Frontline Treatment of Mantle Cell Lymphoma.

Despite many recent therapeutic advances, mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) remains a largely incurable disease. Treatments for patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) disease are limited in number and in response durability. Therefore, improving the efficacy of frontline (1L) treatment, and specifically maximizing the duration of first remission, remains of critical importance to obtain favorable long-term outcomes. As 1L treatments become more effective, improving tolerability is also becoming an increasingly realistic goal. Targeted agents, which are now mainstays of treatment in R/R MCL, are establishing new, paradigm-changing roles in frontline treatment. Here, we review data supporting current standard-of-care (SOC) approaches and explore six main areas of possible focus for advancement of 1L management: optimizing the chemoimmunotherapy (CIT) backbone, adding targeted agents to CIT, redefining the role of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), improving maintenance therapy, using targeted agent combinations with omission of CIT, and employing MRD-guided therapy. We highlight several ongoing phase 3 trials that may soon impact frontline MCL management and outline some areas of necessary investigation as the field continues to strive towards a cure for this disease.

A phase 2 study of pembrolizumab after autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is often used as consolidation for several subtypes of peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) in first remission. However, many patients relapse after ASCT and have a very poor prognosis. There are no approved treatment options for posttransplantation maintenance or consolidation in PTCL. PD-1 blockade has demonstrated some efficacy for patients with PTCL. We, therefore, conducted a phase 2 multicenter study of the anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody pembrolizumab after ASCT in patients with PTCL in first remission. Pembrolizumab was administered at 200 mg IV every 3 weeks for up to 8 cycles within 21 days from post-ASCT discharge (and within 60 days of stem cell infusion). The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS) at 18 months after ASCT. Twenty-one patients were treated in this study and 67% (n = 14) completed 8 cycles of treatment. Among all patients who were evaluable, 13 of 21 were alive and achieved PFS at 18 months after ASCT, meeting the study's primary end point. The estimated 18-month PFS was 83.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 68-100), and overall survival 94.4% (95% CI, 84-100). The toxicity profile was consistent with the known toxicity profile of pembrolizumab, with no grade 5 toxicities. In conclusion, PD-1 blockade after ASCT with pembrolizumab is feasible with a favorable safety profile and promising activity, supporting further confirmatory studies. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02362997.

Phase 1 study of oral azacitidine (CC-486) plus R-CHOP in previously untreated intermediate- to high-risk DLBCL.

Resistance to standard immunochemotherapy remains an unmet challenge in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and aberrant DNA methylation may contribute to chemoresistance. Promising early-phase results were reported with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) plus subcutaneous azacitidine, a hypomethylating agent. In this phase 1 study, we evaluated CC-486 (oral azacitidine) plus 6 cycles of R-CHOP in patients with previously untreated intermediate- to high-risk DLBCL or grade 3B/transformed follicular lymphoma. CC-486 doses of 100, 150, 200, or 300 mg given 7 days before cycle 1 and on days 8-21 of cycles 1-5 were evaluated; additional patients were enrolled in the expansion phase to examine preliminary efficacy. The primary objectives were to determine the safety and the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of CC-486 in combination with R-CHOP. The most common grade 3/4 toxicities were hematologic, including neutropenia (62.7%) and febrile neutropenia (25.4%); grade 3/4 nonhematologic toxicities were uncommon (<7%). The MTD was not established; 2 patients had dose-limiting toxicities (1 with grade 4 febrile neutropenia; 1 with grade 4 prolonged neutropenia). The recommended phase 2 dose was established as 300 mg. The overall response rate was 94.9%, with 52 patients (88.1%) achieving complete responses. With a median follow-up of 28.9 months, estimated 1- and 2-year progression-free survival rates were 84.1% and 78.6%, respectively. Overall, epigenetic priming with CC-486 before R-CHOP can be delivered with acceptable safety to patients with previously untreated intermediate- to high-risk DLBCL or grade 3B/transformed follicular lymphoma. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02343536.

The International Consensus Classification of Mature Lymphoid Neoplasms: a report from the Clinical Advisory Committee.

Since the publication of the Revised European-American Classification of Lymphoid Neoplasms in 1994, subsequent updates of the classification of lymphoid neoplasms have been generated through iterative international efforts to achieve broad consensus among hematopathologists, geneticists, molecular scientists, and clinicians. Significant progress has recently been made in the characterization of malignancies of the immune system, with many new insights provided by genomic studies. They have led to this proposal. We have followed the same process that was successfully used for the third and fourth editions of the World Health Organization Classification of Hematologic Neoplasms. The definition, recommended studies, and criteria for the diagnosis of many entities have been extensively refined. Some categories considered provisional have now been upgraded to definite entities. Terminology for some diseases has been revised to adapt nomenclature to the current knowledge of their biology, but these modifications have been restricted to well-justified situations. Major findings from recent genomic studies have impacted the conceptual framework and diagnostic criteria for many disease entities. These changes will have an impact on optimal clinical management. The conclusions of this work are summarized in this report as the proposed International Consensus Classification of mature lymphoid, histiocytic, and dendritic cell tumors.

Genomic profiling for clinical decision making in lymphoid neoplasms.

With the introduction of large-scale molecular profiling methods and high-throughput sequencing technologies, the genomic features of most lymphoid neoplasms have been characterized at an unprecedented scale. Although the principles for the classification and diagnosis of these disorders, founded on a multidimensional definition of disease entities, have been consolidated over the past 25 years, novel genomic data have markedly enhanced our understanding of lymphomagenesis and enriched the description of disease entities at the molecular level. Yet, the current diagnosis of lymphoid tumors is largely based on morphological assessment and immunophenotyping, with only few entities being defined by genomic criteria. This paper, which accompanies the International Consensus Classification of mature lymphoid neoplasms, will address how established assays and newly developed technologies for molecular testing already complement clinical diagnoses and provide a novel lens on disease classification. More specifically, their contributions to diagnosis refinement, risk stratification, and therapy prediction will be considered for the main categories of lymphoid neoplasms. The potential of whole-genome sequencing, circulating tumor DNA analyses, single-cell analyses, and epigenetic profiling will be discussed because these will likely become important future tools for implementing precision medicine approaches in clinical decision making for patients with lymphoid malignancies.

A multi-cohort phase 1b trial of rituximab in combination with immunotherapy doublets in relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma.

Antibodies targeting PD-1 or 4-1BB achieve objective responses in follicular lymphoma (FL), but only in a minority of patients. We hypothesized that targeting multiple immune receptors could overcome immune resistance and increase response rates in patients with relapsed/refractory FL. We therefore conducted a phase 1b trial testing time-limited therapy with different immunotherapy doublets targeting 4-1BB (utomilumab), OX-40 (ivuxolimab), and PD-L1 (avelumab) in combination with rituximab among patients with relapsed/refractory grade 1-3A FL. Patients were enrolled onto 2 of 3 planned cohorts (cohort 1 - rituximab/utomilumab/avelumab; cohort 2 - rituximab/ivuxolimab/utomilumab). 3+3 dose escalation was followed by dose expansion at the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D). Twenty-four patients were enrolled (16 in cohort 1 and 9 in cohort 2, with one treated in both cohorts). No patients discontinued treatment due to adverse events and the RP2D was the highest dose level tested in both cohorts. In cohort 1, the objective and complete response rates were 44% and 19%, respectively (50% and 30%, respectively, at RP2D). In cohort 2, no responses were observed. The median progression-free survivals in cohorts 1 and 2 were 6.9 and 3.2 months, respectively. In cohort 1, higher density of PD-1+ tumor-infiltrating T-cells on baseline biopsies and lower density of 4-1BB+ and TIGIT+ T-cells in on-treatment biopsies were associated with response. Abundance of Akkermansia in stool samples was also associated with response. Our results support a possible role for 4-1BB agonist therapy in FL and suggest that features of the tumor microenvironment and stool microbiome may be associated with clinical outcomes (NCT03636503).

Brentuximab vedotin in combination with nivolumab in relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma: 3-year study results.

This phase 1-2 study evaluated brentuximab vedotin (BV) combined with nivolumab (Nivo) as first salvage therapy in patients with relapsed/refractory (r/r) classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). In parts 1 and 2, patients received staggered dosing of BV and Nivo in cycle 1, followed by same-day dosing in cycles 2 to 4. In part 3, both study drugs were dosed, same day, for all 4 cycles. At end of study treatment, patients could undergo autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) per investigator discretion. The objective response rate (ORR; N = 91) was 85%, with 67% achieving a complete response (CR). At a median follow-up of 34.3 months, the estimated progression-free survival (PFS) rate at 3 years was 77% (95% confidence interval [CI], 65% to 86%) and 91% (95% CI, 79% to 96%) for patients undergoing ASCT directly after study treatment. Overall survival at 3 years was 93% (95% CI, 85% to 97%). The most common adverse events (AEs) prior to ASCT were nausea (52%) and infusion-related reactions (43%), all grade 1 or 2. A total of 16 patients (18%) had immune-related AEs that required systemic corticosteroid treatment. Peripheral blood immune signatures were consistent with an activated T-cell response. Median gene expression of CD30 in tumors was higher in patients who responded compared with those who did not. Longer-term follow-up of BV and Nivo as a first salvage regimen shows durable efficacy and impressive PFS, especially in patients who proceeded directly to transplant, without additional toxicity concerns. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02572167.

Spatial signatures identify immune escape via PD-1 as a defining feature of T-cell/histiocyte-rich large B-cell lymphoma.

T-cell/histiocyte-rich large B-cell lymphoma (TCRLBCL) is an aggressive variant of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) characterized by rare malignant B cells within a robust but ineffective immune cell infiltrate. The mechanistic basis of immune escape in TCRLBCL is poorly defined and not targeted therapeutically. We performed a genetic and quantitative spatial analysis of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in a multi-institutional cohort of TCRLBCLs and found that malignant B cells harbored PD-L1/PD-L2 copy gain or amplification in 64% of cases, which was associated with increased PD-L1 expression (P = .0111). By directed and unsupervised spatial analyses of multiparametric cell phenotypic data within the tumor microenvironment, we found that TCRLBCL is characterized by tumor-immune "neighborhoods" in which malignant B cells are surrounded by exceptionally high numbers of PD-L1-expressing TAMs and PD-1+ T cells. Furthermore, unbiased clustering of spatially resolved immune signatures distinguished TCRLBCL from related subtypes of B-cell lymphoma, including classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) and DLBCL-NOS. Finally, we observed clinical responses to PD-1 blockade in 3 of 5 patients with relapsed/refractory TCRLBCL who were enrolled in clinical trials for refractory hematologic malignancies (NCT03316573; NCT01953692), including 2 complete responses and 1 partial response. Taken together, these data implicate PD-1 signaling as an immune escape pathway in TCRLBCL and also support the potential utility of spatially resolved immune signatures to aid the diagnostic classification and immunotherapeutic prioritization of diverse tumor types.

NCCN Guidelines® Insights: B-Cell Lymphomas, Version 6.2023.

Novel targeted therapies (small molecule inhibitors, antibody-drug conjugates, and CD19-directed therapies) have changed the treatment landscape of relapsed/refractory B-cell lymphomas. Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors continue to evolve in the management of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), in both the relapsed/refractory and the frontline setting. Anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapies are now effective and approved treatment options for relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma (FL), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and MCL. Bispecific T-cell engagers represent a novel immunotherapeutic approach for relapsed FL and DLBCL after multiple lines of therapies, including prior CAR T-cell therapy. These NCCN Guideline Insights highlight the significant updates to the NCCN Guidelines for B-Cell Lymphomas for the treatment of FL, DLBCL, and MCL.

Cutaneous eruptions from ibrutinib resembling epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor-induced dermatologic adverse events.

BACKGROUND: Ibrutinib is an oral inhibitor of Bruton tyrosine kinase that is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for several lymphoproliferative disorders and chronic graft-versus-host disease. OBJECTIVE: To characterize cutaneous eruptions arising from ibrutinib and highlight overlap with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor-induced dermatologic adverse events. METHODS: Single-center retrospective cohort of patients referred to the Skin Toxicities Program for treatment of cutaneous eruptions while taking ibrutinib. RESULTS: Among 19 patients, cutaneous eruptions manifested as facial-predominant papulopustular eruptions, petechiae, or ecchymoses, photosensitivity, panniculitis, xerosis, and clinical staphylococcal overgrowth. Most patients were able to continue ibrutinib therapy with focused treatment of their cutaneous toxicities. LIMITATIONS: This study represents cases at a single tertiary care center and is limited to patients referred for toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: With the exception of petechiae, the cutaneous toxicities of ibrutinib overlap with those associated with selective EGFR inhibitors. We observed that these reactions can be successfully managed using approaches for EGFR inhibitor-induced cutaneous adverse events.

Atorvastatin for Anthracycline-Associated Cardiac Dysfunction: The STOP-CA Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Anthracyclines treat a broad range of cancers. Basic and retrospective clinical data have suggested that use of atorvastatin may be associated with a reduction in cardiac dysfunction due to anthracycline use. Objective: To test whether atorvastatin is associated with a reduction in the proportion of patients with lymphoma receiving anthracyclines who develop cardiac dysfunction. Design, Setting, and Participants: Double-blind randomized clinical trial conducted at 9 academic medical centers in the US and Canada among 300 patients with lymphoma who were scheduled to receive anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Enrollment occurred between January 25, 2017, and September 10, 2021, with final follow-up on October 10, 2022. Interventions: Participants were randomized to receive atorvastatin, 40 mg/d (n = 150), or placebo (n = 150) for 12 months. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the proportion of participants with an absolute decline in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of ≥10% from prior to chemotherapy to a final value of <55% over 12 months. A secondary outcome was the proportion of participants with an absolute decline in LVEF of ≥5% from prior to chemotherapy to a final value of <55% over 12 months. Results: Of the 300 participants randomized (mean age, 50 [SD, 17] years; 142 women [47%]), 286 (95%) completed the trial. Among the entire cohort, the baseline mean LVEF was 63% (SD, 4.6%) and the follow-up LVEF was 58% (SD, 5.7%). Study drug adherence was noted in 91% of participants. At 12-month follow-up, 46 (15%) had a decline in LVEF of 10% or greater from prior to chemotherapy to a final value of less than 55%. The incidence of the primary end point was 9% (13/150) in the atorvastatin group and 22% (33/150) in the placebo group (P = .002). The odds of a 10% or greater decline in LVEF to a final value of less than 55% after anthracycline treatment was almost 3 times greater for participants randomized to placebo compared with those randomized to atorvastatin (odds ratio, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.4-6.4). Compared with placebo, atorvastatin also reduced the incidence of the secondary end point (13% vs 29%; P = .001). There were 13 adjudicated heart failure events (4%) over 24 months of follow-up. There was no difference in the rates of incident heart failure between study groups (3% with atorvastatin, 6% with placebo; P = .26). The number of serious related adverse events was low and similar between groups. Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with lymphoma treated with anthracycline-based chemotherapy, atorvastatin reduced the incidence of cardiac dysfunction. This finding may support the use of atorvastatin in patients with lymphoma at high risk of cardiac dysfunction due to anthracycline use. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02943590.

Putting the Heme Back in Heme-Onc: an Evaluation of the Redesigned Hematology Track within the Dana Farber/Mass General Brigham Hematology-Oncology Fellowship.

In 2019, the Dana Farber/Mass General Brigham Hematology-Oncology Fellowship redesigned the 6-month Hematology training track/curriculum required for all fellows seeking to double board in hematology and oncology. Responding to both national and local trends suggesting a future shortage of hematologists, the goal of the redesign was to create a new curriculum that would increase fellow interest in hematology, improve fellows' clinical knowledge of hematology, and serve as an example to other Hematology-Oncology programs across the country. The revised track has now been in place for four years, and, in this paper, the authors present the fellow experience with the first four years of the redesigned curriculum. Based on the number of fellows who chose to complete the new curriculum, as well as the fellow evaluations and performance on the Hematology In-Training Exam, the authors conclude that the new curriculum has successfully increased both fellow interest in and knowledge of hematology.

Acalabrutinib, venetoclax, and obinutuzumab as frontline treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: a single-arm, open-label, phase 2 study.

BACKGROUND: Both continuous therapy with acalabrutinib and fixed-duration therapy with venetoclax-obinutuzumab are effective for previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. We hypothesised that frontline time-limited, minimal residual disease (MRD)-guided triplet therapy with acalabrutinib, venetoclax, and obinutuzumab would induce deep (ie, more patients with undetectable MRD) and durable remissions. METHODS: In this open-label, single-arm, investigator-sponsored, phase 2 study, patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma were recruited from two academic hospitals in Boston, MA, USA. Eligible patients were aged 18 years or older, with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2, and were treatment naive. Patients were treated in 28 day cycles. Acalabrutinib monotherapy was given orally at 100 mg twice daily for cycle 1, then combined for six cycles with intravenous obinutuzumab (100 mg on cycle 2 day 1, 900 mg on day 2, 1000 mg on day 8, and 1000 mg on day 15 and on day 1 of cycles 3-7); and from the beginning of cycle 4, oral venetoclax was dosed daily using an accelerated ramp-up from 20 mg on day 1 to 400 mg by day 22 and continued at this dose thereafter. Patients continued on acalabrutinib 100 mg twice daily and venetoclax 400 mg once daily until day 1 of cycle 16 or day 1 of cycle 25. If the patient had undetectable MRD in the bone marrow they were given the option to discontinue therapy at the start of cycle 16 (if also in complete remission) or at the start of cycle 25 (if at least in partial remission). The primary endpoint was complete remission with undetectable MRD in the bone marrow (defined as <1 chronic lymphocytic leukaemia cell per 10 000 leucocytes as measured by four-colour flow cytometry), at cycle 16 day 1. Safety and activity endpoints were assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of any study drug. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03580928, and is ongoing. FINDINGS: Between Aug 2, 2018, and May 23, 2019, 37 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia were enrolled and all received at least one dose of any study drug. The median age of patients was 63 years (IQR 57-70), and ten (27%) were female and 27 (73%) were male. Median follow-up was 27·6 months (IQR 25·1-28·2). At cycle 16 day 1, 14 (38% [95% CI 22-55]) of 37 participants had a complete remission with undetectable MRD in the bone marrow. The most common grade 3 or 4 haematological adverse event was neutropenia (16 [43%] of 37 patients). The most common grade 3-4 non-haematological adverse events were hyperglycaemia (three [8%]) and hypophosphataemia (three [8%]). Serious adverse events occurred in nine (24%) patients; the most common was neutropenia in three (8%) patients. There have been no deaths on study. INTERPRETATION: Acalabrutinib, venetoclax, and obinutuzumab is a highly active and well tolerated frontline therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Although the primary endpoint of this study was not met, the high proportion of patients who had undetectable MRD in the bone marrow supports further investigation of this regimen, which is being tested against acalabrutinib-venetoclax and chemoimmunotherapy in an ongoing phase 3 study (NCT03836261). FUNDING: AstraZeneca and a Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Collaborative Award.

Brentuximab vedotin, doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine for nonbulky limited-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

Doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) with or without radiation is standard therapy for limited-stage Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) but carries risks of bleomycin-induced lung injury and radiation toxicity. Brentuximab vedotin is highly active in relapsed HL and was recently approved with doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (AVD) for previously untreated stage III/IV HL. We evaluated brentuximab-AVD for nonbulky stage I/II HL in a multicenter phase 2 study. Patients received a lead-in cycle of brentuximab vedotin monotherapy on days 1 and 15, followed by an exploratory positron emission tomography/computed tomography scan. Patients then received brentuximab-AVD for 4 to 6 cycles based on interim positron emission tomography/computed tomography scanning after cycle 2. Thirty-four patients were enrolled with a median age of 36 years (range, 20-75 years). Risk was early favorable in 62% and unfavorable in 38%. The best complete response rate was 100%. At a median follow-up of 38 months, the progression-free survival and overall survival were 94% and 97%, respectively. The most common adverse events were peripheral sensory neuropathy (79%), neutropenia (76%), fatigue (74%), and nausea (71%). The most common grade 3/4 toxicities were neutropenia (62%), febrile neutropenia (35%), and peripheral sensory neuropathy (24%). One elderly patient died of neutropenic sepsis in the first brentuximab-AVD cycle. Brentuximab dose reductions were required in 38% of patients, most for peripheral neuropathy. In conclusion, brentuximab-AVD without bleomycin or radiation produced a high complete response rate, with most patients requiring only 4 total cycles of therapy. Because toxicity was higher than would be expected from AVD alone, this method may not be appropriate for early-stage patients with a highly favorable prognosis. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01534078.

Five-year follow-up of SWOG S0816: limitations and values of a PET-adapted approach with stage III/IV Hodgkin lymphoma.

Patients with advanced-stage Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) demonstrated excellent 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) after receiving positron emission tomography (PET)-adapted therapy on SWOG S0816. Patients received 2 cycles of doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD). Patients achieving complete response (CR) on PET scan following cycle 2 of ABVD (PET2) continued 4 additional cycles of ABVD. Patients not achieving CR on PET2 were switched to escalated bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone (eBEACOPP) for 6 cycles. After a median follow-up of 5.9 years, a subset of 331 eligible patients with central review of PET2 was analyzed. PET2 was negative in 82% and positive in 18%. For all patients, the estimated 5-year PFS and OS was 74% (95% confidence interval [CI], 69%-79%) and 94% (95% CI, 91%-96%), respectively. For PET2- and PET2+ patients, the 5-year PFS was 76% (95% CI, 70%-81%) and 66% (95% CI, 52%-76%), respectively. Seven (14%) and 6 (2%) patients reported second cancers after treatment with eBEACOPP and ABVD, respectively (P = .001). Long-term OS of HL patients treated on S0816 remains high. Nearly 25% of PET2- patients experienced relapse events, demonstrating limitations ABVD therapy and of the negative predictive value of PET2. In PET2+ patients who received eBEACOPP, PFS was favorable, but was associated with a high rate of second malignancies compared with historical controls. Our results emphasize the importance of long-term follow-up, and the need for more efficacious and less toxic therapeutic approaches for advanced-stage HL patients. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00822120.

PD-1 blockade with pembrolizumab for classical Hodgkin lymphoma after autologous stem cell transplantation.

Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) remains the standard of care for patients with relapsed/refractory (RR) classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) who respond to salvage chemotherapy. However, relapse after ASCT remains a frequent cause of treatment failure, with poor subsequent prognosis. Because cHL is uniquely vulnerable to programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) blockade, PD-1 blockade given as consolidation after ASCT could improve ASCT outcomes. We therefore conducted a multicohort phase 2 study of pembrolizumab in patients with RR cHL after ASCT, hypothesizing that it would improve the progression-free survival (PFS) at 18 months after ASCT (primary end point) from 60% to 80%. Pembrolizumab was administered at 200 mg IV every 3 weeks for up to 8 cycles, starting within 21 days of post-ASCT discharge. Thirty patients were treated on this study. The median age was 33 years, and 90% were high-risk by clinical criteria. Seventy-seven percent completed all 8 cycles. Toxicity was manageable, with 30% of patients experiencing at least 1 grade 3 or higher adverse event (AE), and 40% at least 1 grade 2 or higher immune-related AE. Two patients were lost to follow-up in complete remission at 12 months. The PFS at 18 months for the 28 evaluable patients was 82%, meeting the primary end point. The 18-month overall survival was 100%. In conclusion, pembrolizumab was successfully administered as post-ASCT consolidation in patients with RR cHL, and resulted in a promising PFS in a high-risk patient cohort, supporting the testing of this strategy in a randomized trial. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02362997.

NCCN Guidelines® Insights: B-Cell Lymphomas, Version 5.2021.

In the last decade, a better understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas has resulted in the development of novel targeted therapies, such as small molecule inhibitors of select kinases in the B-cell receptor pathway, antibody-drug conjugates, and small molecules that target a variety of proteins (eg, CD-19, EZH2, and XPO-1-mediated nuclear export). Anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy, first approved for relapsed/refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, has also emerged as a novel treatment option for R/R follicular lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma. These NCCN Guideline Insights highlight the new targeted therapy options included in the NCCN Guidelines for B-Cell Lymphomas for the treatment of R/R disease.

Interim results of brentuximab vedotin in combination with nivolumab in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma.

In this phase 1/2 study, brentuximab vedotin (BV) and nivolumab (Nivo) administered in combination were evaluated as initial salvage therapy in patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) classical Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Patients received up to 4 cycles of combination treatment, with BV administered on day 1 and Nivo on day 8 of the first cycle. For cycles 2 to 4, BV and Nivo were both administered on day 1. After study treatment, responses were evaluated by investigators per the 2014 Lugano classification, and patients could proceed to autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Sixty-two patients were enrolled; the complete response rate among all treated patients (n = 61) was 61%, with an objective response rate of 82%. Before ASCT, adverse events (AEs) occurred in 98% of patients, mostly grades 1 and 2. Infusion-related reactions (IRRs) occurred in 44% of patients overall, with 41% of patients experiencing an IRR during at least 1 infusion of BV. Five patients (8%) were treated with systemic steroids for immune-related AEs. A reduction of peripheral T-cell subsets including regulatory T cells was observed after the first dose of BV, and reduced serum levels of thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine concurrent with an increase in proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines were seen after the first BV plus Nivo infusions. The combination of BV plus Nivo was an active and well-tolerated first salvage regimen, potentially providing patients with R/R HL an alternative to traditional chemotherapy. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02572167.

Brentuximab vedotin plus bendamustine: a highly active first salvage regimen for relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma.

Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is standard of care for patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) who have relapsed/refractory disease after frontline chemotherapy. Achievement of complete remission (CR) with pre-ASCT salvage chemotherapy predicts favorable outcomes post-ASCT. This phase 1/2 study evaluated the combination of brentuximab vedotin (BV) plus bendamustine as a first salvage regimen in relapsed/refractory HL. A total of 55 patients (28 primary refractory and 27 relapsed) were enrolled. Patients received BV (1.8 mg/kg) on day 1 and bendamustine (90 mg/m2) on days 1 and 2 of a 21-day cycle for up to 6 cycles. Patients could undergo ASCT any time after cycle 2. Following ASCT or completion of combination therapy if not proceeding to ASCT, patients could receive BV monotherapy for up to 16 cycles of total therapy. After a median of 2 cycles of combination therapy (range, 1-6), the objective response rate among 53 efficacy-evaluable patients was 92.5%, with 39 patients (73.6%) achieving CR. Forty patients underwent ASCT. Thirty-one patients (25 of whom underwent ASCT) received BV monotherapy (median, 10 cycles; range, 1-14). After a median of 20.9 months of follow-up, the estimated 2-year progression-free survival was 69.8% and 62.6% for patients who received ASCT and all patients, respectively. Thirty-one patients (56.4%) experienced infusion-related reactions (IRRs), with a majority occurring during cycle 2 of combination therapy. A protocol amendment requiring premedication reduced IRR severity. BV plus bendamustine as first salvage therapy in relapsed/refractory HL is highly active with a manageable toxicity profile. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01874054.