-
Journal of Hematology & Oncology Jun 2022Natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphomas are aggressive malignancies with a predilection for Asian and South American populations. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in... (Review)
Review
Natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphomas are aggressive malignancies with a predilection for Asian and South American populations. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in lymphoma cells is universal. Predominantly extranodal, NK/T-cell lymphomas are divided clinically into nasal (involving the nose and upper aerodigestive tract), non-nasal (involving the skin, gastrointestinal tract, testes, and other organs), and aggressive leukaemia/lymphoma (involving the marrow and multiple organs) subtypes. Initial assessment should include imaging with positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET/CT), quantification of plasma EBV DNA as a surrogate marker of lymphoma load, and bone marrow examination with in situ hybridization for EBV-encoded small RNA. Prognostication can be based on presentation parameters (age, stage, lymph node involvement, clinical subtypes, and EBV DNA), which represent patient factors and lymphoma load; and dynamic parameters during treatment (serial plasma EBV DNA and interim/end-of-treatment PET/CT), which reflect response to therapy. Therapeutic goals are to achieve undetectable plasma EBV DNA and normal PET/CT (Deauville score ≤ 3). NK/T-cell lymphomas express the multidrug resistance phenotype, rendering anthracycline-containing regimens ineffective. Stage I/II nasal cases are treated with non-anthracycline asparaginase-based regimens plus sequential/concurrent radiotherapy. Stage III/IV nasal, and non-nasal and aggressive leukaemia/lymphoma cases are treated with asparaginase-containing regimens and consolidated by allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in suitable patients. Autologous HSCT does not improve outcome. In relapsed/refractory cases, novel approaches comprise immune checkpoint blockade of PD1/PD-L1, EBV-specific cytotoxic T-cells, monoclonal antibodies, and histone deacetylase inhibitors. Future strategies may include inhibition of signalling pathways and driver mutations, and immunotherapy targeting the lymphoma and its microenvironment.
Topics: Anthracyclines; Asparaginase; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections; Herpesvirus 4, Human; Humans; Leukemia; Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Tumor Microenvironment
PubMed: 35659326
DOI: 10.1186/s13045-022-01293-5 -
Leukemia & Lymphoma 2016Asparaginase is an integral component of multiagent chemotherapy regimens for the treatment of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Positive outcomes are seen in... (Review)
Review
Asparaginase is an integral component of multiagent chemotherapy regimens for the treatment of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Positive outcomes are seen in patients who are able to complete their entire prescribed course of asparaginase therapy. Toxicities associated with asparaginase use include hypersensitivity (clinical and subclinical), pancreatitis, thrombosis, encephalopathy, and liver dysfunction. Depending on the nature and severity of the toxicity, asparaginase therapy may be altered or discontinued in some patients. Clinical hypersensitivity is the most common asparaginase-associated toxicity requiring treatment discontinuation, occurring in up to 30% of patients receiving Escherichia coli-derived asparaginase. The ability to rapidly identify and manage asparaginase-associated toxicity will help ensure patients receive the maximal benefit from asparaginase therapy. This review will provide an overview of the common toxicities associated with asparaginase use and recommendations for treatment management.
Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Asparaginase; Brain Diseases; Child; Child, Preschool; Connectin; Disease Management; Drug Hypersensitivity; Humans; Hyperglycemia; Hypertriglyceridemia; Liver; Microfilament Proteins; Myelopoiesis; Pancreatitis; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma; Thrombosis
PubMed: 26457414
DOI: 10.3109/10428194.2015.1101098 -
Drugs May 2019Pegaspargase (Oncaspar), a pegylated form of native Escherichia coli-derived L-asparaginase (hereafter referred as E. coliL-asparaginase), is indicated in the USA and EU... (Review)
Review
Pegaspargase (Oncaspar), a pegylated form of native Escherichia coli-derived L-asparaginase (hereafter referred as E. coliL-asparaginase), is indicated in the USA and EU for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) as a component of multi-agent chemotherapy in paediatric and adult patients. Relative to E. coliL-asparaginase, pegaspargase has a prolonged circulation time, thereby offering less frequent administration. Moreover, pegylation of E. coliL-asparaginase may diminish the immunogenicity of the enzyme. Based on extensive evidence, intramuscular (IM) or intravenous (IV) administration of pegaspargase as a component of a multi-agent chemotherapy is an effective first-line treatment for paediatric and adult patients with ALL, as well as for the treatment of paediatric and adult patients with ALL and hypersensitivity to E. coliL-asparaginase. Pegaspargase had a manageable tolerability profile in paediatric and adult patients with newly diagnosed ALL, with the most commonly occurring adverse events being generally consistent to that seen with E. coliL-asparaginase. Pegaspargase treatment in patients with relapsed ALL and hypersensitivity to E. coliL-asparaginase had a similar tolerability profile to that observed in patients with newly diagnosed ALL. Given the potentially reduced immunogenicity and more convenient dosage regimen over E. coliL-asparaginase, pegaspargase remains an important and effective treatment option for paediatric and adult patients with ALL, including those with hypersensitivity to E. coliL-asparaginase.
Topics: Administration, Intravenous; Adolescent; Adult; Antineoplastic Agents; Asparaginase; Child; Child, Preschool; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Therapy, Combination; Escherichia coli; Humans; Infant; Injections, Intramuscular; Middle Aged; Polyethylene Glycols; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 31030380
DOI: 10.1007/s40265-019-01120-1 -
Journal of Clinical Oncology : Official... Oct 2020Nelarabine is effective in inducing remission in patients with relapsed and refractory T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) but has not been fully evaluated in... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
PURPOSE
Nelarabine is effective in inducing remission in patients with relapsed and refractory T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) but has not been fully evaluated in those with newly diagnosed disease.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
From 2007 to 2014, Children's Oncology Group trial AALL0434 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00408005) enrolled 1,562 evaluable patients with T-ALL age 1-31 years who received the augmented Berlin-Frankfurt-Muenster (ABFM) regimen with a 2 × 2 pseudo-factorial randomization to receive escalating-dose methotrexate (MTX) without leucovorin rescue plus pegaspargase (C-MTX) or high-dose MTX (HDMTX) with leucovorin rescue. Intermediate- and high-risk patients were also randomly assigned after induction to receive or not receive six 5-day courses of nelarabine that was incorporated into ABFM. Patients who experienced induction failure were nonrandomly assigned to HDMTX plus nelarabine. Patients with overt CNS disease (CNS3; ≥ 5 WBCs/μL with blasts) received HDMTX and were randomly assigned to receive or not receive nelarabine. All patients, except those with low-risk disease, received cranial irradiation.
RESULTS
The 5-year event-free and overall survival rates were 83.7% ± 1.1% and 89.5% ± 0.9%, respectively. The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates for patients with T-ALL randomly assigned to nelarabine (n = 323) and no nelarabine (n = 336) were 88.2% ± 2.4% and 82.1% ± 2.7%, respectively ( = .029). Differences between DFS in a four-arm comparison were significant ( = .01), with no interactions between the MTX and nelarabine randomizations ( = .41). Patients treated with the best-performing arm, C-MTX plus nelarabine, had a 5-year DFS of 91% (n = 147). Patients who received nelarabine had significantly fewer isolated and combined CNS relapses compared with patients who did not receive nelarabine (1.3% ± 0.63% 6.9% ± 1.4%, respectively; = .0001). Toxicities, including neurotoxicity, were acceptable and similar between all four arms.
CONCLUSION
The addition of nelarabine to ABFM therapy improved DFS for children and young adults with newly diagnosed T-ALL without increased toxicity.
Topics: Adolescent; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Arabinonucleosides; Asparaginase; Child; Cohort Studies; Disease-Free Survival; Female; Humans; Leucovorin; Male; Methotrexate; Polyethylene Glycols; Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma; Prednisone; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 32813610
DOI: 10.1200/JCO.20.00256 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2022Immunotherapy is a milestone in the treatment of poor-prognosis pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and is expected to improve treatment outcomes and reduce... (Review)
Review
Immunotherapy is a milestone in the treatment of poor-prognosis pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and is expected to improve treatment outcomes and reduce doses of conventional chemotherapy without compromising the effectiveness of the therapy. However, both chemotherapy and immunotherapy cause side effects, including neurological ones. Acute neurological complications occur in 3.6-11% of children treated for ALL. The most neurotoxical chemotherapeutics are L-asparaginase (L-ASP), methotrexate (MTX), vincristine (VCR), and nelarabine (Ara-G). Neurotoxicity associated with methotrexate (MTX-NT) occurs in 3-7% of children treated for ALL and is characterized by seizures, stroke-like symptoms, speech disturbances, and encephalopathy. Recent studies indicate that specific polymorphisms in genes related to neurogenesis may have a predisposition to MTX toxicity. One of the most common complications associated with CAR T-cell therapy is immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS). Mechanisms of neurotoxicity in CAR T-cell therapy are still unknown and may be due to disruption of the blood-brain barrier and the effects of elevated cytokine levels on the central nervous system (CNS). In this review, we present an analysis of the current knowledge on the mechanisms of neurotoxicity of standard chemotherapy and the targeted therapy in children with ALL.
Topics: Asparaginase; Child; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Humans; Immunologic Factors; Immunotherapy, Adoptive; Methotrexate; Neurotoxicity Syndromes; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma
PubMed: 35628334
DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105515 -
Blood Feb 2023AALL1931, a phase 2/3 study conducted in collaboration with the Children's Oncology Group, investigated the efficacy and safety of JZP458 (asparaginase erwinia...
AALL1931, a phase 2/3 study conducted in collaboration with the Children's Oncology Group, investigated the efficacy and safety of JZP458 (asparaginase erwinia chrysanthemi [recombinant]-rywn), a recombinant Erwinia asparaginase derived from a novel expression platform, in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoblastic lymphoma who developed hypersensitivity/silent inactivation to Escherichia coli-derived asparaginases. Each dose of a pegylated E coli-derived asparaginase remaining in patients' treatment plan was substituted by 6 doses of intramuscular (IM) JZP458 on Monday/Wednesday/Friday (MWF). Three regimens were evaluated: cohort 1a, 25 mg/m2 MWF; cohort 1b, 37.5 mg/m2 MWF; and cohort 1c, 25/25/50 mg/m2 MWF. Efficacy was evaluated by the proportion of patients maintaining adequate nadir serum asparaginase activity (NSAA ≥0.1 IU/mL) at 72 hours and at 48 hours during the first treatment course. A total of 167 patients were enrolled: cohort 1a (n = 33), cohort 1b (n = 83), and cohort 1c (n = 51). Mean serum asparaginase activity levels (IU/mL) at 72 hours were cohort 1a, 0.16, cohort 1b, 0.33, and cohort 1c, 0.47, and at 48 hours were 0.45, 0.88, and 0.66, respectively. The proportion of patients achieving NSAA ≥0.1 IU/mL at 72 and 48 hours in cohort 1c was 90% (44/49) and 96% (47/49), respectively. Simulated data from a population pharmacokinetic model matched the observed data well. Grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 86 of 167 (51%) patients; those leading to discontinuation included pancreatitis (6%), allergic reactions (5%), increased alanine aminotransferase (1%), and hyperammonemia (1%). Results demonstrate that IM JZP458 at 25/25/50 mg/m2 MWF is efficacious and has a safety profile consistent with other asparaginases. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT04145531.
Topics: Child; Humans; Asparaginase; Escherichia coli; Drug Hypersensitivity; Antineoplastic Agents; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma; Hypersensitivity; Erwinia
PubMed: 36108304
DOI: 10.1182/blood.2022016923 -
Blood Mar 2020Administering asparaginase has always been problematic in adults because most general oncologists who treat adults are not familiar with its usage and toxicity. The... (Review)
Review
Administering asparaginase has always been problematic in adults because most general oncologists who treat adults are not familiar with its usage and toxicity. The toxicity profile of the drug is unique and is not observed with any other chemotherapy agent. Furthermore, asparaginase is almost exclusively used in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), which is a very rare cancer in adults. Currently, the long-acting pegylated form (pegasparaginase) is the only Escherichia coli-derived asparaginase available in the United States. The use of pediatric regimens is likely to lead to more adult patients receiving multiple doses of pegasparaginase. However, oncologists who treat adults may be reluctant to use pegasparaginase or may unnecessarily discontinue administering it because of certain adverse effects. As a result, the clinical benefit of multiple doses of pegasparaginase will be missed. Despite the fact that pegasparaginase is associated with unique toxicities, the majority are nonfatal, manageable, and reversible. Here, we describe real-life cases of adults with ALL who were treated with pediatric-inspired regimens that incorporated pegasparaginase to illustrate the management of several pegasparaginase-associated adverse effects and guide whether and how to continue the drug.
Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Asparaginase; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Humans; Polyethylene Glycols; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma
PubMed: 31977001
DOI: 10.1182/blood.2019002477 -
Nature Cancer Jan 2024In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), glutamine is a critical nutrient that drives a wide array of metabolic and biosynthetic processes that support tumor growth....
In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), glutamine is a critical nutrient that drives a wide array of metabolic and biosynthetic processes that support tumor growth. Here, we elucidate how 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine (DON), a glutamine antagonist that broadly inhibits glutamine metabolism, blocks PDAC tumor growth and metastasis. We find that DON significantly reduces asparagine production by inhibiting asparagine synthetase (ASNS), and that the effects of DON are rescued by asparagine. As a metabolic adaptation, PDAC cells upregulate ASNS expression in response to DON, and we show that ASNS levels are inversely correlated with DON efficacy. We also show that L-asparaginase (ASNase) synergizes with DON to affect the viability of PDAC cells, and that DON and ASNase combination therapy has a significant impact on metastasis. These results shed light on the mechanisms that drive the effects of glutamine mimicry and point to the utility of cotargeting adaptive responses to control PDAC progression.
Topics: Humans; Glutamine; Asparagine; Cell Line, Tumor; Asparaginase; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal; Neoplastic Processes
PubMed: 37814011
DOI: 10.1038/s43018-023-00649-1 -
Journal of Clinical Oncology : Official... Sep 2020The Children's Oncology Group (COG) protocol AALL0434 evaluated the safety and efficacy of multi-agent chemotherapy with Capizzi-based methotrexate/pegaspargase (C-MTX)... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
PURPOSE
The Children's Oncology Group (COG) protocol AALL0434 evaluated the safety and efficacy of multi-agent chemotherapy with Capizzi-based methotrexate/pegaspargase (C-MTX) in patients with newly diagnosed pediatric T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LL) and gained preliminary data using nelarabine in high-risk patients.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
The trial enrolled 299 patients, age 1-31 years. High-risk (HR) patients had ≥ 1% minimal detectable disease (MDD) in the bone marrow at diagnosis or received prior steroid treatment. Induction failure was defined as failure to achieve a partial response (PR) by the end of the 4-week induction. All patients received the augmented Berlin-Frankfurt-Muenster (ABFM) C-MTX regimen. HR patients were randomly assigned to receive or not receive 6 5-day courses of nelarabine incorporated into ABFM. Patients with induction failure were nonrandomly assigned to ABFM C-MTX plus nelarabine. No patients received prophylactic cranial radiation; however, patients with CNS3 disease (CSF WBC ≥ 5/μL with blasts or cranial nerve palsies, brain/eye involvement, or hypothalamic syndrome) were ineligible.
RESULTS
At end-induction, 98.8% of evaluable participants had at least a PR. The 4-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were 84.7% ± 2.3% and 89.0% ± 2.0%. The 4-year disease-free survival (DFS) from end-induction was 85.9% ± 2.6%. There was no difference in DFS observed between the HR and standard-risk groups ( = .29) or by treatment regimen ( = .55). Disease stage, tumor response, and MDD at diagnosis did not demonstrate thresholds that resulted in differences in EFS. Nelarabine did not show an advantage for HR patients. CNS relapse occurred in only 4 patients.
CONCLUSION
COG AALL0434 produced excellent outcomes in one of the largest trials ever conducted for patients with newly diagnosed T-LL. The COG ABFM regimen with C-MTX provided excellent EFS and OS without cranial radiation.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Arabinonucleosides; Asparaginase; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Methotrexate; Polyethylene Glycols; Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma; Progression-Free Survival; Prospective Studies; Time Factors; United States; Young Adult
PubMed: 32552472
DOI: 10.1200/JCO.20.00531 -
JAMA Oncology Jul 2022The L-asparaginase-based SMILE (dexamethasone, methotrexate, ifosfamide, L-asparaginase, and etoposide) chemotherapy regimen has shown higher response rates and survival... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Efficacy and Safety of a Pegasparaginase-Based Chemotherapy Regimen vs an L-asparaginase-Based Chemotherapy Regimen for Newly Diagnosed Advanced Extranodal Natural Killer/T-Cell Lymphoma: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
IMPORTANCE
The L-asparaginase-based SMILE (dexamethasone, methotrexate, ifosfamide, L-asparaginase, and etoposide) chemotherapy regimen has shown higher response rates and survival benefit over an anthracycline-containing regimen. However, the safety profile was not satisfied. A well-tolerated regimen with promising efficacy is lacking.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the efficacy and safety of the DDGP (dexamethasone, cisplatin, gemcitabine, and pegaspargase) regimen with the SMILE regimen in newly diagnosed advanced-stage (III/IV) extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKL).
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This was an open-label, multicenter, randomized clinical trial that took place across 12 participating hospitals in China from January 2011 to February 2019. Patients were eligible if they were 14 to 70 years old with newly diagnosed ENKL in stages III/IV and had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 to 2. Eligible patients were evenly randomized to either the DDGP or SMILE group.
INTERVENTIONS
Patients in each group were treated with the assigned regimen every 21 days for 6 cycles.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS), and secondary end points included overall response rate and overall survival (OS). The adverse events between the DDGP and SMILE groups were compared.
RESULTS
Among the 87 randomized patients, 80 received treatment (40 in the DDGP group and 40 in the SMILE group); the median (IQR) age was 43 (12) years, and 51 (64%) were male. The baseline characteristics were similar between the groups. At a median follow-up of 41.5 months, the median PFS was not reached in the DDGP group vs 6.8 months in the SMILE group (HR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.23-0.77; P = .004), and the median OS was not reached in the DDGP group vs 75.2 months in the SMILE group (HR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.19-0.89, P = .02). The PFS rate at 3 years and OS rate at 5 years were higher in the DDGP group vs the SMILE group (3-year PFS, 56.6% vs 41.8%; 5-year OS, 74.3% vs 51.7%). The overall response rate was higher in the DDGP group than in the SMILE group (90.0% vs 60.0%; P = .002). Grade 3 and 4 hematologic toxic effects were more frequently reported in the SMILE group vs the DDGP group (leukopenia, 85.0% vs 62.5%; neutropenia, 85.0% vs 65.0%).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
In this randomized clinical trial, the DDGP regimen showed promising preliminary results for patients with newly diagnosed local advanced ENKL. A confirmation trial based on larger population is warranted.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01501149.
Topics: Adult; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Asparaginase; Dexamethasone; Female; Humans; Killer Cells, Natural; Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell; Male; Middle Aged
PubMed: 35708709
DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2022.1968