A phase 1 dose escalation study of idarubicin combined with methotrexate, vindesine, and prednisolone for untreated elderly patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma. The GOELAMS LCP 99 trial.

Treatment of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) in elderly patients remains unsatisfactory. To develop a new high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX)-based regimen including idarubicin, a phase 1 multicenter dose escalation study was conducted to determine the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) of idarubicin. Thirty-five immunocompetent patients with PCNSL were enrolled. The median age was 65 years (range, 60-70 years). MTX and vindesine (VDS) were given at the fixed dose of 3 g/m(2) (6-hr intravenous [IV]) and 3 mg/m(2) IV on day 1, respectively. Prednisolone (PRED) was given at the fixed dose of 60 mg/m(2) (IV or orally) on days 1-5. Idarubicin was escalated in increments of 2 mg/m(2) with doses ranging from 12-18 mg/m(2) IV on day 1. Treatment was repeated three times every 3 weeks. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was defined as grade 4 neutropenia for more than 7 days, thrombocytopenia grade 4 or nonhaematological toxicity more than grade 2. The MTD of idarubicin was reached at 16 mg/m(2) . At this level, the main haematological toxicities were thrombocytopenia grade 4: 5% and neutropenia grade 3 or 4 (52%); the main nonhaematological toxicities were grade 3 or 4 infectious disease (5%) and grade 2 renal failure (9%). For the study population, median overall and progression-free survival were 19 and 13 months, respectively. Our study suggests that the MTD of idarubicin in combination with HD-MTX, VDS, and PRED, should be 16 mg/m(2) . Further studies will be necessary to challenge a standard treatment in elderly patients with PCNSL.

Thalidomide versus placebo in myeloid metaplasia with myelofibrosis: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, multicenter study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In non-randomized studies, thalidomide appeared to be effective in myeloid metaplasia with myelofibrosis (MMM). We compared thalidomide to placebo for treatment of anemia in MMM. DESIGN AND METHODS: A prospective phase II B, randomized double-blind multicenter trial comparing thalidomide 400 mg/d with placebo for 180 days was conducted in 52 anemic patients (hemoglobin pounds Sterling 9 g/dL or transfused). The main outcome measure was a 2 g/L increase in hemoglobin or 20% reduction in transfusions. RESULTS: In the thalidomide group only 10 patients completed 6 months of treatment. At 180 days, in an intention-to-treat analysis, no difference was observed between the thalidomide and placebo groups as regards improvement of hemoglobin levels (one patient in each group) or reduction of red blood cell transfusions (three vs five patients, respectively). The spleen size, determined by ultrasonography, increased significantly less in the thalidomide group than in the placebo group (p < 0.05). Thalidomide had no apparent benefit on the Dupriez score, the severity score, survival, death, or any other clinical or biological parameter. Somnolence, gastro-intestinal signs, weight gain, and edema were significantly more frequent in the thalidomide group. Outpatient discontinuation of thalidomide was significantly correlated with a high severity score > 4 (odds ratio, OR = 16; p < 0.01), and g-glutamyl transferase levels > 40 IU/L (OR = 12; p < 0.05). INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: Thalidomide (200-400 mg/d) does not demonstrate substantial efficacy in anemic MMM patients. The natural history of disease in the placebo group revealed spontaneous periods of remission of anemia. Tolerance of thalidomide was significantly correlated wih the severity and liver involvement of the disease.

[Current treatment of AL amyloidosis]. / Traitement actuel de l'amylose AL.

Systemic AL amyloidosis is a rare complication of monoclonal gammopathies. Renal manifestations are frequent, mostly characterized by heavy proteinuria, with nephrotic syndrome and renal failure in more than half of the patients at diagnosis. Without treatment, median survival does not exceed 12 months. Amyloid heart disease and diffusion of amyloid deposits are associated with reduced survival. Treatment of systemic AL amyloidosis has been profoundly modified with the introduction of international criteria for the definition of organ involvement and hematologic response, and with the use of sensitive tests for the measurement of serum-free light chain levels. Melphalan plus dexamethasone is now established as the gold standard for first line treatment of systemic AL, with similar efficacy and reduced treatment-related mortality compared to high-dose therapy. Modern chemotherapy regimens, based on the use of novel agents such as bortezomib and lenalidomide, might further improve patient survival.

[New insights in the treatment of myeloma with renal failure]. / Actualités dans le traitement du myélome avec insuffisance rénale.

Renal failure, mostly related to myeloma cast nephropathy (MCN), is a frequent complication of multiple myeloma (MM), which occurs in up to 50% of patients during the course of the disease. Persistent renal failure in MM is associated with poor survival. Treatment of MCN relies on urgent symptomatic measures (alkalinisation, rehydration, correction of hypercalcemia, and withdrawal of nephrotoxic drugs), with rapid introduction of chemotherapy to efficiently reduce the production of monoclonal light chains (LC). Recent studies suggest that, in patients with MM and severe renal failure due to MCN, rapid removal of circulating LC, through intensive hemodialysis sessions using a new generation high cut-off dialysis membrane, might result in dialysis withdrawal in most patients. If the development of intensive therapy and new efficient chemotherapy agents (thalidomide, bortezomib, lenalidomide) has transformed the care and prognosis of MM, the modalities and safety of these therapeutic regimens in patients with renal failure remain to be defined. The association of bortezomib with dexamethasone should be considered currently as first-line treatment in patients with MM and impaired renal function.

Chemotherapy with rituximab followed by high-dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with mantle cell lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: The authors evaluated the efficacy of chemotherapy combined with rituximab followed by high-dose therapy (HDT) plus autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of 34 patients who were treated in 2 departments of hematology, including 29 patients (85%) who received first-line treatment. Rituximab was administered as 4 injections just before harvest in 25 patients (73%) or simultaneously with chemotherapy in 9 patients (27%). HDT included total body irradiation in 26 patients (77%). RESULTS: After induction therapy, all patients except one reached a response: There were 14 (41%) complete responses (CR) and 19 (56%) partial responses (PR). Stem cell harvest was successful in all patients but 2, with a median number of 5.9 CD34-positive cells per 10(6)/kg. Three months after transplantation, 24 patients (71%) were in CR, and 7 patients (21%) were in PR. At 3 years from the day of transplantation, the estimated overall survival was 87%. With a median follow-up at 2.6 years, the estimated median time to disease progression was 3.4 years. Rituximab treatment before harvest did not delay hematopoietic reconstitution: The median time it took patients to recover absolute neutrophil count to > 0.5 G/L was 10 days. CONCLUSIONS: Chemotherapy combined with rituximab followed by HDT improved the overall survival and progression-free survival in patients MCL without adding toxicities.

Treatment of patients with advanced or bulky Hodgkin disease with a 12-week doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine-like chemotherapy regimen followed by extended-field, full-dose radiotherapy: long-term results of the Groupe Ouest et Est des Leucémies et Autres Maladies de Sang H90-A/B Multicenter Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: This Phase II study was performed in patients with advanced or bulky Hodgkin disease (HD) to evaluate the results of a 7-drug chemotherapy (CT) regimen that was administered over 12 weeks according to 2 randomized modalities followed by high-dose lymph node irradiation. METHODS: From 1990 to 1996, 162 patients with HD at clinical stages (CS) I-III with bulky disease (mediastinal mass ratio >or= 0.45 and/or unilateral or bilateral pelvic plus lumboaortic disease; 86 patients) or CS IV (76 patients) were randomized to receive the same cumulated dose of a CT regimen consisting of epirubicin (240 mg/m(2)), bleomycin (60 mg/m(2)), vinblastine (20 mg/m(2)), vincristine (4 mg/m(2)), cyclophosphamide (4000 mg/m(2)), etoposide (900 mg/m(2)), and methotrexate (180 mg/m(2)) plus methylprednisolone (1500 mg/m(2)) over 12 weeks either every 4 weeks (Arm Y, 79 patients) or every 3 weeks (Arm Z, 83 patients). Patients with disease in complete remission (CR) or partial remission after CT received extended-field lymph node irradiation (involved areas, 40 grays [Gy]; noninvolved areas, 30 Gy). RESULTS: Forty-two percent of patients achieved a post-CT CR, and 86% of patients achieved a CR after the completion of irradiation (there was no difference between Arm Y and Arm Z). Thirty-five patients developed recurrent disease; most of those patients were in post-CT partial remission. The 10-year freedom from first progression rate was 63.9% (there was no difference between Arm Y and Arm Z). Thirty-eight patients died: 24 patients from HD, 3 patients from CT-related early sepsis, 1 patient from radiation-induced pneumonitis, 6 patients from a second malignancy, and 4 patients from causes unrelated to treatment. The overall 10-year survival rate was 76.7%. Survival was slightly higher among patients in Arm Y (83.3%) compared with patients in Arm Z (70.2%; P = 0.12). CONCLUSIONS: No differences were found when the same amount of CT was delivered in three courses or in four courses. In 1997, because most recurrences of the H90-A/B trial occurred in patients who achieved a post-CT partial remission, the authors decided to reinforce the intensity of the initial CT and designed a new randomized study comparing two modalities of more intensive CT plus consolidative radiotherapy (H97-LM trial).