Prior Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Therapy Research Articles

PD-1 Expression in Lymphoma Cells Mediates Cellular Proliferation By Engaging Phosphatase SHP-1/SHP-2

Introduction: Despite the improved clinical outcomes with novel therapies in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), Richter transformation (RT) of CLL remains a major clinical challenge. Our group showed a selective response (~40%) with the PD-1 blocking antibody pembrolizumab in patients with RT, particularly after prior exposure to ibrutinib (Ding et al, Blood, 2017). It has been established that PD-1 inhibits cytotoxic T-cell functions via the interaction with its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2. However, the role of PD-1 in tumor B-cells is understudied. Here we show the expression and functional implications of the PD-1 signaling axis in B-cell pathobiology. Methods: CLL-involved lymph node (LN) (n=26) and RT (with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma [DLBCL] histology) -involved LN (n=20) samples were tested for PD-1 expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) (mouse clone NAT105, Abcam). Then, PD-1 expression was examined in 10 lymphoma cell lines and 1 CLL-like cell line (MEC-1) by both flow cytometry (FC) and Western blot (WB) analysis. PD-1 overexpression using pLEX-lentiviral packaging system (Thermo Scientific) was evaluated for its impact on in vitro cell cycle regulation and in vivo tumor growth. CRISPR/CAS9 mediated PD-1 knockdown evaluated on cell growth in MEC-1 and Mino cells. Role of PD-1 was further examined on the regulation of cell signaling pathways using human phospho kinase array kit (R&D) and WB analysis. Additionally, gene expression signatures were evaluated by RNA-seq using pLEX-lentiviral-PD-1 transfected DLBCL cell lines OCI-LY7 and OCI-LY19. Results: PD-1 expression was significantly increased in RT-LN compared to CLL-LN (mean ± SEM in RT vs. CLL, 30.6% ± 4.7% vs. 11.5% ± 2.8%, p<0.001) as determined by IHC. PD-1 expression was highest in patients with RT where the last prior CLL therapy was ibrutinib. To test the role of PD-1 in tumor B-cells, its expression was assessed in lymphoma and CLL cell lines. The expression of PD-1 was found to be variable by both FC and WB analysis, but at very low-levels in DLBCL cell lines OCI-LY7 and OCI-LY19. Constitutive lentiviral (pLEX-PD-1)-mediated overexpression of PD-1 in OCI-LY7 and OCI-LY19 cells led to increased cell growth (1.4 and 1.9 fold, respectively, compared to original lines after 4 days of culturing of equal number of cells), which was further confirmed by cell cycle analysis which showed an increase in S phase by 20.4% (p<0.05) and 24.5% (p<0.05) in OCI-LY7 and OCI-LY19 cells, respectively. When the luciferase+ PD-1 overexpressing OCI-LY7 cells (1X10 6) were injected intravenously into NSG mice, increased tumor growth (p<0.01) was observed by bioluminescence imaging after 22 days of follow-up. PD-1 knockdown in MEC-1 and Mino cells (high basal PD-1 expression) led to significant inhibition of cell growth (85% and 79.5%, respectively, p<0.05). Using phospho-kinase array, an overall decrease of phosphorylation was detected on multiple sites of p53 (S392, S15, S46) and Chk-2 (T68) in PD-1 overexpressing OCI-LY7 and OCI-LY19 cell lines. This finding was further confirmed by WB analyses. In addition, decreased total p53 and increased phosphorylation on both SHP-1 and SHP-2 were found in PD-1 overexpressing OCI-LY7 and OCI-LY19 cell lines. SHP-1 (TPI-1) and SHP-1+SHP-2 (TPI-1+TNO155) inhibitor treatment promoted OCI-LY19 cell death and led to recovery of phosphorylation on ATM, Chk-2 and p53 in these cells. RNA sequencing data in PD-1 overexpressing OCI-LY7 and OCI-LY19 cells revealed increased expression of genes that promote cell cycle progression and DNA replication. Conclusion: Our data showed robust PD-1 expression in patients with Richter transformation from CLL to DLBCL. PD-1 overexpression in DLBCL lymphoma cell lines enhanced cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Further investigation identified that PD-1 modified the phosphorylation/function of SHP phosphatases and thereby regulated p53 pathways ( Figure 1). These findings indicate that RT with DLBCL cells have the ability to “hijack” the PD-1 pathway which results in downregulation of p53 mediated DNA repair. This novel finding provides for new strategies to further evaluate the interaction of PD-1 signals with DNA repair pathways and suggest potential novel targets for RT.

Richter transformation – retrospective treatment outcomes analysis in Polish Adult Leukemia Study Group

Richter transformation (RT) is defined as developing an aggressive lymphoma in 2–10% of patients suffering from chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). So far, no complex analysis of RT demographics and treatment outcomes has been performed in Poland. Thus, the retrospective analysis of 124 patients with RT from Polish hematology centers was designed. Ninety-nine patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL-RT) were identified. The median overall survival (OS) for DLBCL-RT was 17.3 months, while for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL-RT)-21.3 months. In multivariate analysis, the independent factors of worse OS for DLBCL-RT were: prior CLL therapy, ECOG stage ≥2, and elevated serum LDH activity. Patients who proceeded to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) achieved better results. The median OS in allogeneic HSCT recipients was not reached, while in autologous HSCT median OS was 51.3 months. In conclusion, our study represents the largest dataset of patients diagnosed with RT in Poland and confirms its dismal prognosis.

Clinical Outcome and Prognostic Factors of Patients with Richter's Syndrome: Retrospective Multicenter Study of the Spanish Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) Study Group (GELLC)

Richter syndrome (RS), the development of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in the context of CLL, is an uncommon complication with a dismal prognosis. Currently, data on biological and clinical features, and factors predicting the outcome of patients are scarce, and there is still no consensus on the best therapeutic approach for these patients (pts). The aim of this study was to analyze the presenting characteristics, treatment outcomes, and factors predicting for survival in a series of pts with RS from a large population-based cohort of the Spanish CLL Study Group (GELLC).Pts diagnosed with RS during 1988 - 2017 were retrospectively identified in eleven centers of the GELLC group. Only cases with confirmed biopsy-proven RS during follow-up were included. Clinical-biological features at diagnosis of RS, including cytogenetics, clonal relation with the pre-existing CLL, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) status detected by in situ hybridization, cell of origin (COO) analyzed by immunohistochemistry, International Prognostic Index score (IPI) and the RS score (Tsimberidou AM et al, J Clin Oncol, 2006), as well as treatment and outcomes, were analyzed.One hundred and twenty-three pts with transformation of CLL to high-grade lymphoma were identified, including 108 classical DLBCL RS, 14 pts with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), and one case of plasmablastic lymphoma. Median age of the whole series was 66 years (range, 31 to 92 years), and 64% were men. For the DLBCL RS, median time from the diagnosis of CLL to RS development was of 4.7 years (range, 0-24.8 years, with 9 simultaneous diagnosis of CLL and RS), and the median number of prior therapies for CLL/SLL was 1 (range, 0-7). The main clinical characteristics of the pts are shown in table 1. EBV was detected in 12/36 (33%) cases with classical RS and in 9/11 (82%) of patients with HL variant. According to COO the majority of RS tested (20 of 24, 83%) had a non-germinal center phenotype, whereas 19/23 (83%) cases were clonally related to the preceding CLL. Twelve out of 43 pts had 17p deletion or mutation of TP53 in the CLL clone at the time of RS diagnosis.Among the 108 patients with DLBCL RS, data on the treatment for RS was available in 99 patients. Twenty-one patients did not received treatment due to frailty, comorbidities, or poor performance status. Of the 78 patients that were treated for RS, 46 patients received chemoimmunotherapy, mainly R-CHOP (n=44), 29 patients chemotherapy (most commonly CHOP and purine analogue-based therapy), and others (n=3). The overall response rate for the 99 treated patients was 44% (chemotherapy, 24%; chemoimmunotherapy, 60%; P=0.003). A total of 13 patients underwent stem-cell transplantation (SCT), allogeneic SCT (n=7) or autologous SCT (n=6).After a median follow-up for surviving patients of 36 months (range 0.8-160 months), median overall survival (OS) from the time of transformation of CLL to high grade lymphoma was 7.3 months for the entire cohort, 5.7 months for DLBCL RS patients, and 30.8 months for patients with HL variant (P=0.07). Factors associated with shorter OS in the DLBCL RS series included, ECOG PS >1, Hb level < 10 g/dL, platelet count < 100x109/L, LDH > 1.5 UNL, β2-microglobulin > 3mg/dL, prior CLL therapies >1, p53 positive determined by IHQ, and 17p deletion or mutation of TP53 determined in the CLL clone. RS score was also predictive for OS (median OS of 59.5 months [0-1 points], 5.4 months [2 points], 2 months [3 points], and 3 months [4-5 points], p= 0.006); on the contrary, IPI was not discriminative for OS in this series. In addition, RS clonally related presented a median OS of 5.9 months in comparison with 74.8 months for the clonally unrelated RS (p= 0.071). Finally, patients treated with chemoimmunotherapy combinations presented a median OS of 35.4 months, and the 13 patients that could consolidated the response obtained with SCT (autologous or allogeneic SCT) obtained a median OS of 59.5 months.Although clinical outcome of patients with RS is generally poor, chemoimmunotherapy combinations are effective and obtain durable responses in a proportion of patients. RS score and TP53 disruption are predictive of survival. Finally, pts attaining a response should be considered for SCT. Further clinical development with novel promising treatment options is warranted. [Display omitted] DisclosuresDelgado:Abbvie, Jansen, Gilead, Roche: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau.

Neutropenia analysis of venetoclax monotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia: Pooled data from VENICE-I and -II Phase IIIb trials.

e20011 Background: Neutropenia is a common hematologic Grade (Gr) 3+ adverse event (AE) recorded in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) receiving venetoclax (VEN). In this analysis, we evaluated fixed duration VEN monotherapy given to patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) CLL with and without pre-existing Gr3+ neutropenia. Methods: This post-hoc analysis pooled data from patients in the ongoing Phase 3b trials VENICE-I and VENICE-II with R/R CLL who had received ≥1 dose of VEN monotherapy (ramp-up to 400 mg QD). Gr4 hematologic AEs and Gr3+ neutropenia ( &lt; 1000 cells/mm3) with infection or fever were managed using dose interruption/reduction. Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) was used in Gr3+ neutropenia. Results: At data cutoff (June 30, 2019), 44/468 (9%) patients had Gr3+ neutropenia at baseline (BL; Gr3+ neutropenia group), 80% of whom received G-CSF during the study vs 38% of those with &lt; Gr3 neutropenia at BL ( &lt; Gr3 neutropenia group). Median on-study duration for VEN was 20.2 months (range: 0.1–36.1). Median number of prior CLL therapies was 2 for both groups (range: 1–10). Serious infections were experienced by 10/44 (23%) and 69/424 (16%) of patients in the Gr3+ and &lt; Gr3 neutropenia groups, respectively. The most common AEs leading to discontinuation overall were second primary malignancies (13/468; 3%). 5/468 (1%) patients in the total population discontinued due to neutropenia/febrile neutropenia. One case of Gr5 infection with concomitant Gr3 neutropenia was reported in the &lt; Gr3 neutropenia group post-VEN discontinuation. See Table. Conclusions: In this large post-hoc analysis, discontinuation due to neutropenia was rare (1%) in the overall population and accounted for 3/11 AE discontinuations in the Gr3+ neutropenia group; 10 patients had a serious infection. Patients with pre-existing neutropenia can be managed on VEN, though concurrent use of G-CSF is likely to be required. Additional data to follow. Clinical trial information: NCT02756611; NCT02980731 . [Table: see text]

Clinical and Biological Characteristics and Outcomes of Richter Transformation : A French Multicenter Study from the Filo Group

Clinical and Biological Characteristics and Outcomes of Richter Transformation : A French Multicenter Study from the Filo Group

Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Patients with Richter Transformation

Introduction: Richter transformation (RT) refers to transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) to an aggressive lymphoma, most commonly diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Most studies on the management of RT were either small retrospective series or early phase non-randomized trials before the era of novel agents. The natural history, prognostication and optimal treatment of patients with RT remain undefined. Here we report the clinical characteristics and outcomes of a large series of RT from a single center. Methods: Biopsy-confirmed RT (limited to non-Hodgkin lymphoma) diagnosed from 4/1993 to 4/2018 were identified from the Mayo Clinic CLL database. Clinical characteristics, treatment information and follow-up data were abstracted by chart review. Overall survival (OS) was defined as time from RT diagnosis to death from any cause and analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Statistical analysis was done in SAS 9.4. Results: A total of 204 patients with CLL who developed RT were identified. The median age at CLL diagnosis was 62 years (range 22-85), and 148 (73%) were male. The median time to transformation was 4.7 years (range 0-34.5). Prior to RT, 68 (33.3%) patients received no treatment for CLL, 109 (53.4%) received chemoimmunotherapy (CIT) only, and 27 (13.2%) received at least one novel agent (idelalisib, ibrutinib, or venetoclax) for CLL. The median lines of CLL therapy prior to RT was 2 (range 0-13). The median age at RT diagnosis was 69 years (range 30-88). Pathology of RT was DLBCL and high grade B-cell lymphoma in 193 (94.6%) and 11 (5.4%) patients, respectively. The median LDH was 306 IU/L (range 99-9000). 62/125 (49.6%) patients had bulky disease (≥ 5 cm), and the median PET SUVmax was 13.9 (range 2.9-30.0). 45/131 (34.4%) patients had del(17p) or TP53 mutation, 12 (9.2%) had del(11q), 21 (16.0%) had trisomy 12, 27 (20.6%) had del(13q), and 25 (19.1%) had normal FISH. The CLL and RT were clonally related in 12/21 (57.1%) patients. For the transformed lymphoma, cell of origin by Han9s algorithm was germinal center B cell-like (GCB) and non-GCB in 31/100 (31.0%) and 69/100 (69.0%) patients, respectively. EBV was positive in 14/52 (26.9%) patients. The median Ki-67 was 80% (range 10-100). Myc and Bcl-2 were positive by IHC in 31/43 (72.1%) and 83/103 (80.6%) patients, respectively; 27/56 (48.2%) were double-expressors. MYC, BCL2, and BCL6 rearrangement was positive by FISH in 18/68 (26.5%), 10/34 (29.4%), and 4/31 (12.9%) patients, respectively; 8/66 (12.1%) were double/triple-hit. The most common first-line treatment (Table 1 notes) of RT was R-CHOP-like regimen (n=114, 65.5%). Other treatments included R-EPOCH-like (n=6, 3.4%), high-intensity chemotherapy (n=15, 8.6%), novel agents (eg, ibrutinib, venetoclax, pembrolizumab; n=19, 10.9%), other chemotherapy (n=12, 6.9%), and palliative therapy (n=8, 4.6%). Response to first-line treatment was CR in 57 (38.0%), PR in 33 (22.0%), SD in 18 (12.0%), and PD in 42 (28.0%) patients. The median OS of the entire cohort after RT diagnosis was 12.0 months. The median OS for patients who received no prior CLL treatment, CIT only or at least one novel agent for CLL were 65.5, 7.3, and 12.0 months, respectively (P Conclusions: Over two thirds of RT were the non-GCB subtype, and about half were Myc/Bcl-2 double expressors. Patients who developed RT without prior CLL therapies had a significantly better OS. In contrast, patients who had received prior CLL therapies had poor outcomes. Myc/Bcl-2 double expressor and MYC/BCL2/BCL6 double/triple hit status had no impact on OS. Disclosures Kenderian:Humanigen: Research Funding; Novartis: Patents & Royalties; Tolero Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding. Kay:Infinity Pharm: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Agios Pharm: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Morpho-sys: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Tolero Pharmaceuticals: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Janssen: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Acerta: Research Funding; Cytomx Therapeutics: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pharmacyclics: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Gilead: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees. Parikh:Janssen: Research Funding; Abbvie: Honoraria, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Honoraria, Research Funding; MorphoSys: Research Funding; Gilead: Honoraria; Pharmacyclics: Honoraria, Research Funding. Ding:Merck: Research Funding.

PD-1 Overexpression in Richter's Transformation (RT) and Aggressive Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) after Progression on Ibrutinib Increases Bcl-2 Expression Via Akt/mTOR Pathway

Introduction: Given the established role of PD-1 in mediating immune suppression in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), we tested and reported the efficacy of PD-1 blocking antibody pembrolizumab in relapsed and transformed CLL patients. A selective response of pembrolizumab (~40%) in patients with RT, particularly after prior ibrutinib, was observed (Ding, Blood, 129:3419). Correlative analysis showed PD-1 expression in tumor B-cells of patients with RT and aggressive CLL after progression on ibrutinib. PD-1, an inhibitory receptor expressed on CLL T-cells, inhibits the immune synapse and cytotoxic T cell functions via the interactions with its ligands. However, the expression pattern and role of PD-1 in tumor B-cells is not well defined. In this study we investigated the functional implication of the PD-1 signaling axis in B-cell pathobiology in CLL and RT patients.Methods: 26 CLL-involved lymph node (LN) and 20 RT-involved LN were tested for PD-1 expression by immunohistochemistry (mouse clone NAT105, Abcam). For in vitro study, we checked PD-1 expression in 11 lymphoma cell lines and 1 CLL cell line by both flow cytometry and Western blot (WB) analysis. Effect of PD-1 knockdown using CRISPR/Cas9 system (Addgene) and over-expression of PD-1 using pLEX-lentiviral (Thermoscientific) or pRetro-retroviral (Clonetech) system were evaluated on pro-survival and apoptotic signaling pathways by Western blot analysis. Gene expression signatures in CLL and RT patients were also evaluated by Illumina-based RNA sequencing using FFPE-nodal tissue obtained by clinical biopsy (Tempus Labs; Chicago, IL).Results: The expression of PD-1 was significantly increased in RT-LN compared to CLL-LN. (mean ± SEM in RT vs. CLL, 30.6 ± 4.7 vs. 11.5 ± 2.8, p < 0.001). PD-1 expression was highest in patients with RT where the immediate prior CLL therapy was ibrutinib (Figure 1A). Among all cell lines tested for PD-1 expression, the expression of PD-1 by WB and flow was highest in Mino (mantle cell lymphoma line), followed by moderate expression in Jvm2 (B-PLL line) and Mec1 (CLL line), and very low-level expression in both Jeko-1 (B-NHL line) and lymphoma line ‘Karpas299‘. CRISPR/Cas9 mediated depletion of PD-1 in Mino cells inhibited constitutively active Akt, p70S6K and mTOR pathway, accompanied by significant downregulation of the anti-apoptotic proteins, Bcl-2, Mcl-1 and XIAP, but P-ERK1/2 was not affected. Constitutive lentiviral (pLEX-PD-1)-mediated overexpression of PD-1 in Jeko-1 and doxycycline regulated inducible retroviral (pRetro-PD-1) mediated overexpression of PD-1 in Karpas299 activated Akt, mTOR and p70S6K pathway. Overexpression of PD-1 in Jeko-1 significantly increased Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 and in Karpas299 increased Bcl-2, Mcl-1 and XIAP expression (Figure 1B). A parallel genetic analysis using RNA sequencing was performed on 5 nodal tissues involved by either RT or progressive CLL after these patients developed clinical progression after prior ibrutinib therapy. In all 5 patients, overexpression of PD-1 was associated with increased expression of Bcl-2 and mTOR regardless of the genetic mutations detected (including TP53, ATM, BTK, NOTCH1, XPO1, SF3B1, TET2 etc). However, in 2 patients who received prior chemoimmunotherapy, similar overexpression of gene signature was not observed by RNA sequencing analysis, alternative pathways including Met or NFkB overexpression was detected. Given these clinical and laboratory findings, we have treated 2 RT patients with a combination of BTK and Bcl-2 inhibitors (ibrutinib and venetoclax, respectively) whose CLL transformed after prior ibrutinib. Significant reduction of tumor burden was observed in both cases with one complete response and one mixed response.Conclusion: An increased expression of PD-1, Akt/mTOR and Bcl-2 gene signature was first observed in RT patients after prior ibrutinib therapy. PD-1 overexpression in the tumor B-cells of RT and progressive CLL patients likely regulate AKT/mtOR to upregulate Bcl-2. Targeting both BTK and Bcl-2 pathways in addition to PD-1 blockade appear to be a promising strategy to treat these aggressive diseases. DisclosuresParikh:Gilead: Honoraria; Janssen: Research Funding; Abbvie: Honoraria, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Honoraria, Research Funding; MorphoSys: Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Honoraria, Research Funding. Kenderian:Novartis: Patents & Royalties; Tolero Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Humanigen: Research Funding. Ansell:Takeda: Research Funding; Trillium: Research Funding; Affimed: Research Funding; Celldex: Research Funding; Merck & Co: Research Funding; Regeneron: Research Funding; LAM Therapeutics: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding. Kay:Infinity Pharm: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Acerta: Research Funding; Agios Pharm: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Cytomx Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Tolero Pharmaceuticals: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Gilead: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Morpho-sys: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pharmacyclics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Ding:Merck: Research Funding.

Long-Term Evaluation of Efficacy and Safety of Ofatumumab Added to Fludarabine & Cyclophosphamide in Subjects with Relapsed Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Final Analysis of Complement 2 Trial

Long-Term Evaluation of Efficacy and Safety of Ofatumumab Added to Fludarabine & Cyclophosphamide in Subjects with Relapsed Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Final Analysis of Complement 2 Trial

Clonal evolution as detected by interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization is associated with worse overall survival in a population-based analysis of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in British Columbia, Canada

This study evaluates prognostic markers as predictors of clonal evolution (CE) and assesses the impact of CE on overall survival (OS) in a population-based cohort of 159 consecutive eligible patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) obtained from the British Columbia Provincial CLL Database. CE was detected by interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in 34/159 patients (21%) with 65% of CE patients acquiring deletion 17p or 11q. CD38 positive status (≥30%) on flow cytometry predicted 2.7 times increased risk of high-risk CE (acquisition of deletion 17p or 11q) on multivariate analysis. Prior CLL therapy was not a significant predictor of CE. CE was associated with 4.1 times greater risk of death when analyzed as a time-dependent variable for OS after adjusting for age, lymphocyte count, and FISH timing. High-risk CE was associated with worse OS while acquisition of low/intermediate-risk abnormalities (trisomy 12, deletion 13q, and IGH translocation) had no difference in OS. Our study demonstrates the negative impact of CE detected by FISH on OS in this population-based cohort. These data provide support for repeating FISH testing during CLL follow-up as patients with high-risk CE have reduced survival and may require closer observation.

Preliminary Results of a Phase 1b Study (GP28331) Combining GDC-0199 (ABT-199) and Obinutuzumab in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory or Previously Untreated Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

IntroductionDespite progress in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) treatment, new therapies are needed especially for relapsed/refractory (R/R) patients (pts). BCL2 is an anti-apoptotic protein expressed at high levels in all cases of CLL. GDC-0199 is an oral, highly selective BCL2 inhibitor. Clinical data for GDC-0199 have shown promising anti-CLL activity. Obinutuzumab (Gazyva®, Gazyvaro™) is a Type II, glycoengineered anti-CD20 antibody that has increased direct cell death, and enhanced antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Obinutuzumab and chlorambucil have demonstrated improved progression-free survival compared to rituximab and chlorambucil in previously untreated pts with CLL. Also, preclinical data suggest that GDC-0199 combined with obinutuzumab may show synergistic activity in CLL. Collectively, these data support combining GDC-0199 and obinutuzumab for pts with CLL. We present data from an ongoing phase 1b study that is evaluating the safety and tolerability of GDC-0199 in combination with obinutuzumab in R/R or previously untreated pts with CLL.MethodsPts with an ECOG PS ≤1, adequate marrow, hepatic, renal and coagulation function are enrolled in a 3+3 study design with cohorts ranging from 100 to 600 mg/day of GDC-0199. Study eligibility is not restricted by cytogenetics or CLL risk profile. Study drug administration incorporates a gradual dose ramp-up of GDC-0199 to reduce the risk of tumor lysis syndrome (TLS), and staggering of the two agents. Pts are assigned to one of two dosing schedules (Figure 1) with GDC-0199 (Schedule A) or obinutuzumab (Schedule B) introduced first. After completing combination therapy, R/R pts continue single-agent GDC-0199 until disease progression. Adverse events (AEs) are graded according to NCI-CTCAE v.4 criteria. Dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) are identified during the first 21 days of combination treatment and focus on potential AEs of TLS, infusion related reactions (IRRs), and cytopenias. [Display omitted] ResultsAs of May 2014, 9 R/R pts are on the dose finding stage of the study; 4 additional R/R pts were enrolled and discontinued following clinical TLS events in other GDC-0199 studies. No clinical TLS was observed in these 4 pts. The data presented here describe the 9 pts who continue on study treatment. Pts were assigned to 1 of 3 TLS risk groups based on screening ALC and tumor bulk: low risk 0 pts, medium risk 4 pts, and high risk 5 pts. Median time on study was 98 (range 7-252) days. No DLTs were observed in the 3 pts enrolled in the 100 mg GDC-0199 dosing cohort. Six pts were enrolled in the 200 mg GDC-0199 dosing cohort due to expansion following a DLT of laboratory TLS (characterized by asymptomatic laboratory abnormalities in potassium and phosphate) observed in 1 of the first 3 pts. Baseline characteristics include: median age 69 (range 59-80) years, 6 male pts, median of 4 prior CLL therapies (range 1-6), beta-2 microglobulin of ≥3.5 mg/L in 7 of 8 pts with available data, and IGVH mutation in 1 of 7 pts with available data. Cytogenetic data are available for 4 pts: none had del17p, 1 pt had del 11q, 1 pt had trisomy 12 and 2 pts had del 13q. The most common AEs included neutropenia (Figure 2). Dose interruptions of GDC-0199 or obinutuzumab in response to AEs were observed in 5 pts (2 pts had dose interruptions for obinutuzumab only [IRRs], and 3 pts had dose interruptions for GDC-0199 [mainly electrolyte abnormalities and cytopenias] and obinutuzumab [IRRs]); 1 pt in the 100 mg GDC-0199 dosing cohort had a dose reduction to 50 mg per day after 2 cycles of combination therapy due to ongoing neutropenia, and subsequently completed 6 cycles of combination treatment. IRRs were limited to the first infusion of obinutuzumab and were of Grade ≤2. One event of Grade 3 pneumonia required hospitalization. No treatment emergent bleeding events or deaths occurred on study.<![if !vml]><![endif]> [Display omitted] ConclusionThis is the first study combining GDC-0199 and the novel anti-CD20 antibody obinutuzumab in CLL and suggests that the combination is safely administered at the doses given. Prophylactic measures and a gradual dose ramp-up of GDC-0199 appear to reduce the incidence of TLS. Despite 9 pts being identified as medium or high risk for TLS, only 1 developed laboratory TLS, which was transient and managed. No clinical TLS was observed in these 9 pts. Dose escalation continues in R/R pts at 400 mg/day of GDC-0199. Schedule B and previously untreated pts will be enrolled in the near future. DisclosuresFlinn:Genentech: Research Funding. Brunvand:Genentech: Speakers Bureau. Hillman:Roche Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria, Research Funding. Jones:Genentech: Advisory Board Other. Lymp:Genentech: Employment. Elhamy:Genentech: Employment. Vosganian:Genentech: Employment. Huang:Genentech: Employment. Kipps:Cegene, Pharacyclics, AbbVie, Genentech: Advisory Board Other, Research Funding.

Preliminary Results of a Phase 1b Study (GO28440) Combining GDC-0199 (ABT-199) with Bendamustine/Rituximab in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory or Previously Untreated Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

IntroductionNew therapies are needed for patients (pts) with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). BCL2 is an anti-apoptotic protein that is overexpressed in CLL and may be associated with resistance to available therapies; GDC-0199 is an orally available, selective BCL2 inhibitor. The combination of bendamustine (B) and rituximab (R) has demonstrated efficacy in relapsed/refractory (R/R) and previously untreated pts with CLL and is often used in these pts. Preclinical data suggest that GDC-0199 combined with BR may show synergistic activity in CLL. Moreover, clinical data from single-agent studies of GDC-0199, and in combination with rituximab in pts with CLL, support combining GDC-0199 with BR in this population. Data presented here are from an ongoing phase 1b study that is evaluating the maximum tolerated dose of GDC-0199 when given in combination with BR, as well as the safety, tolerability, and order of administration of this combination in R/R or previously untreated pts with CLL.MethodsPts with an ECOG PS ≤1, adequate marrow, hepatic, renal and coagulation function are being enrolled in dose finding cohorts ranging from 100 to 600 mg/day of GDC-0199 using a 3+3 dose escalation design. Pts are assigned to one of two dosing schedules (Figure 1) with GDC-0199 (Schedule A) or BR (Schedule B) introduced first, both incorporating a gradual dose ramp-up of GDC-0199 to reduce the risk of tumor lysis syndrome (TLS). Prophylaxis measures to mitigate TLS include IV hydration, treatment to prevent hyperuricemia and hospitalization. After completing combination therapy, R/R pts will continue single-agent GDC-0199 until disease progression. Previously untreated pts will continue single-agent GDC-0199 for up to 18 months. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) data are identified after all pts in a cohort have completed ³21 days of combination treatment at the target dose of GDC-0199 and focus on treatment emergent TLS and cytopenias. [Display omitted] ResultsAs of May 2014, 6 pts with R/R CLL have been enrolled in the dose finding stage of the study with a median time on study of 67 (range 43-113) days. All 6 pts were enrolled on Schedule A; 3 pts were enrolled in the 100 mg GDC-0199 cohort and 3 pts were enrolled in the 200 mg cohort. Baseline characteristics of the 6 pts are as follows: median age 67 (range 52-71) years, 3 male pts, median of 2 prior CLL therapies (range 1-3, including 4 pts with previous exposure to fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and rituximab [FCR] and 1 with previous exposure to FCR and B), beta-2 microglobulin ≥3.5 mg/L in 2 pts, and unmutated IGHV in 5 pts. Prior to starting therapy, the median lymphocyte count was 40.85 x 109 cells/L (range 2.11-169 x 109 cells/L), hemoglobin level was 101.5 g/L (range 99-134 g/L), neutrophil count was 2.54 cells/μL (range 1.81-3.8 cells/μL), and platelet count was 83.5 x 109/L (range 49-250 x 109/L). Pts were assigned to 1 of 3 TLS risk groups based on screening ALC and tumor bulk: low risk 1 pt, medium risk 4 pts, and high risk 1 pt. Cytogenetic data are available for 3 pts: 1 pt had del17p, 2 pts had del 11q, and 3 pts had del 13q.No DLTs were observed. All 6 pts have experienced adverse events (AEs, Figure 2). The most common AE was anemia with most Grade ³3 AEs being hematological toxicities (Figure 2). One serious AE of bronchitis was observed in a pt enrolled in the 100 mg GDC-0199 cohort and resolved after treatment. Two pts in the 100 mg GDC-0199 cohort discontinued BR after the 21-day DLT window secondary to treatment emergent cytopenia: 1 with neutropenia after completing 1 cycle of BR (previous treatment FCR without baseline cytopenia) and the second with thrombocytopenia after completing 3 cycles of BR (previous treatment FCR and chlorambucil with thrombocytopenia at screening). Both pts remain on single-agent GDC-0199. No TLS events (laboratory or clinical) were observed and no deaths reported. [Display omitted] ConclusionThis is the first study to evaluate the combination of GDC-0199 and BR in pts with CLL. Despite 5 pts being identified as medium or high risk for TLS, no pts developed TLS as a result of the ramp-up dosing of GDC-199 and prophylactic measures. The most frequent AEs were hematological toxicities and generally manageable; however, 2 pts had to discontinue BR (after 1 and 3 cycles) but were able to remain on GDC-0199. Dose escalation in R/R pts is continuing in order to evaluate the optimal dose/schedule with a plan to enroll previously untreated pts in the near future. DisclosuresBoyd:Genentech: Research Funding; US Oncology/McKesson: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy. Morschhauser:Genentech: Travel grant Other; Gilead, Mundipharma, Bayer, Spectrum, Celgene: Honoraria. Wendtner:AbbVie, Genentech, Hoffman-La Roche, Mundipharma: Consultancy, Research Funding. Lymp:Genentech: Employment. Hilger:Genentech: Employment. Vosganian:Genentech: Employment. Huang:Genentech: Employment. Stilgenbauer:Genentech, Hoffman La Roche: Honoraria, Research Funding.

Richter's transformation to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a retrospective study reporting clinical data, outcome, and the benefit of adding rituximab to chemotherapy, from the Israeli CLL Study Group.

Richter's syndrome (RS) is the rare development of an aggressive lymphoid malignancy in a patient with pre-existing chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Data on RS is sparse and mostly derived from case reports or small series of patients and only a few larger cohorts have been published. The purpose of this large retrospective study was to summarize our national experience with RS in CLL, examine possible risk factors, and analyze relevant demographic, laboratory and clinical parameters, including results of therapy and outcome. We first evaluated data obtained from 119 patients with RS diagnosed during 1971-2010 from 12 medical centers in Israel. The final cohort summarized consisted of 81 patients with RS who developed only diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) after exclusion all cases with insufficient data and those who were not DLBCL. Median overall survival from time of diagnosis of RS was 8 months; after applying the Richter score, patients could be stratified into three prognostic groups, while all other clinical and laboratory parameters evaluated had no prognostic significance. Prior therapy for CLL had no impact on RS survival (P = 0.8) and patients with therapy "naïve" RS and those who had already received chemotherapy prior to developing RS, had the same survival. The addition of rituximab to chemotherapy for RS improved 2 years overall survival from 19% in the chemotherapy alone arm to 42% (P value of 0.001). Although prognosis of patients with RS remains dismal, this retrospective observation provides support for the use of chemo-immunotherapy in DLBCL-RS.

FCR and bevacizumab treatment in patients with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Patients with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) often achieve response with chemoimmunotherapy but have short remission durations. Studies have shown that patients with CLL have increased angiogenesis in the microenvironment; levels of proangiogenic growth factors such as VEGF and/or angiopoietin-2 are also elevated. Increased angiogenesis correlates with poor outcome in CLL. Bevacizumab (B) is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting VEGF-A. In this study, we analyzed whether a combination of bevacizumab with fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab chemoimmunotherapy (FCR-B) could improve outcomes in patients with relapsed CLL. Sixty-two patients were enrolled. The median age of the patients was 60 years (range, 31-84 years) and 40% had received >1 prior therapy for CLL. Sixty-one patients were evaluable for toxicity, and 57 were evaluable for response. Six cycles were planned; 36 patients (59%) completed ≥4-6 cycles of the regimen. The overall response rate was 79%, with 13 (23%) complete remissions (CRs), 8 nodular partial remissions (14%), and 24 partial remissions (43%). The median progression-free survival and overall survival rates were 13.5 and 45 months, respectively. Grade 3 or 4 toxicities included febrile neutropenia (n = 40), infections (n = 21), thrombocytopenia (n = 18) and anemia (n = 9). Results with FCR-B were similar to those observed with an historical cohort of relapsed patients treated with FCR.

Outcomes Of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Patients With Richter Syndrome

▪ IntroductionApproximately 2-8% chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients develop diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL, so-called Richter syndrome [RS]) over long-term follow-up. The outcomes of patients with RS are variable and poorly understood. MethodsCLL patients seen at Mayo Clinic from January 1995 to April 2013 who developed biopsy-proven DLBCL during follow-up were included in this analysis. Clinical characteristics, therapy and overall survival (OS) of all patients with RS were analyzed. ResultsOne hundred and twenty patients with biopsy-proven RS were identified in the Mayo Clinic database. The median age at diagnosis of RS was 67 years (range, 29-88 years), 87 (73%) were male, and 83 (69%) had received prior CLL therapy. The median duration between diagnosis of CLL and development of RS was 3.8 years (range, 0-34.5 years). Stereotyped B-cell receptors were found in 9/30 (30%) RS patients compared to 219/1294 (17%) non-RS patients (OR=2.1, p=0.07). IGHV4-39 gene usage was present in 2/26 (8%) RS patients compared to 57/1354 (4%) non-RS patients (p=0.3). Of the 30 RS biopsy samples in which Epstein Barr virus (EBV) in-situ hybridization studies were performed, EBV was detected in 7 (23%) patients.After a median follow-up of 5.2 years, 86 (72%) patients have died. Causes of death were as follows: progressive DLBCL (n=46, 53%), progressive CLL (n=2, 2%), infection (n=8, 9%), unknown (n=20, 23%) and other (n=10, 12%). The median OS of the entire cohort was 0.9 years (95% CI, 0.5-1.3 years). Tsimberidou and colleagues proposed a prognosis score (RS score) based on the following variables at the time of RS diagnosis: Eastern Co-operative Group performance status of 2-4, lactate dehydrogenase >1.5 x normal, platelets<100 x 109/L, tumour size >5 cm and >1 prior therapy for CLL. Each parameter was assigned one point, and patients were then assigned to one of four risk groups based on their calculated RS score: 0 or 1, low risk; 2, low-intermediate risk; 3, high-intermediate risk; 4 or 5, high risk. The OS according to the RS score for our group of patients is shown in Figure 1. Median survival in the low, intermediate-1, intermediate-2 and high-risk groups were 2.4 years, 0.7 years, 0.3 years and 0.2 years, respectively (p<0.001). [Display omitted] Fifteen (12%) patients received cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (CHOP) as initial therapy for RS, and 68 (57%) received rituximab in addition to CHOP (R-CHOP). There was no difference in survival among patients who received CHOP compared to R-CHOP (median, 1.8 years. vs. 1.2 years, p=0.5). Twenty-four patients (20%) received non-CHOP-based chemotherapy, and treatment was unknown in 4 (3%) patients. Nine patients (7%) died before definitive therapy could be instituted.Thirteen (11%) patients were able to proceed to stem cell transplantation (SCT): 10 (8%) autologous SCT, 2 (2%) allogeneic SCT and 1 (1%) autologous SCT followed by an allogeneic SCT. Although RS patients who underwent SCT were younger compared to those who did not undergo SCT (median, 59 years. vs. 69 years, p=0.001), no differences in prior CLL therapy or receipt of R-CHOP therapy for DLBCL was noted between the two groups. The median survival of patients who proceeded to SCT was superior compared to those who did not (5.2 years vs. 0.7 years; p=0.005). ConclusionStereotyped B-cell receptors but not VH4-39 had a suggested evidence of an increased risk of RS in our cohort. Although 90% RS patients received intensive chemotherapy, only 11% patients were able to proceed to SCT. Median survival of RS patients remains dismal at 1 year, and newer therapies are needed to improve outcomes. Disclosures:Shanafelt:Genentech: Research Funding; Glaxo-Smith-Kline: Research Funding; Cephalon: Research Funding; Hospira: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Polyphenon E International: Research Funding.

Community-based trial of pentostatin, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab (PCR) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small B-cell lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL)

6685 Background: The alkylating agent cyclophosphamide (C), the purine nucleoside analogues pentostatin (P), and fludarabine (F) and the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab (R) are active in CLL and may be synergistic. Single institution combination therapy trials produced response rates of 75% in previously treated CLL for FC and PC, and 90% for FCR and PCR in untreated CLL. Methods: We initiated a multi-center PCR trial with P at 4 mg/m2, C at 600 mg/m2, and R at 375 mg/m2 (all iv) for up to 6 cycles at 3-week intervals. Patients were not eligible if they had prior therapy with combination alkylating agent or monoclonal antibody with a purine analogue or prior P. Allopurinol, hematopoietic growth factors, bacterial and viral prophylaxis were strongly recommended as supportive therapy. NCI criteria were used to assess response rates and toxicity. Results: 21 patients (median age 69 years), completed therapy after receiving an average of 4 cycles of PCR. 15 patients completed the first 3 cycles; 8 completed all 6 cycles. After 3 cycles there were 2 CR, 7 PR, 6 SD, and 0 PD. One SD became a PR after 6 cycles for an overall objective response rate of 48%. The response rate was 8/12 in patients who had received no prior therapy and 2/9 in patients who had received prior therapy for CLL. 4 patients were removed from study early because of possible therapy-related toxicity: death from pneumococcal sepsis after cycle 2 in a 76 y/o M who was not neutropenic; heart failure attributed to a silent myocardial infarction in a 65 y/o F after cycle 2, renal insufficiency after cycle 1 in a 77 y/o M, and acute renal failure and eventual death after cycle 2 in a 73 y/o F. One patient who had experienced no toxicity withdrew after 2 cycles, and one patient was removed from study after one cycle because of non-compliance. Only 2 patients had grade 4 hematologic toxicity (granulocytopenia). Highest average toxicity grade was 1.96 for nausea/vomiting. Conclusions: This treatment regimen is tolerable and active in CLL, but should be used with caution in elderly patients, with special attention to the increased risk of P-related toxicity associated with decreased urinary clearance. [Supported by SuperGen, Inc.] No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Pulmonary complications in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Although pulmonary complications account for significant morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), to the authors' knowledge there are sparse data available in published literature. The authors evaluated pulmonary complications in patients with CLL and identified prognostic variables that predict hospital mortality in these patients. Clinical data were analyzed retrospectively from patients with CLL who required hospitalization for a respiratory illness at a tertiary care institution from January 1993 to December 2001. A logistic regression analysis with a backward elimination procedure was carried out to determine prognostic variables that predict hospital mortality. There were 110 patients who were admitted on 142 occasions with a pulmonary complication. The median age was 75 years (range, 43-97 years), and the male:female ratio was 1.7:1.0. Among 142 admissions, 68% were high risk according to the Rai criteria, 68% of patients admitted had received prior therapy for CLL, and 35% had received treatment within 3 months of admission. The most common pulmonary complications were pneumonias (75%), malignant pleural effusion/and or lung infiltrate due to CLL (9%), pulmonary leukostasis (4%), Richter transformation or nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (3%), and upper airway obstruction (2%). Forty-four of 110 patients (40%) died. In multivariate analysis, admission absolute neutrophil counts </= 0.5 x 10(9)/L (odds ratio, 4.6; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.3-16.6) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels >/= 20 mg/dL (odds ratio, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.1-8.3) were correlated significantly with mortality. Pneumonia was the major pulmonary complication in hospitalized patients with CLL. Severe neutropenia and high BUN levels were correlated significantly with increased mortality.

Fractionated Cyclophosphamide, Vincristine, Liposomal Daunorubicin (Daunoxome), and Dexamethasone (HyperCVXD) Regimen in Richter's Syndrome

Approximately 3 to 5% of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) develop an aggressive large cell non Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) known as Richter's syndrome (RS). RS has a poor prognosis and a response rate of < 10% with fludarabine-based or other cytotoxic combination regimens. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the hyperCVXD regimen in RS. Twenty-nine patients, median age 61 years (36–75) 23 males, were treated. Prior diagnosis was CLL in 26 patients, NHL in 2, and Prolymphocytic leukemia in 1. Treatment consisted of fractionated Cyclophosphamide, vincristine, daunoXome and dexamethasone. Six patients (20%) died while receiving study therapy, 4 (14%) during the first cycle of whom 2 had started therapy with overt pneumonia. Grade 4 granulocytopenia occurred in all 95 cycles of therapy with a median time to recovery of 14 days. Twenty three (24%) cycles were complicated by fever, and 15 (15%) by pneumonia. Sepsis was documented in 8 (8%) cycles, and neuropathy in 5 (5%) of cycles. Twenty three patients had a platelet count < 100 × 109/1 prior to therapy: a greater than 50% decrease in platelet count over pre-therapy level occurred in 79% of first cycles, overt bleeding occurred in 4 (4%) of all cycles. Eleven of 29 (38%) patients achieved complete remission (CR), 4 of whom have relapsed after 5, 6, 9, and 12 months of remission. Two of 11 CR patients presented with RS without any prior CLL therapy. One patient had a partial remission. Thus the overall response rate was 12/29 (41%). Overall median survival was 10 months, 19 months in patients who achieved CR, 3 months in those who did not (p=0.0008). A landmark analysis performed at 2 months from start of therapy comparing patients alive in CR versus patients alive but not in CR showed a median survival of 19 months versus 6 months, respectively (p0.0017). In conclusion the hyper CVXD regimen has a relatively high response rate, significant toxicity and a moderate impact on survival in RS.

Sequential Cis-Platinum and Fludarabine with or without Arabinosyl Cytosine in Patients Failing Prior Fludarabine Therapy for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Phase II Study

Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who fail fludarabine (Fluda) therapy have a poor response to subsequent salvage regimens and a poor prognosis. This study was undertaken to determine the efficacy and toxicity of a cis-platinum, (cis-p)fluda and arabinosyl cytosine (ara-C) combination in patients who were refractory to fluda or had relapsed following prior fluda therapy for CLL. Forty-one patients who had progressive CLL were treated on study. Eleven patients (27%) were sensitive to fluda and thirty (73%) refractory prior to study entry. Therapy consisted of cis-p 100mg/m2 continuous intravenous (IV) infusion over 4 days, fluda 30 m/m2 IV over 15 minutes on Days 3 and 4 either given alone (PF) or with ara-C 500 mg/m IV over 1 hour on Day 4 (PFA). The median number of PF or PFA courses received was two. No patient achieved a complete response. Eight patients (19%) achieved a partial response (PR), 28 were taken off study with progressive or refractory disease and 5 had induction deaths. The overall median survival was 6 months, 15 months in responding patients, and 4 months in non-responding patients. Rai stage 1–11 patients had a median survival of 7 months and stage 111-IV patients had a median survival of 3 months. Major toxici-ties (myelosuppression, sepsis, renal failure and tumor lysis syndrome) were frequent.In conclusion, it can be said that the PF and PFA regimens have equivalent modest activity in patients with progressive CLL following prior fluda therapy, predominantly among patients whose disease was sensitive to fluda at last prior exposure. Ara-C did not add to the activity of the cis-plfluda combination in this study group.

Hodgkin's disease variant of Richter's syndrome: experience at a single institution.

Patients developing Hodgkin's disease (HD) after a diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), are frequently included in a series of patients with Richter's syndrome (RS). We sought to determine the natural history of the association of CLL and HD. Over a 21 year period, 1374 patients with CLL have been registered in our computer data base. Seven cases of CLL and HD have been documented and confirmed. The median age of these patients was 71 years (range 44-77) and clinical features included male gender (86%), B symptomatology (86%), rapidly progressive lymphadenopathy (71%), prior CLL therapy (71%), advanced Ann Arbor stage (86%), marrow involvement with HD (43%), and autoimmune hemolytic anemia (29%). HD was documented by excisional lymph node biopsy in six cases and splenectomy in one. Mixed cellularity HD was shown in six and nodular sclerosis in one. Five of the biopsies revealed intervening areas consistent with small lymphocytic lymphoma. The Sternberg-Reed (SR) cells were CD15+ in 6/7 cases, and Ki-1+ in the 6 patients tested. CD45 and CD20 staining of the SR cells was nonreactive. The median time to development of HD was 45 months (range 0 to 96). The overall responses to different chemotherapy regimens was approximately 25% with only one CR. Six patients have died at 3, 9, 10, 13, 15 and 36 months and one patient is alive with progressive disease at 11 months. Our data suggests that CLL patients have a heightened risk for HD, features of advanced HD on presentation, and a poor response rate with short survival.