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ESMO Open Aug 2021Primary diffuse large B-cell (DLBCL) lymphoma of the central nervous system (CNS) (PCNSL) is a new lymphoma entity, recognized by the 2017 WHO classification of... (Review)
Review
Primary diffuse large B-cell (DLBCL) lymphoma of the central nervous system (CNS) (PCNSL) is a new lymphoma entity, recognized by the 2017 WHO classification of hematopoietic and lymphoid tumors. Unlike systemic DLBCL, the use of anthracycline-based chemotherapy combinations is associated with disappointing outcomes, due to low CNS bioavailability of related drugs. Therefore, international researchers investigated alternative strategies, mostly including drugs able to cross the blood-brain-barrier at low or high doses, with a progressive improvement in survival. Some effective chemotherapy combinations of high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) with alkylating agents and rituximab with or without cytarabine have been tested in international randomized trials and represent the induction treatment in everyday practice, with some variations among different geographical areas. In patients aged 70 years or younger, MATRix (HD-MTX/cytarabine/thiotepa/rituximab) chemotherapy followed by consolidative high-dose chemotherapy plus autologous stem cell transplantation or whole-brain irradiation has been associated with a significant improvement in overall survival. Other treatment options, such as non-myeloablative high-dose chemotherapy, oral drug maintenance, and some targeted drugs like ibrutinib or lenalidomide, are being tested in high-level international trials. These steps toward further effective treatments are motivated by an incessant search for less neurotoxic options. Thanks to international cooperation, we can affirm that PCNSL is a potentially curable tumor, especially in young patients. However, several questions remain unanswered: the optimal treatment for elderly patients as well as the management of intraocular and meningeal disease require further scientific efforts. Beside treatments, advances on molecular and radiological diagnostic tools will increase our knowledge of this disease, allowing the possibility to anticipate diagnosis and to better categorize patients' responses. This article analyzes the available literature in this setting and provides evidence-based recommendations for the management of PCNSL patients.
Topics: Aged; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Central Nervous System; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; Humans; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse; Transplantation, Autologous
PubMed: 34271311
DOI: 10.1016/j.esmoop.2021.100213 -
Haematologica Mar 2023Secondary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma (SCNSL) is defined by the involvement of the CNS, either at the time of initial diagnosis of systemic lymphoma or in the... (Review)
Review
Secondary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma (SCNSL) is defined by the involvement of the CNS, either at the time of initial diagnosis of systemic lymphoma or in the setting of relapse, and can be either isolated or with synchronous systemic disease. The risk of CNS involvement in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is approximately 5%; however, certain clinical and biological features have been associated with a risk of up to 15%. There has been growing interest in improving the definition of patients at increased risk of CNS relapse, as well as identifying effective prophylactic strategies to prevent it. SCNSL often occurs within months of the initial diagnosis of lymphoma, suggesting the presence of occult disease at diagnosis in many cases. The differing presentations of SCNSL create the therapeutic challenge of controlling both the systemic disease and the CNS disease, which uniquely requires agents that penetrate the blood-brain barrier. Outcomes are generally poor with a median overall survival of approximately 6 months in retrospective series, particularly in those patients presenting with SCNSL after prior therapy. Prospective studies of intensive chemotherapy regimens containing high-dose methotrexate, followed by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation have shown the most favorable outcomes, especially for patients receiving thiotepa-based conditioning regimens. However, a proportion of patients will not respond to induction therapies or will subsequently relapse, indicating the need for more effective treatment strategies. In this review we focus on the identification of high-risk patients, prophylactic strategies and recent treatment approaches for SCNSL. The incorporation of novel agents in immunochemotherapy deserves further study in prospective trials.
Topics: Humans; Prospective Studies; Retrospective Studies; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Central Nervous System Neoplasms; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse; Methotrexate; Central Nervous System; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols
PubMed: 36384246
DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2022.281457 -
Journal of Clinical Oncology : Official... Feb 2021Total body irradiation (TBI) before allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
PURPOSE
Total body irradiation (TBI) before allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is efficacious, but long-term side effects are concerning. We investigated whether preparative combination chemotherapy could replace TBI in such patients.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
FORUM is a randomized, controlled, open-label, international, multicenter, phase III, noninferiority study. Patients ≤ 18 years at diagnosis, 4-21 years at HSCT, in complete remission pre-HSCT, and with an HLA-compatible related or unrelated donor were randomly assigned to myeloablative conditioning with fractionated 12 Gy TBI and etoposide versus fludarabine, thiotepa, and either busulfan or treosulfan. The noninferiority margin was 8%. With 1,000 patients randomly assigned in 5 years, 2-year minimum follow-up, and one-sided alpha of 5%, 80% power was calculated. A futility stopping rule would halt random assignment if chemoconditioning was significantly inferior to TBI (EudraCT: 2012-003032-22; ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01949129).
RESULTS
Between April 2013 and December 2018, 543 patients were screened, 417 were randomly assigned, 212 received TBI, and 201 received chemoconditioning. The stopping rule was applied on March 31, 2019. The median follow-up was 2.1 years. In the intention-to-treat population, 2-year overall survival (OS) was significantly higher following TBI (0.91; 95% CI, 0.86 to 0.95; < .0001) versus chemoconditioning (0.75; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.81). Two-year cumulative incidence of relapse and treatment-related mortality were 0.12 (95% CI, 0.08 to 0.17; < .0001) and 0.02 (95% CI, < 0.01 to 0.05; = .0269) following TBI and 0.33 (95% CI, 0.25 to 0.40) and 0.09 (95% CI, 0.05 to 0.14) following chemoconditioning, respectively.
CONCLUSION
Improved OS and lower relapse risk were observed following TBI plus etoposide compared with chemoconditioning. We therefore recommend TBI plus etoposide for patients > 4 years old with high-risk ALL undergoing allogeneic HSCT.
Topics: Adolescent; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Busulfan; Chemoradiotherapy; Child; Child, Preschool; Equivalence Trials as Topic; Etoposide; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; International Agencies; Male; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma; Prognosis; Survival Rate; Thiotepa; Vidarabine; Whole-Body Irradiation
PubMed: 33332189
DOI: 10.1200/JCO.20.02529 -
Blood Feb 2015High-dose methotrexate-based chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), but relapses remain frequent. High-dose...
High-dose methotrexate-based chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), but relapses remain frequent. High-dose chemotherapy (HDC) with autologous stem-cell transplant (ASCT) may provide an alternative to address chemoresistance and overcome the blood-brain barrier. In this single-center phase-2 study, newly diagnosed PCNSL patients received 5 to 7 cycles of chemotherapy with rituximab, methotrexate (3.5 g/m(2)), procarbazine, and vincristine (R-MPV). Those with a complete or partial response proceeded with consolidation HDC with thiotepa, cyclophosphamide, and busulfan, followed by ASCT and no radiotherapy. Primary end point was 1-year progression-free survival (PFS), N = 32. Median age was 57, and median Karnofsky performance status 80. Following R-MPV, objective response rate was 97%, and 26 (81%) patients proceeded with HDC-ASCT. Among all patients, median PFS and overall survival (OS) were not reached (median follow-up: 45 months). Two-year PFS was 79% (95% confidence interval [CI], 58-90), with no events observed beyond 2 years. Two-year OS was 81% (95% CI, 63-91). In transplanted patients, 2-year PFS and OS were 81%. There were 3 treatment-related deaths. Prospective neuropsychological evaluations suggested relatively stable cognitive functions posttransplant. In conclusion, this treatment was associated with excellent disease control and survival, an acceptable toxicity profile, and no evidence of neurotoxicity thus far. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00596154.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Busulfan; Central Nervous System Neoplasms; Combined Modality Therapy; Cyclophosphamide; Cytarabine; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; Humans; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin; Male; Methotrexate; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Grading; Neoplasm Staging; Procarbazine; Prognosis; Rituximab; Survival Rate; Thiotepa; Transplantation, Autologous; Vincristine; Young Adult
PubMed: 25568347
DOI: 10.1182/blood-2014-10-604561 -
JAMA Oncology Jul 2021Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) requires induction and consolidation to achieve potential cure. High-dose therapy and autologous hematopoietic cell... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
IMPORTANCE
Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) requires induction and consolidation to achieve potential cure. High-dose therapy and autologous hematopoietic cell transplant (AHCT) is an accepted and effective consolidation strategy for PCNSL, but no consensus exists on the optimal conditioning regimens.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the outcomes in patients with PCNSL undergoing AHCT with the 3 most commonly used conditioning regimens: thiotepa/busulfan/cyclophosphamide (TBC), thiotepa/carmustine (TT-BCNU), and carmustine/etoposide/cytarabine/melphalan (BEAM).
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This observational cohort study used registry data from the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research registry. The Center is a working group of more than 380 transplantation centers worldwide that contributed detailed data on HCT to a statistical center at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. The participant data were from 603 adult patients with PCNSL who underwent AHCT as initial, or subsequent, consolidation between January 2010 and December 2018. Patients were excluded if they had a non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtype other than diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, systemic non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or HIV; received an uncommon conditioning regimen; or were not in partial remission or complete remission prior to AHCT. Statistical analysis was performed from July 5, 2020, to March 1, 2021.
INTERVENTIONS
Patients received 1 of 3 conditioning regimens: TBC (n = 263), TT-BCNU (n = 275), and BEAM (n = 65).
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The primary outcome was progression-free survival. Secondary outcomes included hematopoietic recovery, incidence of relapse, nonrelapse mortality, and overall survival.
RESULTS
Of 603 patients, the mean age was 57 (range, 19-77) years and 318 (53%) were male. The 3-year adjusted progression-free survival rates were higher in the TBC cohort (75%) and TT-BCNU cohort (76%) compared with the BEAM cohort (58%) (P = .03) owing to a higher relapse risk in the BEAM cohort (hazard ratio [HR], 4.34; 95% CI, 2.45-7.70; P < .001). In a multivariable regression analysis, compared with the TBC cohort, patients who received TT-BCNU had a higher relapse risk (HR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.07-2.98; P = .03), lower risk of nonrelapse mortality (NRM) (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.29-0.87; P = .01), and similar risk of all-cause mortality more than 6 months after HCT (HR, 1.54; 95% CI, 0.93-2.55; P = .10). Age of 60 years or older, Karnofsky performance status less than 90, and an HCT-comorbidity index greater than or equal to 3 were associated with lower rates of survival across all 3 cohorts. Subgroup analyses demonstrated that patients aged 60 years and older had considerably higher NRM with TBC.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
In this cohort study, thiotepa-based conditioning regimen was associated with higher rates of survival compared with BEAM, despite higher rates of early toxic effects and NRM; these findings may assist clinicians in choosing between TBC or TT-BCNU based on patient and disease characteristics.
Topics: Aged; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Central Nervous System; Cohort Studies; Cyclophosphamide; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; Humans; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Thiotepa
PubMed: 33956047
DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2021.1074 -
The Lancet. Haematology Feb 2021Secondary CNS lymphoma is a rare but potentially lethal event in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. We aimed to assess the activity and safety of an intensive,...
MATRix-RICE therapy and autologous haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with secondary CNS involvement (MARIETTA): an international, single-arm, phase 2 trial.
BACKGROUND
Secondary CNS lymphoma is a rare but potentially lethal event in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. We aimed to assess the activity and safety of an intensive, CNS-directed chemoimmunotherapy consolidated by autologous haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) in patients with secondary CNS lymphoma.
METHODS
This international, single-arm, phase 2 trial was done in 24 hospitals in Italy, the UK, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Adults (aged 18-70 years) with histologically diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and CNS involvement at the time of primary diagnosis or at relapse and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status of 3 or less were enrolled and received three courses of MATRix (rituximab 375 mg/m, intravenous infusion, day 0; methotrexate 3·5 g/m, the first 0·5 g/m in 15 min followed by 3 g/m in a 3 h intravenous infusion, day 1; cytarabine 2 g/m every 12 h, in 1 h intravenous infusions, days 2 and 3; thiotepa 30 mg/m, 30 min intravenous infusion, day 4) followed by three courses of RICE (rituximab 375 mg/m, day 1; etoposide 100 mg/m per day in 500-1000 mL over a 60 min intravenous infusion, days 1, 2, and 3; ifosfamide 5 g/m in 1000 mL in a 24 h intravenous infusion with mesna support, day 2; carboplatin area under the curve of 5 in 500 mL in a 1 h intravenous infusion, day 2) and carmustine-thiotepa and autologous HSCT (carmustine 400 mg/m in 500 mL glucose 5% solution in a 1-2 h infusion, day -6; thiotepa 5 mg/kg in saline solution in a 2 h infusion every 12 h, days -5 and -4). The primary endpoint was progression-free survival at 1 year. Overall and complete response rates before autologous HSCT, duration of response, overall survival, and safety were the secondary endpoints. Analyses were in the modified intention-to-treat population. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02329080. The trial ended after accrual completion; the database lock was Dec 31, 2019.
FINDINGS
Between March 30, 2015, and Aug 3, 2018, 79 patients were enrolled. 75 patients were assessable. 319 (71%) of the 450 planned courses were delivered. At 1 year from enrolment the primary endpoint was met, 42 patients were progression free (progression-free survival 58%; 95% CI 55-61). 49 patients (65%; 95% CI 54-76) had an objective response after MATRix-RICE, 29 (39%) of whom had a complete response. 37 patients who responded had autologous HSCT. At the end of the programme, 46 patients (61%; 95% CI 51-71) had an objective response, with a median duration of objective response of 26 months (IQR 16-37). At a median follow-up of 29 months (IQR 20-40), 35 patients were progression-free and 33 were alive, with a 2-year overall survival of 46% (95% CI 39-53). Grade 3-4 toxicity was most commonly haematological: neutropenia in 46 (61%) of 75 patients, thrombocytopenia in 45 (60%), and anaemia in 26 (35%). 79 serious adverse events were recorded in 42 (56%) patients; four (5%) of those 79 were lethal due to sepsis caused by Gram-negative bacteria (treatment-related mortality 5%; 95% CI 0·07-9·93).
INTERPRETATION
MATRix-RICE plus autologous HSCT was active in this population of patients with very poor prognosis, and had an acceptable toxicity profile.
FUNDING
Stand Up To Cancer Campaign for Cancer Research UK, the Swiss Cancer Research foundation, and the Swiss Cancer League.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Central Nervous System Neoplasms; Cytarabine; Disease-Free Survival; Female; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; Humans; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse; Male; Methotrexate; Middle Aged; Neutropenia; Rituximab; Severity of Illness Index; Transplantation, Autologous; Young Adult
PubMed: 33513372
DOI: 10.1016/S2352-3026(20)30366-5 -
The Oncologist Sep 2008Neoplastic meningitis (NM) is a common problem in neuro-oncology, occurring in approximately 5% of all patients with cancer. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Neoplastic meningitis (NM) is a common problem in neuro-oncology, occurring in approximately 5% of all patients with cancer.
METHODS
Notwithstanding frequent focal signs and symptoms, NM is a disease affecting the entire neuraxis, and therefore staging and treatment need encompass all cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) compartments.
RESULTS
Central nervous system staging of NM includes contrast-enhanced cranial computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging (MR-Gd), contrast-enhanced spine magnetic resonance imaging or computerized tomographic myelography and radionuclide CSF flow study. Treatment of NM incorporates involved-field radiotherapy of bulky or symptomatic disease sites and intra-CSF drug therapy. The inclusion of concomitant systemic therapy may benefit patients with NM and may obviate the need for intra-CSF chemotherapy. At present, intra-CSF drug therapy is confined to three chemotherapeutic agents (i.e., methotrexate, cytosine, arabinoside, and thio-TEPA) administered by a variety of schedules either by intralumbar or intraventricular drug delivery.
CONCLUSIONS
Although treatment of NM is palliative with an expected median patient survival of 2 to 6 months, it often affords stabilization and protection from further neurologic deterioration in patients with NM.
Topics: Humans; Meningeal Carcinomatosis; Meningeal Neoplasms; Meningitis
PubMed: 18776058
DOI: 10.1634/theoncologist.2008-0138 -
IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of... 1990
Review
Topics: Animals; Carcinogens; Female; Humans; Male; Molecular Structure; Pregnancy; Reproduction; Thiotepa
PubMed: 2127291
DOI: No ID Found -
Report on Carcinogens : Carcinogen... 2011
Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; Carcinogens; Chemosterilants; Female; Neoplasms; Thiotepa
PubMed: 21863106
DOI: No ID Found