Phase I/II study of bendamustine in combination with ofatumumab, carboplatin, etoposide (BOCE) for relapsed or refractory aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

We developed an outpatient salvage chemotherapy regimen using bendamustine, ofatumumab, carboplatin and etoposide (BOCE) to treat relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (RR NHL) in a single-center phase I/II study. Primary objectives were safety, tolerability and overall response rate (ORR). Thirty-five RR NHL patients (57% de novo large cell [DLBCL] or grade 3B follicular [FL], 26% transformed DLBCL, 9% grade 3A FL, 3% mantle cell; median age = 62, median prior therapies = 1) were treated. Median follow-up was 24.1 months. ORR was 69% (CR = 49%, PR = 20% [ORR = 70%, CR = 50%, PR = 20% in the de novo DLBCL/grade 3B FL subgroup]). Median progression-free survival was 5.1 months and overall-survival 26.2 months. Twelve patients subsequently underwent stem cell transplantation. The most common non-hematologic grade 3-4 toxicities were neutropenic fever and hypophosphatemia. There were no treatment-related deaths. In conclusion, BOCE is a safe and effective outpatient salvage regimen for patients with RR NHL and serves as an effective bridge to stem cell transplantation.

Rapidly proliferating CD44hi peripheral T cells undergo apoptosis and delay posttransplantation T-cell reconstitution after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

Delayed T-cell recovery is an important complication of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). We demonstrate in murine models that donor BM-derived T cells display increased apoptosis in recipients of allogeneic BMT with or without GVHD. Although this apoptosis was associated with a loss of Bcl-2 and Bcl-X(L) expression, allogeneic recipients of donor BM deficient in Fas-, tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)- or Bax-, or BM-overexpressing Bcl-2 or Akt showed no decrease in apoptosis of peripheral donor-derived T cells. CD44 expression was associated with an increased percentage of BM-derived apoptotic CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells. Transplantation of RAG-2-eGFP-transgenic BM revealed that proliferating eGFP(lo)CD44(hi) donor BM-derived mature T cells were more likely to undergo to apoptosis than nondivided eGFP(hi)CD44(lo) recent thymic emigrants in the periphery. Finally, experiments using carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester-labeled T cells adoptively transferred into irradiated syngeneic hosts revealed that rapid spontaneous proliferation (as opposed to slow homeostatic proliferation) and acquisition of a CD44(hi) phenotype was associated with increased apoptosis in T cells. We conclude that apoptosis of newly generated donor-derived peripheral T cells after an allogeneic BMT contributes to delayed T-cell reconstitution and is associated with CD44 expression and rapid spontaneous proliferation by donor BM-derived T cells.

Valchlor maintenance therapy for patients with mycosis fungoides who received low dose total skin electron beam treatment.

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma within the general population. Low dose total skin electron beam therapy (TSEBT) and topical nitrogen mustard (Valchlor) are two treatment modalities that have been proven to be efficacious in the treatment of MF. While each have been studied independently in various clinical trials, the use of Valchlor as maintenance therapy after completion of low dose TSEBT is rarely implemented due to the lack of evidence in the literature. The Jefferson multidisciplinary cutaneous lymphoma clinic has found great success with this combination of treatment and it was the goal of the authors to provide further evidence to its efficacy. The authors conducted a retrospective review of eight patients at the Jefferson multidisciplinary cutaneous lymphoma clinic period. In this study, they were initiated on a regimen of Valchlor as a maintenance therapy after completion of low dose TSEBT. The median MSWAT score before low dose TSEBT was found to be 25.25 with a mean of 39.76. A reduction was found in MSWAT score after low dose TSEBT to a median of 7.68 and a mean of 17.31. Median scores for pruritus were decreased from 3.43 before TSEBT to 1.88 after low dose TSEBT and a decreased in quality of life score median from 6.60 to a median of 2.75. Valchlor proved to be a useful maintenance therapy prolonging time to stage increase by 22.7351 months. Overall this study provides further evidence to the efficacy of Valchlor used as a maintenance therapy after completion of low dose TSEBT.

The histological prevalence and clinical implications of folliculotropism and syringotropism in mycosis fungoides.

BACKGROUND: Mycosis fungoides (MF), the most common form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, remains a challenge for clinicians to stage and manage. Classically, MF is determined through histopathologic evidence of a neoplastic infiltrate within the epidermis. In certain patients, however, the infiltrate extends into the hair follicles and sweat glands. The objective of this study is to determine the utility of expanding the analysis of histopathology reports to include the reporting of folliculotropism and syringotropism. METHODS: This is a prospective, observational study conducted in a single facility from 2012-2018. All patients with MF, excluding those treated at this facility for less than six months with the exception of those with incomplete pruritus documentation, or absence of initial biopsy analysis were studied. Modified severity weighted assessment tool (mSWAT) quantified body surface area and treatments attempted per patient were continuously charted. Patients were surveyed for presence and degree of pruritus and pain. Evaluation of these parameters were charted at the initial patient visit and correlated with their primary biopsy for presence or absence of folliculotropism and syringotropism. RESULTS: Of the 87 patients examined, 70 patients (80%) exhibited syringotropism in their original biopsy and 68 patients (78%) exhibited folliculotropism. Presence of both findings concurrently was present in 56 patients (64.4%), while neither finding was present in 5 patients (5.8%). The singular finding of folliculotropism was found in 12 patients (13.8%), while the singular finding of syringotropism was exhibited in 14 patients (16.1%). A significant association between the presence of folliculotropism and pruritus was established (P=0.043, α=0.05). The general trend towards increase in mSWAT score and pruritus in patients in regard to the mean and median values suggest that increasing the sample population of the study might yield a significant value in the future. CONCLUSIONS: These presentations are more prevalent than previously recognized and have findings indicative of more severe disease. We propose that MF histopathology reports document the presence of folliculotropism and syringotropism and that these findings be added to the NCCN guidelines as they may aid in predicting severity and progression risk.