Immunochemotherapy plus lenalidomide for high-risk mantle cell lymphoma with measurable residual disease evaluation.

Chemoimmunotherapy followed by consolidative high-dose therapy with autologous stem cell rescue was a standard upfront treatment for fit patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) in first remission; however, treatment paradigms are evolving in the era of novel therapies. Lenalidomide is an immunomodulatory agent with known efficacy in treating MCL. We conducted a single-center, investigator-initiated, phase II study of immunochemotherapy incorporating lenalidomide, without autologous stem cell transplant consolidation, enriching for patients with high-risk MCL (clinicaltrials gov. Identifier: NCT02633137). Patients received four cycles of lenalidomide-R-CHOP, two cycles of R-HiDAC, and six cycles of R-lenalidomide. The primary endpoint was rate of 3-year progression-free survival. We measured measurable residual disease (MRD) using a next-generation sequencing-based assay after each phase of treatment and at 6 months following end-oftreatment. We enrolled 49 patients of which 47 were response evaluable. By intent-to-treat, rates of overall and complete response were equivalent at 88% (43/49), one patient with stable disease, and two patients had disease progression during study; 3-year progression-free survival was 63% (primary endpoint not met) and differed by TP53 status (78% wild-type vs. 38% ALT; P=0.043). MRD status was prognostic and predicted long-term outcomes following R-HiDAC and at 6 months following end-of-treatment. In a high-dose therapy-sparing, intensive approach, we achieved favorable outcomes in TP53- wild-type MCL, including high-risk cases. We confirmed that sequential MRD assessment is a powerful prognostic tool in patients with MCL.

Prephase rituximab/prednisone therapy and aging-related, proinflammatory cytokine milieu in older, vulnerable patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) predominantly affects older adults with suboptimal therapeutic outcomes due to increased treatment-related mortality and toxicities in vulnerable patients, clinically defined by geriatric impairments such as functional limitation, multimorbidity, or cognitive deficits. In this prospective pilot study, we evaluated a rituximab/prednisone prephase treatment strategy in 33 older, vulnerable patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL, defined by either age ≥70 years or age 60-70 years with Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) <80. A single dose of rituximab 375 mg/m2 between 3-10 days and oral prednisone for at least 5 days prior to the first dose of chemoimmunotherapy was administered. All patients completed prephase treatment and all but one commenced anthracycline-based chemoimmunotherapy. Only one early cycle death occurred. Toxicity events, defined by either unplanned hospitalization, unplanned dose reduction/delay, or chemotherapy discontinuation, occurred in 22 patients (67%). Sixteen patients (48%) experienced grade 3 or higher non-hematologic toxicities and/or grade 4 or higher hematologic toxicities. With a median follow-up of 4.4 years, both 5-year progression-free survival and overall survival were at 81% (95% confidence interval: 69-96). Importantly, we found that phenotypic impairments in basic and instrumental activities of daily living, physical function, mobility, KPS, and Cancer and Aging Research Group chemotherapy toxicity risk score were significantly associated with senescence-associated, proinflammatory cytokine milieu which was readily reversed with prephase treatment, potentially explaining its clinical effectiveness. Prephase therapy with rituximab/prednisone should be considered for all older, vulnerable DLBCL patients prior to curative intent, anthracycline-based chemoimmunotherapy. This trial was registered as clinicaltrials gov. Identifier: NCT89028394.

The epichaperome is an integrated chaperome network that facilitates tumour survival.

Transient, multi-protein complexes are important facilitators of cellular functions. This includes the chaperome, an abundant protein family comprising chaperones, co-chaperones, adaptors, and folding enzymes-dynamic complexes of which regulate cellular homeostasis together with the protein degradation machinery. Numerous studies have addressed the role of chaperome members in isolation, yet little is known about their relationships regarding how they interact and function together in malignancy. As function is probably highly dependent on endogenous conditions found in native tumours, chaperomes have resisted investigation, mainly due to the limitations of methods needed to disrupt or engineer the cellular environment to facilitate analysis. Such limitations have led to a bottleneck in our understanding of chaperome-related disease biology and in the development of chaperome-targeted cancer treatment. Here we examined the chaperome complexes in a large set of tumour specimens. The methods used maintained the endogenous native state of tumours and we exploited this to investigate the molecular characteristics and composition of the chaperome in cancer, the molecular factors that drive chaperome networks to crosstalk in tumours, the distinguishing factors of the chaperome in tumours sensitive to pharmacologic inhibition, and the characteristics of tumours that may benefit from chaperome therapy. We find that under conditions of stress, such as malignant transformation fuelled by MYC, the chaperome becomes biochemically 'rewired' to form a network of stable, survival-facilitating, high-molecular-weight complexes. The chaperones heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) and heat shock cognate protein 70 (HSC70) are nucleating sites for these physically and functionally integrated complexes. The results indicate that these tightly integrated chaperome units, here termed the epichaperome, can function as a network to enhance cellular survival, irrespective of tissue of origin or genetic background. The epichaperome, present in over half of all cancers tested, has implications for diagnostics and also provides potential vulnerability as a target for drug intervention.

Comparison of immunohistochemistry and gene expression profiling subtyping for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the phase III clinical trial of R-CHOP ± ibrutinib.

We assessed the concordance between immunohistochemistry (IHC) and gene expression profiling (GEP) for determining diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cell of origin (COO) in the phase III PHOENIX trial of rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (R-CHOP) with or without ibrutinib. Among 910 of 1114 screened patients with non-germinal centre B cell-like (non-GCB) DLBCL by IHC, the concordance with GEP for non-GCB calls was 82·7%, with 691 (75·9%) identified as activated B cell-like (ABC), and 62 (6·8%) as unclassified. Among 746 of 837 enrolled patients with verified non-GCB DLBCL by IHC, the concordance with GEP was 82·8%, with 567 (76·0%) identified as ABC and 51 (6·8%) unclassified; survival outcomes were similar regardless of COO or treatment, whereas among patients with ABC DLBCL aged <60 years, the overall and event-free survival were substantially better with ibrutinib versus placebo plus R-CHOP [hazard ratio (HR) 0·365, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0·147-0·909, P = 0·0305; HR 0·561, 95% CI 0·326-0·967, P = 0·0348, respectively]. IHC and GEP showed high concordance and consistent survival outcomes among tested patients, indicating centralised IHC may be used to enrich populations for response to ibrutinib plus R-CHOP.

Venetoclax-Rituximab in Relapsed or Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

BACKGROUND: Venetoclax inhibits BCL2, an antiapoptotic protein that is pathologically overexpressed and that is central to the survival of chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells. We evaluated the efficacy of venetoclax in combination with rituximab in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia. METHODS: In this randomized, open-label, phase 3 trial, we randomly assigned 389 patients to receive venetoclax for up to 2 years (from day 1 of cycle 1) plus rituximab for the first 6 months (venetoclax-rituximab group) or bendamustine plus rituximab for 6 months (bendamustine-rituximab group). The trial design did not include crossover to venetoclax plus rituximab for patients in the bendamustine-rituximab group in whom progression occurred. The primary end point was investigator-assessed progression-free survival. RESULTS: After a median follow-up period of 23.8 months, the rate of investigator-assessed progression-free survival was significantly higher in the venetoclax-rituximab group (32 events of progression or death in 194 patients) than in the bendamustine-rituximab group (114 events in 195 patients); the 2-year rates of progression-free survival were 84.9% and 36.3%, respectively (hazard ratio for progression or death, 0.17; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.11 to 0.25; P<0.001 by the stratified log-rank test). The benefit was maintained across all clinical and biologic subgroups, including the subgroup of patients with chromosome 17p deletion; the 2-year rate of progression-free survival among patients with chromosome 17p deletion was 81.5% in the venetoclax-rituximab group versus 27.8% in the bendamustine-rituximab group (hazard ratio, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.29), and the 2-year rate among those without chromosome 17p deletion was 85.9% versus 41.0% (hazard ratio, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.12 to 0.32). The benefit of venetoclax plus rituximab over bendamustine plus rituximab was confirmed by an independent review committee assessment of progression-free survival and other secondary efficacy end points. The rate of grade 3 or 4 neutropenia was higher in the venetoclax-rituximab group than in the bendamustine-rituximab group, but the rates of grade 3 or 4 febrile neutropenia and infections or infestations were lower with venetoclax than with bendamustine. The rate of grade 3 or 4 tumor lysis syndrome in the venetoclax-rituximab group was 3.1% (6 of 194 patients). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia, venetoclax plus rituximab resulted in significantly higher rates of progression-free survival than bendamustine plus rituximab. (Funded by Genentech and AbbVie; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02005471 .).

Active surveillance for nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma.

Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) is a rare subtype of lymphoma that, like other Hodgkin lymphomas, has historically been treated aggressively. However, in most cases, NLPHL has an indolent course, which raises the question of to what extent these patients require aggressive upfront treatment. We describe the management and outcomes of consecutive NLPHL patients diagnosed at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), with a focus on evaluating active surveillance. All patients aged 16 years or older diagnosed and followed at MSK between 1974 and 2016 were included. Treatment outcomes were compared between management with active surveillance and other strategies. We identified 163 consecutive patients who were treated with radiotherapy alone (46%), active surveillance (23%), chemotherapy (16%), combined modality (12%), or rituximab monotherapy (4%). Median follow-up was 69 months. Five-year progression-free survival (PFS), second PFS (PFS2), and overall survival (OS) estimates were 85% (95% confidence interval [CI], 78-90), 97% (95% CI, 92-99), and 99% (95% CI, 95-100), respectively. Only 1 of 7 deaths was lymphoma related. Patients managed with active surveillance had slightly shorter PFS than those receiving any active treatment, with 5-year PFS of 77% (95% CI, 56-89) vs 87% (95% CI, 79-92; P = .017). This difference did not translate into better PFS2 or OS. Only 10 patients managed with active surveillance (27%) eventually required treatment, after a median of 61 months, and none died. NLPHL has an excellent prognosis. Within the limitations of a retrospective analysis, active surveillance is a viable initial management strategy for selected NLPHL patients.

A phase 1 study of ibrutinib in combination with R-ICE in patients with relapsed or primary refractory DLBCL.

In the postrituximab era, approximately half of the patients with relapsed or refractory (rel/ref) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) fail to achieve a chemosensitive response to standard salvage therapy, and are thus ineligible to proceed to autologous stem cell transplantation with curative intent. The Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor ibrutinib demonstrates single-agent activity in rel/ref DLBCL, particularly of non-germinal center (non-GC) cell of origin. We conducted a single-center phase 1 study evaluating dose-escalated ibrutinib, in a 3-by-3 design, in combination with rituximab, ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide (R-ICE) in physiologically transplant-eligible rel/ref DLBCL patients. Twenty-one patients have been treated and are evaluable for toxicity with no dose-limiting toxicities observed through expansion with ibrutinib at 840 mg daily at dose level 3. Of the 20 patients evaluable for response, per modern International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma criteria, 11 patients achieved complete remission (CR) and 7 patients achieved partial remission for an overall response rate of 90%. All evaluable patients with non-GC DLBCL achieved a metabolic CR. Ibrutinib in combination with R-ICE demonstrates tolerability and efficacy in rel/ref DLBCL, particularly of non-GC phenotype. This treatment program warrants further investigation in later-phase studies. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02219737.

Targeting BCL2 with Venetoclax in Relapsed Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

BACKGROUND: New treatments have improved outcomes for patients with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), but complete remissions remain uncommon. Venetoclax has a distinct mechanism of action; it targets BCL2, a protein central to the survival of CLL cells. METHODS: We conducted a phase 1 dose-escalation study of daily oral venetoclax in patients with relapsed or refractory CLL or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) to assess safety, pharmacokinetic profile, and efficacy. In the dose-escalation phase, 56 patients received active treatment in one of eight dose groups that ranged from 150 to 1200 mg per day. In an expansion cohort, 60 additional patients were treated with a weekly stepwise ramp-up in doses as high as 400 mg per day. RESULTS: The majority of the study patients had received multiple previous treatments, and 89% had poor prognostic clinical or genetic features. Venetoclax was active at all dose levels. Clinical tumor lysis syndrome occurred in 3 of 56 patients in the dose-escalation cohort, with one death. After adjustments to the dose-escalation schedule, clinical tumor lysis syndrome did not occur in any of the 60 patients in the expansion cohort. Other toxic effects included mild diarrhea (in 52% of the patients), upper respiratory tract infection (in 48%), nausea (in 47%), and grade 3 or 4 neutropenia (in 41%). A maximum tolerated dose was not identified. Among the 116 patients who received venetoclax, 92 (79%) had a response. Response rates ranged from 71 to 79% among patients in subgroups with an adverse prognosis, including those with resistance to fludarabine, those with chromosome 17p deletions (deletion 17p CLL), and those with unmutated IGHV. Complete remissions occurred in 20% of the patients, including 5% who had no minimal residual disease on flow cytometry. The 15-month progression-free survival estimate for the 400-mg dose groups was 69%. CONCLUSIONS: Selective targeting of BCL2 with venetoclax had a manageable safety profile and induced substantial responses in patients with relapsed CLL or SLL, including those with poor prognostic features. (Funded by AbbVie and Genentech; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01328626.).

Prognostic significance of baseline metabolic tumor volume in relapsed and refractory Hodgkin lymphoma.

Identification of prognostic factors for patients with relapsed/refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is essential for optimizing therapy with risk-adapted approaches. In our phase 2 study of positron emission tomography (PET)-adapted salvage therapy with brentuximab vedotin (BV) and augmented ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide (augICE), we assessed clinical factors, quantitative PET assessments, and cytokine and chemokine values. Transplant-eligible patients with relapsed/refractory HL received 2 (cohort 1) or 3 (cohort 2) cycles of weekly BV; PET-negative patients (Deauville score ≤2) proceeded to autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) whereas PET-positive patients received augICE before ASCT. Serum cytokine and chemokine levels were measured at baseline and after BV. Metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis were measured at baseline, after BV, and after augICE. Sixty-five patients enrolled (45, cohort 1; 20, cohort 2); 49 (75%) achieved complete response and 64 proceeded to ASCT. Three-year overall survival and event-free survival (EFS) were 95% and 82%, respectively. Factors predictive for EFS by multivariable analysis were baseline MTV (bMTV) (P < .001) and refractory disease (P = .003). Low bMTV (<109.5 cm3) and relapsed disease identified a favorable group (3-year EFS, 100%). For patients who received a transplant, bMTV and pre-ASCT PET were independently prognostic; 3-year EFS for pre-ASCT PET-positive patients with low bMTV was 86%. In this phase 2 study of PET-adapted therapy with BV and augICE for relapsed/refractory HL, bMTV and refractory disease were independent prognostic factors for EFS. Furthermore, bMTV improved the predictive power of pre-ASCT PET. Future studies should optimize efficacy and tolerability of salvage therapy by stratifying patients according to risk factors such as bMTV.

In Vivo PET Assay of Tumor Glutamine Flux and Metabolism: In-Human Trial of 18F-(2S,4R)-4-Fluoroglutamine.

Purpose To assess the clinical safety, pharmacokinetics, and tumor imaging characteristics of fluorine 18-(2S,4R)-4-fluoroglutamine (FGln), a glutamine analog radiologic imaging agent. Materials and Methods This study was approved by the institutional review board and conducted under a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved Investigational New Drug application in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. All patients provided written informed consent. Between January 2013 and October 2016, 25 adult patients with cancer received an intravenous bolus of FGln tracer (mean, 244 MBq ± 118, <100 µg) followed by positron emission tomography (PET) and blood radioassays. Patient data were summarized with descriptive statistics. FGln biodistribution and plasma amino acid levels in nonfasting patients (n = 13) were compared with those from patients who fasted at least 8 hours before injection (n = 12) by using nonparametric one-way analysis of variance with Bonferroni correction. Tumor FGln avidity versus fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) avidity in patients with paired PET scans (n = 15) was evaluated with the Fisher exact test. P < .05 was considered indicative of a statistically significant difference. Results FGln PET depicted tumors of different cancer types (breast, pancreas, renal, neuroendocrine, lung, colon, lymphoma, bile duct, or glioma) in 17 of the 25 patients, predominantly clinically aggressive tumors with genetic mutations implicated in abnormal glutamine metabolism. Acute fasting had no significant effect on FGln biodistribution and plasma amino acid levels. FGln-avid tumors were uniformly FDG-avid but not vice versa (P = .07). Patients experienced no adverse effects. Conclusion Preliminary human FGln PET trial results provide clinical validation of abnormal glutamine metabolism as a potential tumor biomarker for targeted radiotracer imaging in several different cancer types. © RSNA, 2018 Online supplemental material is available for this article. Clinical trial registration no. NCT01697930.

Brentuximab vedotin and AVD followed by involved-site radiotherapy in early stage, unfavorable risk Hodgkin lymphoma.

This multicenter pilot study assessed the safety and efficacy of brentuximab vedotin (BV) and AVD (adriamycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine) followed by 30 Gy involved site radiation therapy (ISRT). Patients with newly diagnosed, early stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) with unfavorable-risk features were treated with 4 cycles of BV and AVD. Patients who achieved a negative positron emission tomography (PET) scan (Deauville score of 1-3) received 30 Gy ISRT. Thirty patients received treatment and were assessable for toxicity. Twenty-nine patients completed 4 cycles of BV + AVD, and 25 patients BV + AVD + 30 Gy ISRT. No clinically significant noninfectious pneumonitis was observed. Serious adverse events (≥grade 3) were reported in 4 patients, including febrile neutropenia, peripheral neuropathy, and hypertension. After 2 and 4 cycles of BV + AVD, 90% (26 of 29) and 93% (27 or 29) of patients achieved a negative PET scan, respectively. Two patients with biopsy-proven primary refractory HL were treated off-study. All 25 patients who completed BV + AVD + ISRT achieved a complete response. With a median follow-up of 18.8 months, by intent to treat, the 1-year progression-free survival is 93.3% (95% confidence interval, 84-102). Overall, the treatment was well-tolerated with no evidence of significant pulmonary toxicity. The majority of patients (≥90%) achieved negative interim PET scans after 2 and 4 cycles of BV + AVD. Excluding the 2 primary refractory patients, all patients are disease free, suggesting that this is a highly active treatment program even in patients with substantial disease bulk. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01868451.

A phase 1b dose expansion study of the pan-class I PI3K inhibitor buparlisib (BKM120) plus carboplatin and paclitaxel in PTEN deficient tumors and with dose intensified carboplatin and paclitaxel.

Purpose We previously reported the phase I dose escalation study of buparlisib, a pan-class 1A PI3K inhibitor, combined with platinum/taxane-based chemotherapy in patients with advanced solid tumors. The combination was well tolerated and promising preliminary efficacy was observed in PTEN deficient tumors. This phase I dose expansion study now evaluates buparlisib plus high dose carboplatin and paclitaxel in unselected patients with advanced solid tumors and buparlisib plus standard dose carboplatin and paclitaxel in patients with PTEN deficient tumors (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01297452). Methods There were two expansion cohorts: Cohort A received continuous buparlisib (100 mg/daily) orally plus high dose carboplatin AUC 6 and paclitaxel 200 mg/m2; Cohort B treated patients with PTEN deficient tumors only and they received the recommended phase II dose (RP2D) of continuous buparlisib (100 mg/daily) orally plus standard dose carboplatin AUC 5 and paclitaxel 175 mg/m2. Both cohorts received chemotherapy intravenously on day 1 of the 21-day cycle with pegfilgrastim support. Primary endpoint in Cohort A was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of chemotherapy dose intensification with buparlisib and in Cohort B was to describe preliminary efficacy of the combination among patients with tumors harboring a PTEN mutation or homozygous deletion. Results 14 subjects were enrolled, 7 in Cohort A and 7 in Cohort B. Dose reductions were required in 5 (71%) and 3 (43%) patients, in cohort A and B respectively. Grade 3 adverse events in Cohort A included lymphopenia (n = 5 [71%]), hyperglycemia (n = 2, [29%]), diarrhea (n = 2, [29%]) and rash (n = 2, [29%]) and in cohort B included lymphopenia (n = 5 [71%]), hyperglycemia (n = 4 [57%]) and neutropenia (n = 2 [29%]. The mean number of cycles on protocol was 6. The overall objective response rate was 14% (2 /14). No objective responses were observed in the PTEN deficient cohort. Four out of 6 patients with stable disease (SD) had SD or better for ≥6 cycles, 2 of which had PTEN deficient tumors. Conclusion The addition of buparlisib to high dose carboplatin and paclitaxel was not tolerable. The combination did not reveal significant clinical activity amongst a small and heterogenous group of PTEN deficient tumors.

Pan-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibition with buparlisib in patients with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway plays a role in the pathogenesis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This multicenter, open-label phase 2 study evaluated buparlisib (BKM120), a pan-class I phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor, in patients with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Three separate cohorts of patients (with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, or follicular lymphoma) received buparlisib 100 mg once daily until progression, intolerance, or withdrawal of consent. The primary endpoint was overall response rate based on a 6-month best overall response by cohort; secondary endpoints included progression-free survival, duration of response, overall survival, safety, and tolerability. Overall, 72 patients (26 with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, 22 with mantle cell lymphoma, and 24 with follicular lymphoma) were treated. The overall response rates were 11.5%, 22.7%, and 25.0% in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, and follicular lymphoma, respectively; two patients (one each with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma) achieved a complete response. The most frequently reported (>20%) adverse events of any grade in the population in which safety was studied were hyperglycemia, fatigue, and nausea (36.1% each), depression (29.2%), diarrhea (27.8%), and anxiety (25.0%). The most common grade 3/4 adverse events included hyperglycemia (11.1%) and neutropenia (5.6%). Buparlisib showed activity in relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with disease stabilization and sustained tumor burden reduction in some patients, and acceptable toxicity. Development of mechanism-based combination regimens with buparlisib is warranted. (This study was funded by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation and registered with ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01693614).

Safety, tolerability, and preliminary activity of CUDC-907, a first-in-class, oral, dual inhibitor of HDAC and PI3K, in patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoma or multiple myeloma: an open-label, dose-escalation, phase 1 trial.

BACKGROUND: Treatment options for patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoma and multiple myeloma are limited. CUDC-907 is an oral, first-in-class, small molecule that is designed to inhibit both histone deacetylase (HDAC) and PI3K enzymes, which are members of common oncogenic pathways in haematological malignancies. We aimed to assess overall safety and preliminary activity in this dose-escalation study of CUDC-907 monotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoma and multiple myeloma. METHODS: This open-label, first-in-man, phase 1 trial recruited adult patients (aged ≥18 years) with lymphoma or multiple myeloma who were refractory to or had relapsed after two or more previous regimens, from four US cancer centres. CUDC-907 was orally administered in a standard 3 + 3 dose-escalation design at four different dosing schedules, to which participants were sequentially assigned as follows: once daily, intermittently (twice or three times weekly; simultaneous enrolment), and daily for 5 days followed by a 2-day break (5/2), in 21-day cycles. Dosing started at 30 mg for the once-daily schedule and 60 mg for other schedules, escalating in 30 mg increments. Patients continued to receive CUDC-907 until disease progression or until other treatment discontinuation criteria were met. The primary objective was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended phase 2 dose, assessed in patients who received at least 66% of cycle 1 doses without modification and those who had a dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) in cycle 1 irrespective of dose modification. We assessed safety in all patients who received at least one dose of study drug. This ongoing trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01742988. FINDINGS: Between Jan 23, 2013, and July 27, 2015, we enrolled 44 patients, of whom ten were sequentially assigned to CUDC-907 once-daily (MTD 60 mg), 12 to twice-weekly (MTD 150 mg), 15 to three-times-weekly (MTD 150 mg), and seven to the 5/2 dosing schedule (MTD 60 mg). 37 (84%) patients had discontinued study drug as a result of progressive disease or clinical signs of progressive disease at the data cutoff. Four DLTs occurred in three of 40 DLT-evaluable patients (diarrhoea and hyperglycaemia in one patient on 60 mg once daily, hyperglycaemia in one patient on 150 mg twice weekly, and diarrhoea in one patient on 150 mg three times weekly); no DLTs were reported in patients on the 5/2 schedule. Grade 3 or worse adverse events occurred in 19 (43%) of 44 patients, the most common of which were thrombocytopenia (in nine [20%] of 44 patients), neutropenia (three [7%]), and hyperglycaemia (three [7%]). 11 (25%) of 44 patients had serious adverse events, three of which were regarded as treatment related (epistaxis and the DLTs of diarrhoea and hyperglycaemia). Adverse events led to dose reductions in six (14%) patients and treatment discontinuation in seven (16%). Five (14%) of 37 response-evaluable patients achieved an objective response (two complete responses and three partial responses). All five responses occurred in the subgroup of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL; n=9), and three occurred in those with transformed follicular lymphoma DLBCL (n=5). 21 (57%) of 37 response-evaluable patients had stable disease, including those with DLBCL, Hodgkin's lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. On the basis of these findings, we selected CUDC-907 60 mg on the 5/2 dosing schedule as the recommended phase 2 dose. INTERPRETATION: The safety and tolerability profile of CUDC-907 and the promising preliminary evidence of response support continued development of CUDC-907 at the 60 mg 5/2 dosing schedule, alone and in combination with other therapies. A dose-expansion trial of this dose in patients with refractory and relapsed DLBCL in particular, is ongoing. FUNDING: Curis, Inc, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

PET-adapted sequential salvage therapy with brentuximab vedotin followed by augmented ifosamide, carboplatin, and etoposide for patients with relapsed and refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma: a non-randomised, open-label, single-centre, phase 2 study.

BACKGROUND: Pre-transplantation (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET-negativity is one of the strongest predictors of outcome after high-dose therapy and autologous stem-cell transplant (HDT/ASCT) for patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma. In this study, we assessed the feasibility and activity of PET-adapted salvage therapy with brentuximab vedotin, followed by augmented ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide (ICE). METHODS: In this non-randomised, open-label, single-centre, phase 2 trial, we enrolled patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma who had failed one previous doxorubicin-containing chemotherapy regimen. All patients received weekly infusions of 1·2 mg/kg brentuximab vedotin on days 1, 8, and 15 for two 28 day cycles. After completion of brentuximab vedotin treatment, patients received a PET scan. Patients who achieved PET-negative status (a Deauville score of 1 or 2) proceeded directly to HDT/ASCT; those with persistent abnormalities on PET received two cycles of augmented ICE (augICE; two doses of ifosfamide 5000 mg/m(2) in combination with mesna 5000 mg/m(2) continuous infusion over 24 h, days 1 and 2; one dose of carboplatin AUC 5, day 3; three doses of etoposide 200 mg/m(2) every 12 h, day 1) before consideration for HDT/ASCT. Only patients with persistent abnormalities on PET after brentuximab vedotin received augICE; however, all patients in the intention-to-treat population were assessed for the primary outcome, which was the proportion of patients who were PET-negative after brentuximab vedotin alone or brentuximab vedotin followed by augICE. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01508312, and is no longer accruing patients. FINDINGS: Between Jan 5, 2012, and Oct 4, 2013, we enrolled 46 patients. One patient was deemed ineligible, and not evaluable, before treatment initiation owing to having nodular, lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's lymphoma and thus 45 patients received treatment. After brentuximab vedotin, 12 patients (27%, 95% CI 13-40) were PET-negative and proceeded to HDT/ASCT. 33 (73%, 95% CI 60-86) patients were PET-positive after brentuximab vedotin; one PET-positive patient withdrew consent, therefore 32 PET-positive patients received augICE, 22 (69%, 95% CI 53-85) of whom were PET-negative. Overall, 34 patients (76%, 95% CI 62-89) achieved PET-negativity. All 44 patients who completed treatment as per protocol proceeded to receive HDT/ASCT. Brentuximab vedotin was well tolerated and associated with few grade 3-4 adverse events including hyperglycaemia (two [4%] patients, grade 3), nausea (one [2%], grade 3), hypoglycaemia (one [2%], grade 3 and one [2%], grade 4), and hypocalcaemia (one [2%], grade 3 and one [2%], grade 4). INTERPRETATION: PET-adapted sequential salvage therapy with brentuximab vedotin followed by augICE resulted in a high proportion of patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma achieving PET-negativity, and therefore could optimise the chance of cure after HDT/ASCT. FUNDING: Seattle Genetics.

Phase I/II trial of vorinostat with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, etoposide and prednisone as palliative treatment for elderly patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma not eligible for autologous stem cell transplantation.

The standard treatment of relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in frail elderly patients has not been established. A variation was made on rituximab (R), cyclophosphamide (C), etoposide (E), procarbazine and prednisone (P), substituting vorinostat (V) for procarbazine. Patients ≥aged 60 years with relapsed/refractory DLBCL, not candidates for autologous stem cell transplantation, were treated R-CVEP [R 375 mg/m(2) intravenously (IV), day 1; C 600 mg/m(2) IV days 1, 8: E 70 mg/m(2) IV day 1, 140 mg/m(2) days 2, 3 orally (PO); V (300 vs. 400 mg) PO and P 60 mg/m(2) PO days 1-10] every 28 d for six cycles. Quality of life (QoL) was assessed in addition to response. Thirty patients (median age 76 years, 69-88) were enrolled (one died before treatment). Maximum tolerated dose (MTD) for V was 300 mg. For 23 patients at MTD (six phase I + 17 phase II), two were discontinued for toxicity, one withdrew consent, eight achieved complete response (35%), five achieved partial response (22%) and seven progressed (25%). Median overall survival was 17·5 months. Median progression-free survival was 9·2 months. Nine patients are alive. QoL declined during treatment but improved above baseline for patients who completed treatment. In conclusion, R-CVEP was tolerated at MTD and produced durable responses with improved QoL.

A phase 1/pharmacokinetic study of sunitinib in combination with highly active antiretroviral therapy in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients with cancer: AIDS Malignancy Consortium trial AMC 061.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of non-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-defining cancers may be complicated by drug interactions between highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and chemotherapy. This trial is the first by the AIDS Malignancy Consortium to assess targeted therapies and HAART in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00890747). METHODS: In a modified phase 1 study of sunitinib, patients were stratified into 2 treatment arms based on whether they were receiving therapy with ritonavir, a potent CYP3A4 inhibitor. Patients in treatment arm 1 (non-ritonavir HAART) received standard sunitinib dosing (50 mg/day). Treatment arm 2 (ritonavir-based HAART) used a phase 1, 3 + 3 dose escalation design (from 25 mg/day to 50 mg/day). Cycles were comprised of 4 weeks on treatment followed by a 2-week break (6 weeks total). The pharmacokinetics of sunitinib and its active metabolite (N-desethyl sunitinib) were assessed. RESULTS: Nineteen patients were enrolled and were evaluable. Patients on treatment arm 1 tolerated treatment with no dose-limiting toxicity observed. In treatment arm 2, a dose-limiting toxicity was experienced at a dose of 37.5 mg, and an additional 3 of 5 patients experienced grade 3 neutropenia (toxicity graded as per National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events [version 4.0]), an uncommon toxicity of sunitinib. No patient achieved a response, but 10 patients had stable disease, including 8 with prolonged disease stability. Efavirenz, a potent inducer of CYP3A4, resulted in increased exposure of N-desethyl sunitinib, whereas ritonavir caused decreased exposure of the metabolite. Hand-foot syndrome was associated with higher steady-state trough concentrations of sunitinib. CONCLUSIONS: Patients receiving non-ritonavir-based HAART regimens tolerated standard dosing of sunitinib. Patients receiving ritonavir-based therapy who were treated with a dose of 37.5 mg/day experienced higher toxicities. Dose reductions of sunitinib to 37.5 mg may be warranted in patients receiving ritonavir.

Normalization of pre-ASCT, FDG-PET imaging with second-line, non-cross-resistant, chemotherapy programs improves event-free survival in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma.

We previously reported that remission duration < 1 year, extranodal disease, and B symptoms before salvage chemotherapy (SLT) can stratify relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients into favorable and unfavorable cohorts. In addition, pre-autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) (18)FDG-PET response to SLT predicts outcome. This phase 2 study uses both pre-SLT prognostic factors and post-SLT FDG-PET response in a risk-adapted approach to improve PFS after high-dose radio-chemotherapy (HDT) and ASCT. The first SLT uses 2 cycles of ICE in a standard or augmented dose (ICE/aICE), followed by restaging FDG-PET scan. Patients with a negative scan received a transplant. If the FDG-PET scan remained positive, patients received 4 biweekly doses of gemcitabine, vinorelbine, and liposomal doxorubicin. Patients without evidence of disease progression proceeded to HDT/ASCT; those with progressive disease were study failures. At a median follow-up of 51 months, EFS analyzed by intent to treat as well as for transplanted patients is 70% and 79%, respectively. Patients transplanted with negative FDG-PET, pre-HDT/ASCT after 1 or 2 SLT programs, had an EFS of > 80%, versus 28.6% for patients with a positive scan (P < .001). This prospective study provides evidence that the goal of SLT in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma should be a negative FDG-PET scan before HDT/ASCT.

A Phase I trial of the kinesin spindle protein (Eg5) inhibitor AZD4877 in patients with solid and lymphoid malignancies.

BACKGROUND: This Phase I study assessed the safety and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of the kinesin spindle protein inhibitor AZD4877 in patients with relapsed/refractory solid tumors and lymphoma. METHODS: In this multicenter study, a standard 3 + 3 dose-escalation design was used. AZD4877 was given as an intravenous infusion on days 1, 4, 8 and 11 of each 21-day cycle. Responses were assessed with CT scans +/- PET after 6 and 12 weeks, then every 12 weeks while on therapy. An additional four patients with lymphoma were enrolled at the MTD. RESULTS: 29 patients were enrolled and 22 patients received at least one dose of AZD4877 and were evaluable for safety. The MTD was 11 mg. Dose-limiting toxicity was neutropenia (n = 2 patients, 15 mg cohort). The most common adverse events were grade 1/2 fatigue, nausea, neutropenia and dyspnea. AZD4877 exposure generally increased with dose, with mean elimination half-life approximately 16 h at the MTD. Pharmacodynamic analyses demonstrated moderate correlation between plasma drug concentrations at 6 or 24 h and monoaster formation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). CONCLUSIONS: AZD4877 is generally well-tolerated with pharmacodynamic evidence of target inhibition in circulating PBMCs.

Augmenting advance care planning in poor prognosis cancer with a video decision aid: a preintervention-postintervention study.

BACKGROUND: The authors tested whether an educational video on the goals of care in advanced cancer (life-prolonging care, basic care, or comfort care) helped patients understand these goals and had an impact on their preferences for resuscitation. METHODS: A survey of 80 patients with advanced cancer was conducted before and after they viewed an educational video. The outcomes of interest included changes in goals of care preference and knowledge and consistency of preferences with code status. RESULTS: Before viewing the video, 10 patients (13%) preferred life-prolonging care, 24 patients (30%) preferred basic care, 29 patients (36%) preferred comfort care, and 17 patients (21%) were unsure. Preferences did not change after the video, when 9 patients (11%) chose life-prolonging care, 28 patients (35%) chose basic care, 29 patients (36%) chose comfort care, and, 14 patients (18%) were unsure (P = .28). Compared with baseline, after the video presentation, more patients did not want cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) (71% vs 62%; P = .03) or ventilation (80% vs 67%; P = .008). Knowledge about goals of care and likelihood of resuscitation increased after the video (P < .001). Of the patients who did not want CPR or ventilation after the video augmentation, only 4 patients (5%) had a documented do-not-resuscitate order in their medical record (kappa statistic, -0.01; 95% confidence interval, -0.06 to 0.04). Acceptability of the video was high. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with advanced cancer did not change care preferences after viewing the video, but fewer wanted CPR or ventilation. Documented code status was inconsistent with patient preferences. Patients were more knowledgeable after the video, reported that the video was acceptable, and said they would recommend it to others. The current results indicated that this type of video may enable patients to visualize "goals of care," enriching patient understanding of worsening health states and better informing decision making.