The CNS Relapse in T-Cell Lymphoma Index Predicts CNS Relapse in Patients with T- and NK-Cell Lymphomas.

Little is known about risk factors for central nervous system (CNS) relapse in mature T- and NK-cell neoplasms (MTNKN). We aimed to describe the clinical epidemiology of CNS relapse in patients with MTNKN and developed the CNS relapse In T-cell lymphoma Index (CITI) to predict patients at highest risk of CNS relapse. We reviewed data from 135 patients with MTNKN and CNS relapse from 19 North American institutions. After exclusion of leukemic and most cutaneous forms of MTNKN, patients were pooled with non-CNS relapse control patients from a single institution to create a CNS relapse-enriched training set. Using a complete case analysis (N=182), of whom 91 had CNS relapse, we applied a LASSO Cox regression model to select weighted clinicopathologic variables for the CITI score, which we validated in an external cohort from the Swedish Lymphoma Registry (N=566). CNS relapse was most frequently observed in patients with PTCL, NOS (25%). Median time to CNS relapse and median overall survival after CNS relapse was 8.0 months and 4.7 months, respectively. We calculated unique CITI risk scores for individual training set patients and stratified them into risk terciles. Validation set patients with low-risk (N=158) and high-risk (N=188) CITI scores had a 10-year cumulative risk of CNS relapse of 2.2% and 13.4%, respectively (HR 5.24, 95%CI 1.50-18.26, P=0.018). We developed an open-access web-based CITI calculator (https://redcap.link/citicalc) to provide an easy tool for clinical practice. The CITI score is a validated model to predict patients with MTNKN at highest risk of developing CNS relapse.

Post-infusion PD-1+CD8+CAR-T cells identify patients responsive to CD19-CAR-T therapy in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy (CAR-T) has revolutionized treatment for relapsed/refractory (r/r) B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Robust biomarkers and a complete understanding of CAR-T cell function in the post-infusion phase remain limited. Here we used a 37-color spectral flow cytometry panel to perform high dimensional single cell analysis of post-infusion samples in 26 patients treated with CD28 co-stimulatory domain containing commercial CAR-T (CD28-CAR-T) for NHL and focused on computationally gated CD8+ CAR-T cells. We found that the presence of post-infusion PD-1+ CD8+ CAR-T cells at the Day 14 timepoint highly correlated with the ability to achieve complete response (CR) by 6 months. Further analysis identified multiple subtypes of CD8+ PD-1+ CAR-T cells including PD-1+ TCF1+ stem-like CAR-T cells and PD-1+ TIM3+ effector-like CAR-T cells that correlated with improved clinical outcomes such as response and progression free survival. Additionally, we identified a subset of PD-1+ CD8+ CAR+ T cells with effector-like function that was increased in patients who achieved a CR and was associated with Grade 3 or higher immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome. Here we identified robust biomarkers of response to CD28-CAR-T and highlight the importance of PD-1 positivity in CD8+ CAR-T cells post-infusion in achieving CR.

A US Multicenter Collaborative Study on Outcomes of Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Hepatosplenic T-Cell Lymphoma.

Hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL) is a rare and aggressive type of peripheral T-cell lymphoma with median overall survival (OS) of approximately 1 year. Data on the effectiveness of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is limited, as is the choice between autologous HCT (auto-HCT) and allogeneic HCT (allo-HCT) in the treatment of this disease. To evaluate the outcome of patients with HSTCL who underwent either auto-HCT or allo-HCT, we performed a multi-institutional retrospective cohort study to assess outcomes of HCT in HSTCL patients. Fifty-three patients with HSTCL were included in the study. Thirty-six patients received an allo-HCT and 17 received an auto-HCT. Thirty-five (66%) were males. Median age at diagnosis was 38 (range 2 to 64) years. Median follow-up for survivors was 75 months (range 8 to 204). The median number of prior lines of therapy was 1 (range 1 to 4). Median OS and progression-free survival (PFS) for the entire cohort were 78.5 months (95% CI: 25 to 79) and 54 months (95% CI: 18 to 75), respectively. There were no significant differences in OS (HR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.28 to 1.45, P = .245) or PFS (HR: 0.7, 95% CI: 0.32 to 1.57, P = .365) between the allo-HCT and auto-HCT groups, respectively. In the allo-HCT group, the 3-year cumulative incidence of relapse was 35% (95% CI: 21 to 57), while 3-year cumulative incidence of NRM was 16% (95% CI: 7 to 35). In the auto-HCT group, the 3-year cumulative incidence of relapse and NRM were 43% (95% CI: 23 to 78) and 14% (95% CI: 4 to 52), respectively. Both Auto-HCT and Allo-HCT are effective consolidative strategies in patients with HSTCL, and patients should be promptly referred for HCT evaluation.

Targeted therapy with nanatinostat and valganciclovir in recurrent EBV-positive lymphoid malignancies: a phase 1b/2 study.

Lymphomas are not infrequently associated with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and EBV positivity is linked to worse outcomes in several subtypes. Nanatinostat is a class-I selective oral histone deacetylase inhibitor that induces the expression of lytic EBV BGLF4 protein kinase in EBV+ tumor cells, activating ganciclovir via phosphorylation, resulting in tumor cell apoptosis. This phase 1b/2 study investigated the combination of nanatinostat with valganciclovir in patients aged ≥18 years with EBV+ lymphomas relapsed/refractory to ≥1 prior systemic therapy with no viable curative treatment options. In the phase 1b part, 25 patients were enrolled into 5 dose escalation cohorts to determine the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) for phase 2 expansion. Phase 2 patients (n = 30) received RP2D (nanatinostat 20 mg daily, 4 days per week with valganciclovir 900 mg orally daily) for 28-day cycles. The primary end points were safety, RP2D determination (phase 1b), and overall response rate (ORR; phase 2). Overall, 55 patients were enrolled (B-non-Hodgkin lymphoma [B-NHL], [n = 10]; angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma-NHL, [n = 21]; classical Hodgkin lymphoma, [n = 11]; and immunodeficiency-associated lymphoproliferative disorders, [n = 13]). The ORR was 40% in 43 evaluable patients (complete response rate [CRR], 19% [n = 8]) with a median duration of response of 10.4 months. For angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma-NHL (n = 15; all refractory to the last prior therapy), the ORR/CRR ratio was 60%/27%. The most common adverse events were nausea (38% any grade) and cytopenia (grade 3/4 neutropenia [29%], thrombocytopenia [20%], and anemia [20%]). This novel oral regimen provided encouraging efficacy across several EBV+ lymphoma subtypes and warrants further evaluation; a confirmatory phase 2 study (NCT05011058) is underway. This phase 1b/2 study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT03397706.

Effective treatment with the selective cytokine inhibitor BNZ-1 reveals the cytokine dependency of T-LGL leukemia.

T-cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia (T-LGLL) is a clonal proliferation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes that can result in severe neutropenia, anemia, and bone marrow failure. Strong evidence from patients and mouse models demonstrate the critical role of interleukin-15 (IL-15) in T-LGLL pathogenesis. BNZ-1 is a pegylated peptide that selectively inhibits the binding of IL-15 and other γc cytokines to their cellular receptor complex, which has demonstrated efficacy in ex vivo T-LGLL cells and transgenic mice in preclinical studies. We conducted a phase 1/2 trial of BNZ-1 in patients with T-LGLL who had hematocytopenias (anemia or neutropenia) and required therapy. Clinical responses were assessed using hematologic parameters (improvement in hematocytopenias) based on response criteria from the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 5998 T-LGLL trial. BNZ-1 demonstrated clinical partial responses in 20% of patients with T-LGLL with minimal toxicity and the maximum tolerated dose was not reached. Furthermore, T-LGL leukemic cells showed significantly increased apoptosis in response to BNZ-1 treatment as early as day 2, including in clinical nonresponders, with changes that remained statistically different from baseline throughout treatment (P < .005). We report first-in-human proof that T-LGL leukemic cells are dependent on IL-15 and that intervention with IL-15 inhibition with BNZ-1 in patients with T-LGLL shows therapeutic effects, which carries important implications for the understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT03239392.

A Phase 2 Trial of Ibrutinib and Nivolumab in Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Classical Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: Relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) remains a difficult treatment challenge. Although checkpoint inhibitors (CPI) have provided clinical benefit for these patients, responses are generally not durable, and progression eventually occurs. Discovering combination therapies which maximize the immune response of CPI therapy may overcome this limitation. We hypothesized that adding ibrutinib to nivolumab will lead to deeper and more durable responses in cHL by promoting a more favorable immune microenvironment leading to enhanced T-cell-mediated anti-lymphoma responses. METHODS: We conducted a single arm, phase II clinical trial testing the efficacy of nivolumab in combination with ibrutinib in patients ≥18 years of age with histologically confirmed cHL who had received at least one prior line of therapy. Prior treatment with CPIs was allowed. Ibrutinib was administered at 560 mg daily until progression in combination with nivolumab 3 mg/kg IV every 3 weeks for up to 16 cycles. The primary objective was complete response rate (CRR) assessed per Lugano criteria. Secondary objectives included overall response rate (ORR), safety, progression free survival (PFS), and duration of response (DoR). RESULTS: A total of 17 patients from two academic centers were enrolled. The median age of all patients was 40 (range 20-84). The median number of prior lines of treatment was five (range 1-8), including 10 patients (58.8%) who had progressed on prior nivolumab therapy. Most treatment related events were mild (

Targeting the Inducible T-cell Costimulator (ICOS) in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory T-follicular Helper Phenotype Peripheral T-cell and Angioimmunoblastic T-cell Lymphoma.

PURPOSE: Proliferation of T-follicular helper (TFH) CD4+ T cells is a postulated pathogenic mechanism for T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (T-NHL). The inducible T-cell costimulator (ICOS) is highly expressed by TFH, representing a potential target. MEDI-570 is a monoclonal antibody against ICOS, which eliminates ICOS+ cells in preclinical models. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We report the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), and clinical activity of MEDI-570 in T-NHL. NCI-9930 is a phase I, first-in-human study of MEDI-570 in relapsed/refractory malignant T-NHL known to express ICOS. MEDI-570 was administered intravenously every 3 weeks for up to 12 cycles. Primary endpoints were safety, dose-limiting toxicities (DLT), and recommended phase II dose (RP2D). Secondary and exploratory endpoints included efficacy parameters and various correlative studies. This study is supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCT02520791). RESULTS: Twenty-three patients were enrolled and received MEDI-570 at five dose levels (0.01-3 mg/kg). Sixteen (70%) had angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL); median age was 67 years (29-86) and the median prior lines of therapies was 3 (1-16). Most common grade 3 or 4 adverse events were decreased CD4+ T cells (57%), lymphopenia (22%), anemia (13%), and infusion-related reactions (9%). No DLTs were observed. The RP2D was determined at 3 mg/kg. Analysis of T-cell subsets showed reductions in CD4+ICOS+ T cells reflecting its effects on TFH cells. The response rate in AITL was 44%. CONCLUSIONS: MEDI-570 was well tolerated and showed promising clinical activity in refractory AITL. MEDI-570 resulted in sustained reduction of ICOS+ T lymphocytes.

Longitudinal Survival Outcomes in Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation: An Institutional Experience.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) is a potentially curative treatment for many hematological disorders, but is often complicated by relapse of the underlying disease, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and infectious complications. We conducted a retrospective analysis on patients undergoing allo-SCT from 1984 to 2018 to better understand how survival has changed longitudinally with therapeutic advancements made to mitigate these complications. Method: We analyzed data from 1943 consecutive patients who received allo-SCT. Patients were divided into groups (gps) based on the year (yr) of transplant. Primary endpoints were overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), and GVHD-free relapse-free survival (GRFS). Secondary endpoints were the cumulative incidences of grade II−IV and grade III−IV acute GVHD (aGVHD), chronic GVHD (cGVHD), and non-relapse mortality (NRM). Results: Our study found statistically significant improvements in OS, PFS, and GRFS. Five-year PFS among the groups increased from 24% to 48% over the years. Five-year OS increased from 25% to 53%. Five-year GRFS significantly increased from 6% to 14%, but remained relatively unchanged from 2004 to 2018. Cumulative incidences of grade II−IV aGVHD increased since 2009 (p < 0.001). However, cumulative incidence of NRM decreased since 2004 (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our data show improved OS, PFS, and GRFS post allo-SCT over decades. This may be attributed to advances in supportive care and treatments focused on mitigation of GVHD and relapse.

Recent Advances in the Management of Relapsed and Refractory Peripheral T-Cell Lymphomas.

Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) are a group of heterogeneous lymphomas with poor overall prognosis, particularly in the setting of relapsed/refractory PTCL. Given the limited efficacy of current therapies, several different novel therapies encompassing multiple different mechanisms of action have been evaluated for relapsed and refractory PTCLs. In this review, we explore the current standard of care for relapsed/refractory PTCL, and evaluate in depth novel and emerging therapies, their scientific basis, and current trials for relapsed/refractory PTCL.

Pathogenesis and Treatment of T-Large Granular Lymphocytic Leukemia (T-LGLL) in the Setting of Rheumatic Disease.

A complex relationship exists between rheumatic diseases and cancer. This delicate balance between chronic inflammation and malignant cell transformation in hematologic neoplasms has been observed, but is not well defined. Large Granular Lymphocyte (LGL) leukemia is at the intersection of a clonal lymphoproliferative disease, chronic inflammation, and autoimmunity. The association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the spectrum of Felty's Syndrome is well-known. Other rheumatic disorders have been reported including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjogren's Syndrome (SS), vasculitis, Behcet's Disease (BD) and systemic sclerosis. The association between T-LGLL and rheumatic disease pathogenesis has been hypothesized, but has not yet been fully understood. Components of a shared pathogenesis includes chronic antigen stimulation, JAK-STAT pathway activation and overlap of various cytokines. We will summarize current knowledge on the molecular understanding between T-LGLL and rheumatic disease. There are many potential areas of research to help meet this need and lead to development of targeted therapeutic options.

Incidence, Treatment, and Survival of Patients With T-Cell Lymphoma, T-Cell Large Granular Leukemia, and Concomitant Plasma Cell Dyscrasias.

T-Cell malignancies are a group of heterogeneous disorders composed of primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs), peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs), and T-cell leukemias, including T-cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia (T-LGLL). Cases of patients with combined T-cell malignancies and plasma cell dyscrasias (PCD) are reported in the literature, but these are mostly limited to case reports or small case series with <10 patients. Here, we described the clinical course of 26 patients and report baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes including overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and objective response rates (ORRs) in this unique population. There was no survival difference in patients with CTCL or T-LGLL and concomitant PCD when treated with standard therapy directed at the T-cell malignancy when compared to historical controls. However, patients with PTCL and concomitant PCD had significantly inferior outcomes with rapid progression and worse OS and PFS at 1.7 years (p=0.006) and 4.8 months (p=0.08), respectively, when compared to historical controls for patients with PTCL, although the limited number of patients included in this analysis precludes drawing definitive conclusions. Treatment directed at the T-cell malignancy resulted in the eradication of the PCD clone in multiple patients (15.4%) including one with multiple myeloma (MM) who experienced a complete response after starting therapy directed at the T-cell malignancy. For patients with T-cell malignancies and concomitant PCD, treatment with standard T-cell-directed therapies is recommended based on this analysis with continued follow-up and monitoring of the concomitant PCD. Further studies are needed to definitively elucidate the increased risk of relapse in patients with PTCL and concomitant PCD, and larger, multi-center cohorts are needed to validate these findings across T-cell malignancies and PCDs.

Extranodal Natural Killer/T-Cell Lymphomas: Current Approaches and Future Directions.

Extranodal natural killer/T(NK/T)-cell lymphoma (ENKTL) is a rare subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that typically presents with an isolated nasal mass, but a sizeable minority present with advanced stage disease and have a significantly poorer prognosis. Those with limited disease are standardly treated with chemotherapy and radiation while those with advanced stage disease are treated with L-asparaginase containing chemotherapy regimens. The addition of modern radiation therapy techniques and the incorporation of L-asparaginase into chemotherapy regimens have significantly improved outcomes in this disease, but relapses and death from relapsed disease remain frequent. Given the high rate of relapse, several novel therapies have been evaluated for the treatment of this disease. In this review, we explore the current standard of care for ENKTL as well as novel therapies that have been evaluated for its treatment and the biologic understanding behind these therapies.

Identification and Targeting of the Developmental Blockade in Extranodal Natural Killer/T-cell Lymphoma.

Extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL) is an aggressive, rare lymphoma of natural killer (NK) cell origin with poor clinical outcomes. Here we used phenotypic and molecular profiling, including epigenetic analyses, to investigate how ENKTL ontogeny relates to normal NK-cell development. We demonstrate that neoplastic NK cells are stably, but reversibly, arrested at earlier stages of NK-cell maturation. Genes downregulated in the most epigenetic immature tumors were associated with polycomb silencing along with genomic gain and overexpression of EZH2. ENKTL cells exhibited genome-wide DNA hypermethylation. Tumor-specific DNA methylation gains were associated with polycomb-marked regions, involving extensive gene silencing and loss of transcription factor binding. To investigate therapeutic targeting, we treated novel patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of ENKTL with the DNA hypomethylating agent, 5-azacytidine. Treatment led to reexpression of NK-cell developmental genes, phenotypic NK-cell differentiation, and prolongation of survival. These studies lay the foundation for epigenetic-directed therapy in ENKTL. SIGNIFICANCE: Through epigenetic and transcriptomic analyses of ENKTL, a rare, aggressive malignancy, along with normal NK-cell developmental intermediates, we identified that extreme DNA hypermethylation targets genes required for NK-cell development. Disrupting this epigenetic blockade in novel PDX models led to ENKTL differentiation and improved survival. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 85.

Assessment of Salvage Regimens Post-Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Therapy for Patients with Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma.

Anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy (CAR19) represents a critical treatment modality for patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, the majority of patients subsequently experience disease progression following CAR19, and data are limited on assessing the best salvage regimen for these patients. This study aimed to evaluate outcomes in R/R DLBCL patients with progressive disease post-CAR19 and to assess variables that predict response to salvage therapy. We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients with DLBCL who received CAR19 at our institution between January 2018 and February 2021, collecting data on demographic characteristics, disease characteristics, best response to CAR19, date of relapse or progression, and first salvage therapy and response to salvage. We analyzed patients according to whether they responded to CAR19 (responders) or did not (nonresponders). Salvage regimens were classified into 6 groups for analysis. Primary endpoints included overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox models were fit to evaluate the effect of prognostic factors. Among the 120 patients who received CAR19 during the analysis period were 69 responders who achieved a complete or partial response to CAR19 and 51 nonresponders, including 44 with stable or progressive disease and 7 who died before assessment. Thirty responders relapsed and 26 received salvage therapy, and 24 nonresponders received salvage therapy. The primary salvage regimens included lenalidomide-based regimens (n = 17; 34%), BTKi (n = 10; 20%), checkpoint inhibitor-based (n = 7; 14%), chemo-immunotherapy (n = 5; 10%), allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (n = 5; 10%), and others (n = 6; 12%). There was no significant difference in OS based on salvage regimen (P = .4545). Responders who received salvage therapy had significantly longer OS than nonresponders (median OS not reached versus 10.9 months; P = .0187), and response to CAR19 and elevated lactate dehydrogenase level at time of salvage treatment were the only two statistically significant prognostic factors after accounting for other variables. Responders to CAR19 had significantly better outcomes with salvage therapy compared with nonresponders to CAR19. There was no significant difference in outcomes based on salvage regimen. Future research is needed to assess the best salvage regimen post-CAR19 failure.

Impact of conditioning regimen intensity on the outcomes of peripheral T-cell lymphoma, anaplastic large cell lymphoma and angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma patients undergoing allogeneic transplant.

There have been no large studies comparing reduced-intensity/non-myeloablative conditioning (RIC/NMA) to myeloablative conditioning (MAC) regimens in T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (T-NHL) patients undergoing allogeneic transplant (allo-HCT). A total of 803 adults with peripheral T-cell lymphoma, anaplastic large cell lymphoma and angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (age 18-65 years), undergoing allo-HCT between 2008-2019 and reported to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research with either MAC (n = 258) or RIC/NMA regimens (n = 545) were evaluated. There were no significant differences between the two cohorts in terms of patient sex, race and performance scores. Significantly more patients in the RIC/NMA cohort had peripheral blood grafts, haematopoietic cell transplantation-specific comorbidity index (HCT-CI) of ≥3 and chemosensitive disease compared to the MAC cohort. On multivariate analysis, overall survival (OS) was not significantly different in the RIC/NMA cohort compared to the MAC cohort (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.79-1.29; p = 0.95). Similarly, non-relapse mortality (NRM) (HR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.61-1.19; p = 0.34), risk of progression/relapse (HR = 1.29; 95% CI = 0.98-1.70; p = 0.07) and therapy failure (HR = 1.14; 95% CI = 0.92-1.41, p = 0.23) were not significantly different between the two cohorts. Relative to MAC, RIC/NMA was associated with a significantly lower risk of grade 3-4 acute graft-versus-host disease (HR = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.46-0.99, p = 0.04). Among chemorefractory patients, there was no difference in OS, therapy failure, relapse, or NRM between RIC/NMA and MAC regimens. In conclusion, we found no association between conditioning intensity and outcomes after allo-HCT for T-cell NHL.