Autologous stem cell transplantation for untreated transformed indolent B-cell lymphoma in first remission: an international, multi-centre propensity-score-matched study.

High-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) are used as consolidation in first remission (CR1) in some centres for untreated, transformed indolent B-cell lymphoma (Tr-iNHL) but the evidence base is weak. A total of 319 patients with untreated Tr-iNHL meeting prespecified transplant eligibility criteria [age <75, LVEF ≥45%, no severe lung disease, CR by positron emission tomography or computed tomography ≥3 months after at least standard cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone with rituximab (R-CHOP) intensity front-line chemotherapy] were retrospectively identified. Non-diffuse large B-cell lymphoma transformations were excluded. About 283 (89%) patients had follicular lymphoma, 30 (9%) marginal-zone lymphoma and six (2%) other subtypes. Forty-nine patients underwent HDC/ASCT in CR1, and a 1:2 propensity-score-matched cohort of 98 patients based on age, stage and high-grade B-cell lymphoma with MYC, BCL2 and/or BCL6 rearrangements (HGBL-DH) was generated. After a median follow-up of 3·7 (range 0·1-18·3) years, ASCT was associated with significantly superior progression-free survival [hazard ratio (HR) 0·51, 0·27-0·98; P = 0·043] with a trend towards inferior overall survival (OS; HR 2·36;0·87-6·42; P = 0·1) due to more deaths from progressive disease (8% vs. 4%). Forty (41%) patients experienced relapse in the non-ASCT cohort - 15 underwent HDC/ASCT with seven (47%) ongoing complete remission (CR); 10 chimeric antigen receptor-modified T-cell (CAR-T) therapy with 6 (60%) ongoing CR; 3 allogeneic SCT with 2 (67%) ongoing CR. Although ASCT in CR1 improves initial duration of disease control in untreated Tr-iNHL, the impact on OS is less clear with effective salvage therapies in this era of CAR-T.

Encouraging activity for R-CHOP in advanced stage nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma.

Nodular lymphocyte Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) is a rare disease for which the optimal therapy is unknown. We hypothesized that rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) could decrease rates of relapse and transformation. We retrospectively reviewed patients with NLPHL diagnosed between 1995 and 2015 confirmed by central pathologic review. Fifty-nine had sufficient treatment and follow-up data for analysis. We described progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and histologic transformation according to treatment strategy and explored prognostic factors for PFS and OS. The median age at diagnosis was 41 years; 75% were male, and 61% had a typical growth pattern. Twenty-seven patients were treated with R-CHOP with an overall response rate of 100% (complete responses 89%). The median follow-up was 6.7 years, and the estimated 5- and 10-year PFS rates for patients treated with R-CHOP were 88.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 68.4% to 96.1%) and 59.3 (95% CI, 25.3% to 89.1%), respectively. Excluding patients with histologic transformation at diagnosis, the 5-year cumulative incidence of histologic transformation was 2% (95% CI, 87% to 100%). No patient treated with R-CHOP experienced transformation. A high-risk score from the German Hodgkin Study Group was adversely prognostic for OS (P = .036), whereas male sex and splenic involvement were adversely prognostic for PFS (P = .006 and .002, respectively) but not OS. Our data support a potential role for R-CHOP in patients with NLPHL. Larger prospective trials are needed to define the optimal chemotherapy regimen.

Patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma experiencing disease progression after treatment with brentuximab vedotin have poor outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Brentuximab vedotin (BV) is a key therapeutic agent for patients with relapsed/refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). The outcomes of patients experiencing disease progression after BV are poorly described. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed our institutional database to identify patients with cHL treated with BV who were either refractory to treatment or experienced disease relapse. We collected clinicopathologic features, treatment details at progression and outcome. RESULTS: One hundred patients met inclusion criteria, with a median age of 32 years (range 18-84) at progression after BV. The median number of treatments before BV was 3 (range 0-9); 71 had prior autologous stem cell transplant. The overall response rate (ORR) to BV was 57%, and the median duration of BV therapy was 3 months (range 1-25). After disease progression post-BV, the most common treatment strategies were investigational agents (n = 30), gemcitabine (n = 15) and bendamustine (n = 12). The cumulative ORR to therapy was 33% (complete response 15%). After a median follow-up of 25 months (range 1-74), the median progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 3.5 and 25.2 months, respectively. In multivariate analysis, no factors analyzed were predictive of PFS; age at progression >45 years and serum albumin <40 g/l at disease progression were associated with increased risk of death. Among patients who achieved response to therapy, allogeneic stem cell transplantation was associated with a non-significant trend toward superior OS (P = 0.11). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with BV-resistant cHL have poor outcomes. These data serve as a reference for newer agents active in BV-resistant disease.

Factors influencing outcome in advanced stage, low-grade follicular lymphoma treated at MD Anderson Cancer Center in the rituximab era.

BACKGROUND: The optimal initial therapy of follicular lymphoma (FL) remains unclear. The aims of this study were to compare primary treatment strategies and assess the impact of maintenance rituximab and patterns of treatment failure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients with treatment-naive advanced stage, grade 1-2 FL treated at our center from 2004 to 2014. We included 356 patients treated on clinical trials or standard of care with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (R-CHOP, n = 119); R-CHOP with maintenance (R-CHOP + M, n = 65); bendamustine/rituximab (BR, n = 45); BR with maintenance (BR + M, n = 35); R(2) (n = 94). We compared baseline characteristics, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and analyzed prognostic factors using univariate and multivariate analysis adjusted for treatment. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 4 years (range 0.2-15.0), the 3-year PFS was 60% [95% confidence interval (CI) 51% to 69%] for R-CHOP, 72% (59% to 82%) for R-CHOP + M, 63% (42% to 78%) for BR, 97% (80% to 100%) for BR + M and 87% (78% to 93%) for R(2). Patients treated with R-chemotherapy had more high-risk features than patients treated with R(2) but, by adjusted multivariate analysis, treatment with R(2) [hazard ratio (HR) 0.39 (0.17-0.89), P = 0.02] was associated with a superior PFS. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance status of one or more predicted inferior OS. Among patients treated with R-chemotherapy, maintenance was associated with the superior PFS [HR 0.38 (95% CI 0.21-0.68)]. By adjusted multivariate analysis, disease progression within 2 years [HR 5.1 (95% CI 1.57-16.83)] and histologic transformation (HT) [HR 11.05 (95% CI 2.84-42.93)] increased risk of death. CONCLUSION: Induction therapy with R(2) may result in disease control which is comparable with R-chemotherapy. Early disease progression and HT are predictive of inferior survival.

Patients with mantle cell lymphoma failing ibrutinib are unlikely to respond to salvage chemotherapy and have poor outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Although ibrutinib is highly effective in patients with relapsed/refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), a substantial proportion of patients have resistant disease. The subsequent outcomes of such patients are unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We carried out a retrospective review of all patients with MCL treated with ibrutinib at MD Anderson Cancer Center between January 2011 and January 2014 using pharmacy and clinical databases. Patients who had discontinued ibrutinib for any reason were included in the study. RESULTS: We identified 42 patients with MCL who discontinued therapy due to disease progression on treatment (n = 28), toxicity (n = 6), elective stem-cell transplant in remission (n = 4) or withdrawn consent (n = 4). The median age was 69 years, 35 (83%) were male; the median number of prior treatments was 2 (range 1-8) and the median time from initial diagnosis of MCL to commencing ibrutinib was 3.0 (range 0.5-15.5) years. Patients had received a median of 6.5 (range 1-43) cycles of ibrutinib. Among 31 patients who experienced disease progression following ibrutinib and underwent salvage therapy, the overall and complete response rates were 32% and 19%, respectively. After a median follow-up of 10.7 (range 2.4-38.9) months from discontinuation of ibrutinib, the median overall survival (OS) among patients with disease progression was 8.4 months. By univariate analysis, elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase at progression was associated with inferior OS. CONCLUSION: The outcome of patients with MCL who experience disease progression following ibrutinib therapy is poor, with both low response rates to salvage therapy and short duration of responses. Further studies to better understand and overcome ibrutinib resistance are urgently needed.

Chemotherapy induces transient sex chromosomal and autosomal aneuploidy in human sperm.

Each year more than 20,000 children and young persons of reproductive age are exposed to known mutagens in the form of chemo- and/or radiotherapy for cancer in the States. As more of these treatments are effective there is growing concern that genetic defects are introduced in the germ cells of these young patients. It is well documented for male rodents that treatment with chemo- and radio-therapeutic agents before mating can cause genetic damage in the germ line, and the magnitude of heritable effects depends on the spermatogenic cell stage treated. Similar germinal effects are suspected to occur in humans but remain unproven. Hodgkin's disease (HD) is an example of a malignancy which is typically diagnosed during a patient's reproductive years. In our study we observed eight male HD patients who were treated with NOVP (Novanthrone, Oncovin, Vinblastine, Prednisone) chemotherapy. We evaluated sperm aneuploidy using multi-colour fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and found approximately 5-fold increases in sperm with disomies, diploidies and complex genotypes involving chromosome X, Y and 8. Increases in sex chromosome aneuploidies arose from segregation errors at meiosis I as well as meiosis II. The aneuploidy effects were transient, however, declining to pretreatment levels within approximately 100 days after the end of the therapy. When compared with normal men, some HD patients showed higher proportions of certain sperm aneuploidy types even before their first therapy.

A randomized trial of a single-dose rasburicase versus five-daily doses in patients at risk for tumor lysis syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a life-threatening disorder characterized by hyperuricemia and metabolic derangements. The efficacy of rasburicase, administered daily for 5 days, has been well established. However, the optimal duration of therapy is unknown in adults. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We evaluated the efficacy of rasburicase (0.15 mg/kg) administered as single dose followed by as needed dosing (maximum five doses) versus daily dosing for 5 days in adult patients at risk for TLS. RESULTS: Eighty of the 82 patients enrolled received rasburicase; 40 high risk [median uric acid (UA) 8.5 mg/dl; range, 1.5-19.7] and 40 potential risk (UA = 5.6 mg/dl; range, 2.4-7.4). Seventy-nine patients (99%) experienced normalization in their UA within 4 h after the first dose; 84% to an undetectable level (<0.7 mg/dl). Thirty-nine of 40 (98%) patients in the daily-dose arm and 34 of 40 (85%) patients in single-dose arm showed sustained UA response. Six high-risk patients within the single-dose arm required second dose for UA >7.5 mg/dl. Rasburicase was well tolerated; one patient with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency developed methemoglobinemia and hemolysis. CONCLUSIONS: Rasburicase is highly effective for prevention and management of hyperuricemia in adults at risk for TLS. Single-dose rasburicase was effective in most patients; only a subset of high-risk patients required a second dose.

The addition of rituximab to CHOP chemotherapy improves overall and failure-free survival for follicular grade 3 lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: The benefit of adding rituximab to anthracycline-based therapy for follicular lymphoma grade 3 has not been studied. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 45 patients with follicular grade 3 lymphoma who were treated with rituximab and the combination of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Response rate, failure-free survival (FFS), and overall survival (OS) were estimated and a historical comparison to CHOP-only-treated patients was made. RESULTS: The International Prognostic Index (IPI) distribution was 47% low, 36% low intermediate, 13% high intermediate, and 4% high risk. The complete response rate was 96%. Forty-four of 45 patients are still alive. Median follow-up for the alive patients is 3.5 years. The 3-year FFS rate according to the IPI was 80% [95% confidence interval (CI) 64% to 100%] in low, 81% in low intermediate (95% CI 64% to 100%), and 50% (95% CI 25% to 100%) in high-intermediate/high-risk patient group. The addition of rituximab to CHOP improved both 5-year FFS, 71% (95% CI 58% to 87%) compared with 44% (95% CI 36% to 55%) with P value of 0.019, and 5-year OS, 98% (95% CI 93% to 100%) compared with 75% (95% CI 67% to 84%) with P value of 0.0034. CONCLUSION: The addition of rituximab to CHOP provided a high response rate and excellent early survival. Poor-risk patients continue to demonstrate a high rate of failure despite the use of rituximab.

Chemotherapy with dexamethasone, high-dose cytarabine, and cisplatin for parenchymal brain lymphoma.

Ten patients with parenchymal CNS lymphoma received combination chemotherapy with dexamethasone, high-dose cytarabine, and cisplatin (DHAP), and additional therapy according to clinical circumstances. Two of four patients with primary CNS lymphoma achieved and remain in complete remission (CR). Four of six patients with CNS lymphoma at relapse also achieved CR. DHAP is active against CNS lymphoma. Further trials with DHAP, particularly in conjunction with other treatment modalities, are warranted.

Induction of chromosome breaks and sister chromatid exchanges in patients with Hodgkin's disease by two combination chemotherapy regimens of different leukemogenic potential.

The success of various combination chemotherapies in the treatment of cancer is compromised by their potential to cause secondary leukemia. Previous studies have suggested that the alkylating agents used in some regimens are the major etiological factor in these leukemias. In this study, we compared the abilities of two standard regimens used in the treatment of Hodgkin's disease to cause chromosome breaks and sister chromatid exchanges, the two most common types of chromosomal damage induced by alkylating agents. These regimens are MOPP [mechlorethamine-vincristine (Oncovin)-procarbazine-prednisone] and CVPP-ABDIC [cyclophosphamide-vinblastine-procarbazine-prednisone-doxorubicin (Adriamycin)-bleomycin-dacarbazine-1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-1- nitrosourea]. Our study demonstrated that (a) levels of spontaneous chromosome breaks and sister chromatid exchanges were low in untreated Hodgkin's disease patients; (b) significantly higher levels of these damages were induced in patients receiving eight cycles of CVPP-ABDIC, as compared with their pretreatment levels; (c) significantly elevated levels of sister chromatid exchanges, but not chromosome breaks, were induced in patients receiving two cycles of MOPP; and (d) no differences in the effect of these two regimens on cell cycle kinetics were observed. Although MOPP therapy has been reported to have higher rates of secondary leukemia than CVPP-ABDIC, our studies show that eight cycles of CVPP-ABDIC are more potent than two cycles of MOPP in inducing chromosome damage in patients during treatments.

Frequent nonrandom chromosome abnormalities in 27 patients with untreated large cell lymphoma and immunoblastic lymphoma.

Fresh tumor samples from 27 patients with large cell lymphoma, either previously untreated (26 patients) or minimally treated (one patient), were processed for cytogenetic studies. Cytogenetic abnormalities were observed in all patients, most commonly in chromosomes 1, 3, 7, 12, 14, 17, and 18. Nine chromosomal breakpoints appeared frequently: 14q32 in 14 instances; 18q21 in seven; 9p13-21, 17p11-13, and 3q21-23 in six each; 1p11-21 in five instances; 1p36 in four; and 2p21-23 in three. The most common structural abnormalities were t(14;18)(q32;q21) in seven patients (26%) and 17p- in six (22%). The presence of 17p- was associated with a significantly higher proliferative capacity as manifested by the percentage of S phase = 22% versus 11% for cases without 17p-(P less than 0.05). Trisomy 12, typical of small lymphocytic lymphoma, was seen in five patients in this series, all of whom had diffuse large cell lymphoma; frequently, it appeared simultaneously with t(14;18). The two patients with immunoblastic lymphoma of B-cell type had an abnormality involving chromosome 2p21-23. Deletions in the long arm of chromosome 6, previously described as typical of diffuse large cell lymphoma and B-cell immunoblastic lymphoma were observed infrequently in this series. However, this abnormality has been present in 50% of patients with large cell lymphoma previously exposed to therapy, suggesting that it may be related to effects of chemotherapy or to clonal evolution.

Two cycles of MOPP and radiotherapy for stage III1A and stage III1B Hodgkin's disease.

One hundred two adult patients with stage III1A (76 patients) and stage III1B (26 patients) Hodgkin's disease were treated with two cycles of mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone (MOPP) and radiotherapy (XRT) between 1970 and 1984. Sixty-four of the patients were treated between 1970 and 1978 with two cycles of MOPP and XRT to the mantle, upper abdomen, and pelvis. The remaining 38 patients were treated from 1978 to 1984 with a modification of the protocol in which pelvic XRT was omitted and low-dose whole-lung XRT was administered to patients with unfavorable mediastinal disease. The 10-year actuarial freedom-from-progression (FFP) and determinate survival rates at a mean follow-up of 93 months were 84% and 86% for stage III1 disease, 86% and 84% for stage III1A disease, and 78% and 91% for stage III1B disease. Three patients died of treatment-related toxicities without evidence of Hodgkin's disease, two died of complications of myelosuppression and one of acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL). Neither FFP nor determinate survival rates were significantly influenced by B symptoms, unfavorable mediastinal disease, histologic subtype, extent of abdominal disease, the omission of pelvic XRT, the use of whole-lung XRT, or the number of splenic nodules. Patients 40 years of age or older had a 73% determinate survival rate at 10 years compared with 88% for patients younger than 40 years (P = .01). This survival difference was due to treatment-related toxicity in the older group. This study indicates that two cycles of MOPP and XRT to the mantle and upper abdomen is as effective as more intensive treatment for all patients with stage III1 Hodgkin's disease. This treatment program can preserve fertility and has had only a 1% actuarial incidence of ANLL at 15 years.

MIME chemotherapy (methyl-GAG, ifosfamide, methotrexate, etoposide) as treatment for recurrent Hodgkin's disease.

Forty-seven patients with Hodgkin's disease in relapse were treated with MIME combination chemotherapy (methyl-GAG, ifosfamide, methotrexate, etoposide). All patients had previously received nitrogen mustard, vincristine, prednisone, procarbazine (MOPP) or similar regimens and doxorubicin-containing combinations, and many had received extensive irradiation. Complete remission (CR) occurred in 23%, and was influenced by presence of extranodal disease, hemoglobin, lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), and number of prior relapses. Median survival for all patients was 50 weeks, and was affected adversely by the presence of extranodal disease and the number of prior relapses. Toxicity was significant, including infections (23%), neutropenic fever (34%), and hemorrhagic cystitis (23%), but was related in part to the extent of prior therapy. These results with this novel chemotherapy program in heavily pretreated patients suggest that MIME should be studied in less extensively treated patients and considered as a part of treatment programs for patients with Hodgkin's disease in first relapse.

Results of MIME salvage regimen for recurrent or refractory lymphoma.

Based on encouraging results of two previous ifosfamide-VP-16 salvage combinations, methyl-gag was added to ifosfamide, methotrexate, and etoposide (VP-16). This combination is called MIME. A total of 208 patients with recurrent lymphoma were treated with this regimen. Response rates were 24% for complete remission and 36% for partial remission. The MIME regimen was more effective in patients who were treated after being off front-line therapy for longer than 6 months. However, responses were also seen in patients with disease clearly resistant to front-line therapy, suggesting that MIME was at least partially non-cross-resistant with front-line doxorubicin-containing regimens. The 15-month median relapse-free survival of complete responders and the 9-month overall median survival time for all patients treated were both similar to results from previous ifosfamide-VP-16 combination use. This regimen has been effective in the treatment of patients with recurrent or refractory lymphoma, but cannot be considered curative in the majority of cases.

Prognostic role of serum beta 2-microglobulin in Hodgkin's disease.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of serum beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2M) in the prognosis of patients with Hodgkin's disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred sixty previously untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease had serum beta 2M levels determined before initiation of treatment. Serum beta 2M was tested for its correlation with known prognostic factors for patients with Hodgkin's disease. These variables, including beta 2M, were correlated with complete remission (CR) rate and time to treatment failure (TTF). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. RESULTS: Serum beta 2M levels greater than 2.5 mg/L were found in 29% of patients. Such elevation was more common in patients with more advanced-stage disease. Elevated serum beta 2M was an independent and powerful factor in the prediction of lower response rate and shorter TTF. Its impact appeared to be more significant in patients with advanced disease. CONCLUSION: Serum beta 2M appears to correlate with tumor stage in patients with Hodgkin's disease and elevated serum levels of this polypeptide predict a less favorable prognosis.

Phase I study of the combination of fludarabine, mitoxantrone, and dexamethasone in low-grade lymphoma.

PURPOSE: Fludarabine is an active agent for patients with low-grade lymphoma (LGL) but has mainly been used as a single agent. This trial was designed to define the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) of a combination of fludarabine, mitoxantrone, and dexamethasone (FND), to identify the toxicities of these agents in combination, and to make preliminary observations about the efficacy of this combination. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-one patients with recurrent LGL or follicular large-cell lymphoma were treated, in cohorts of three, at stepwise escalating doses. Patients were required to have adequate marrow function and normal renal, hepatic, and cardiac function. RESULTS: The MTD of the combination was found to be as follows: fludarabine, 25 mg/m2/d (days 1 to 3); mitoxantrone, 10 mg/m2 (day 1); and dexamethasone, 20 mg/d (days 1 to 5). Each course was administered monthly, and up to eight courses were given. Dose-limiting toxicities were neutropenia and infections. Thrombocytopenia was modest. Nonhematologic toxicity was very modest. Responses were seen at every dose level. The overall response rate was 71%, with a 43% complete remission (CR) rate. The median duration of CR was 18 months (with follow-up duration from 13 to 28+ months). CONCLUSION: FND was well tolerated in this population. While our primary aim was to define the MTD, our preliminary observations on the efficacy of the regimen were favorable. The overall response rate was high, there was a high fraction of CRs, and our early impression is that these responses are durable.

Results of a salvage treatment program for relapsing lymphoma: MINE consolidated with ESHAP.

PURPOSE: We report the results of a prospective trial in which patients with relapsing non-Hodgkin's lymphomas were sequentially treated with two regimens (mesna, ifosfamide, mitoxantrone, and etoposide [MINE], and etoposide, methylprednisolone, cytarabine, and cisplatin [ESHAP]) if they had no history of disease resistance to these drugs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety-two patients received MINE (mesna 4 g/m2, ifosfamide 4 g/m2, mitoxantrone 8 mg/m2, and etoposide 195 mg/m2) for a maximum of six courses followed by ESHAP (etoposide 240 mg/m2, methylprednisone 500 mg/d, high-dose cytarabine 2 g/m2, and cisplatin 100 mg/m2) for three courses to consolidate complete response (CR) or for a maximum of six cycles after a partial response (PR) or no response to MINE. Pretreatment serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2M) were documented in 80 of 92 patients. RESULTS: The response rate to MINE-ESHAP was 69% (48% CRs and 21% PRs), with a median survival time of 24 months and median time to treatment failure of 12 months. The median time to treatment failure according to histology was as follows: low-grade histologies, 16 months; low-grade transformed to intermediate-grade, 8 months; and intermediate-grade, 5 months. The most serious complication was myelosuppression, which resulted in two deaths due to neutropenic sepsis. A risk factor model based on beta 2M and LDH levels before salvage treatment showed three categories of risk, with 36-month survival rates as follows: low (beta 2M < 3 mg/dL and LDH normal), 61%; intermediate (beta 2M > or = 3 mg/dL or LDH above normal), 23%; and high (beta 2M > or = 3 mg/dL and LDH above normal), 0%. CONCLUSION: MINE-ESHAP is an effective salvage strategy for patients with recurrent lymphoma. Toxicity was acceptable. Factors that determine prognostic categories at relapse merit further study.

Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor hastens granulocyte recovery after high-dose chemotherapy and autologous bone marrow transplantation in Hodgkin's disease.

To determine whether recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) can accelerate granulocyte recovery after high-dose combination chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) in patients with Hodgkin's disease, we performed a nonrandomized phase II study using historical controls as a comparison. Eighteen relapsed/refractory Hodgkin's disease patients who received cyclophosphamide at 1.5 g/m2/day (days -6 to -3), carmustine (BCNU) at 300 mg/m2 (day -6), and etoposide (VP-16) at 125 mg/m2 every 12 hours (days -6 to -4), followed by ABMT (day 0) were treated with rhG-CSF at 60 micrograms/kg/day for a maximum of 28 days beginning on day 1. rhG-CSF dosage was gradually diminished and stopped once an adequate granulocyte count was maintained. rhG-CSF significantly accelerated absolute granulocyte count (AGC) compared with historical controls recovery to the 100/microL level (median, 9 days v 13 days; P = .103 x 10(-4), 500/microL level (median, 13 days v 22 days; P = 0.189 x 10(-2), and 1000/microL level (median, 16 days v 30 days levels; P = .125 x 10(-5). Platelet recovery to 50,000/microL was not significantly altered (P = .370). rhG-CSF was well tolerated, bone pain and myalgia being the only side effects noted. rhG-CSF hastens granulocyte recovery after high-dose chemotherapy with ABMT in patients with relapsed/refractory Hodgkin's disease without significant toxicity.

Phase II trial of fludarabine phosphate in lymphoma: an effective new agent in low-grade lymphoma.

PURPOSE: In a phase II trial we investigated fludarabine phosphate (FAMP) as therapy for patients with relapsed lymphoma to determine its effectiveness and toxicity in this disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The 67 assessable patients had a median age of 56 years and had received a median of three chemotherapy regimens before treatment with FAMP. The starting dose was 25 mg/m2 administered intravenously over 30 minutes daily for 5 days every 3 to 4 weeks. RESULTS: High response rates were observed for follicular small cleaved-cell lymphoma (FSCCL) (62%), follicular mixed small- and large-cell lymphoma (80%), and follicular large-cell lymphoma (FLCL) (100%). Responses also occurred in small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) (33%), transformed lymphoma (33%), mycosis fungoides (40%), and Hodgkin's disease (25%). No responses were observed in other intermediate- or high-grade lymphomas (N = 20). Overall, there were five patients with a complete response, 23 patients with a partial response, and an overall response rate of 37%. Toxicity was primarily hematologic and infectious. No significant gastrointestinal, hepatic, renal, or neurologic toxicity occurred. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that FAMP has major activity in follicular lymphoma. Fundamental research is needed to understand this differential efficacy in low-grade lymphoma yet lack of efficacy in intermediate- and high-grade lymphoma. Clinical investigations should be done using FAMP in varying dose schedules and in combination regimens.