronic HCV infection. The molecular mechanism of HCV-associated lymphomagenesis remains unclear, although several theories have been proposed. In a recent study, we evaluated mixed cryoglobulinemia syndrome, monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance (MGUS) and B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) prevalence in a cohort of 1313 CHC infected patients and we evaluate the association of virological and clinical factors with the presence of LPD. A positive association was found between the presence of cirrhosis and MGUS (OR=2.8924, 95%CI 1.2693-6.5909; p=0.012) and between cirrhosis and B-NHL (OR=3.9407, 95%CI 1.7226-9.0153; p=0.001). Moreover, we reported that 66.7% of patients with indolent B-NHL responders to antiviral treatment obtained a complete onco-hematological remission, supporting both the use of antiviral therapy as first-line approach in HCV-associated indolent lymphomas and the plausible causal role of HCV in lymphomagenesis.

Advancing radioimmunotherapy and its future role in non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Radioimmunotherapy is an effective treatment modality with an acceptable toxicity profile in both indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and histologic transformation. Its ease of administration from a patient's perspective sets it apart from chemoimmunotherapy regimens. It has demonstrated efficacy in a range of different treatment scenarios. Despite its promise as a treatment modality, radioimmunotherapy has been seldom used, and one of the previously available agents is now off the market. Radioimmunotherapy has shown impressive activity in both the relapsed and upfront settings in follicular lymphoma, histologic transformation, as consolidation after chemotherapy, and in conjunction with high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell support. Future efforts should focus on its optimal employment in the upfront setting for follicular lymphoma as well as further investigation of the promising activity in histologic transformation.

Dendritic cell vaccine treatment for indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma: clinical trial in progress

We present the preliminary results of our clinical trial testing 2 vaccine strategies in patients with indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). The primary objective is to determine the safety and feasibility of the vaccine approaches and secondary objectives are to describe clinical responses and identify corresponding immune changes.

Dulanermin with rituximab in patients with relapsed indolent B-cell lymphoma: an open-label phase 1b/2 randomised study

Dulanermin-a non-polyhistidine-tagged soluble recombinant human apoptosis ligand 2 (Apo2L) or tumour-necrosis-factor-related apoptosis-inducing-ligand (TRAIL)-has pro-apoptotic activity in a range of cancers and synergistic preclinical activity with rituximab against lymphoma in vivo. We aimed to assess the safety, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy of dulanermin and rituximab in patients with relapsed indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. We did an open-label phase 1b/2 randomised study. Four study centres in the USA enrolled patients into phase 1b, and 27 study centres in the USA, Italy, Australia, France, Czech Republic, New Zealand, and Poland enrolled patients into phase 2. In phase 1b, patients (age ≥18 years) with indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma with stable disease or better lasting at least 6 months after the most recent rituximab-containing regimen were included. In phase 2, patients (age ≥18 years) with follicular lymphoma grades 1-3a were included. In phase 1b, patients received 4 mg/kg or 8 mg/kg intravenous dulanermin on days 1-5 of up to four 21-day cycles and intravenous rituximab 375 mg/m(2) weekly for up to eight doses. In phase 2, patients were randomly assigned (1:1:1) centrally by an interactive voice response system to dulanermin (8 mg/kg for a maximum of four 21-day cycles), rituximab (375 mg/m(2) weekly for up to eight doses), or both in combination, stratified by baseline follicular lymphoma International Prognostic Index (0-3 vs 4-5) and geographic site (USA vs non-USA). The primary endpoints of the phase 1b study were the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of dulanermin with rituximab. The primary endpoint of phase 2 was the proportion of patients who achieved an objective response. All patients who received any dose of study drug were included in safety analyses. Efficacy analyses were per protocol. Treatment was open label; all patients and investigators were unmasked to treatment allocation. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00400764. Between June 6, 2006, and Feb 15, 2007, 12 patients were enrolled in phase 1b, and between April 4, 2007, and April 20, 2009, 60 patients were enrolled in phase 2, of whom 59 were included in safety analyses and 58 in efficacy analyses. No dose-limiting toxic effects were noted in phase 1b. The most common grade 1-2 adverse events in phase 1b were fatigue (nine; 75%), rash (five; 42%), and chills, decreased appetite, diarrhoea, and nausea (four each; 33%). 19 grade 3 or higher adverse effects were noted in five (42%) patients, with 14 occurring in one patient. After treatment with 8 mg/kg of dulanermin, in six patients the mean serum peak concentration was 80 μg/mL, dropping below the minimum detectable concentration (2 ng/mL) within 24 h after the dose. The mean steady state peak and trough concentrations of rituximab were 461 μg/mL (SD 97.5) and 303 μg/mL (92.8), respectively. In phase 2, eight (14%) of 59 patients experienced 12 grade 3 or higher adverse events. In phase 2, objective responses were noted in 14 of 22 (63.6%, 95% CI 41.8-81.3) patients treated with rituximab only, 16 of 25 (64.0%, 43.1-81.5) treated with dulanermin and rituximab, and one of 11 (9.1%, 0.5-39.0) treated with dulanermin only. The study was terminated early, on May 5, 2010, because of an absence of efficacy in the combination group. The addition of dulanermin to rituximab in patients with indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma was tolerable but did not lead to increased objective responses. This combination is not being developed further in non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Genentech and Amgen.