Bortezomib plus rituximab versus rituximab alone in patients with relapsed, rituximab-naive or rituximab-sensitive, follicular lymphoma: a randomised phase 3 trial

Definitions and use of tumor bulk in phase 3 lymphoma trials: a comprehensive literature review

ABSTRACT

Tumor "bulk" has historically been considered an important prognostic marker and a clinical tool to guide treatment in patients with lymphoma. However, its use and definitions in trial designs vary significantly, and it is unclear how this has influenced the relevance of bulk in contemporary practice. This comprehensive literature review evaluated the definitions, applications, and prognostic impact of bulk in phase 3 randomized trials in 4 major lymphoma subtypes. Overall, 87 studies were identified across follicular lymphoma (FL), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), and Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) with a wide range of bulk thresholds used (5 cm, 6 cm, 7 cm, 7.5 cm, 10 cm, and >1/3 mediastinal mass ratio [MMR]). The most common threshold was as follows: FL, 7 cm (58%); DLBCL, 7.5 cm and 10 cm (44% each); PTCL, 7.5 cm (66%); and HL, one-third MMR (91%). Bulk threshold was used by trials to determine eligibility (66%), stratification (24%), as a prognostic risk factor (37%), and as a decision tool for risk-adapted treatment, for example, radiotherapy (29%); however, bulk definitions used for these varied both between, and within, lymphoma subtypes and even within single trials in 25%. Furthermore, 32 studies incorporated bulk in prognostic analyses with only 5 showing significance for differential survival outcomes. Our analysis demonstrates high inconsistency in thresholds defining tumor bulk and use of bulk in phase 3 lymphoma trials across eligibility, stratification, therapeutic risk adaptation, and prognostication. This highlights an urgent need for international consensus on definitions of bulk within trials to improve its prognostic and predictive values and refine its application in clinical practice.

Review of the clinical status of cardiotoxicity of HER-2 positive breast cancer targeted therapeutic drugs

Breast cancer is a major health challenge for women worldwide, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2)-positive breast cancers have a relatively high incidence and are highly aggressive. Targeted therapeutic agents, represented by trastuzumab, have been effective in improving the survival rate of HER-2-positive breast cancer patients. However, in clinical applications, this type of targeted drugs exhibits varying degrees of cardiotoxicity, and the mechanism of their cardiotoxicity is currently unclear. In this paper, we classify them into three categories: monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), and antibody-drug conjugate (ADCs). We list the evidence of cardiotoxicity for various drugs based on current clinical trials and summarize their corresponding epidemiological profiles. We also discuss the regulation of cardiotoxicity from three perspectives: clinical biomarkers of cardiotoxicity, permissive cardiotoxicity, and the current status of cardiotoxicity regulation.

Characteristics and outcomes of patients developing pulmonary hypertension associated with proteasome inhibitors

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) has been described in patients treated with proteasome inhibitors (PIs). Our objective was to evaluate the association between PIs and PAH.

METHODS

Characteristics of incident PAH cases previously treated with carfilzomib or bortezomib were analysed from the French pulmonary hypertension registry and the VIGIAPATH programme from 2004 to 2023, concurrently with a pharmacovigilance disproportionality analysis using the World Health Organization (WHO) global database (VigiBase) and a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

RESULTS

11 incident cases of PI-associated PAH were identified (six with carfilzomib and five with bortezomib) with a female:male ratio of 2.7:1, a median age of 61 years, and a median delay between PI first exposure and PAH of 6 months. Four patients died (two from right heart failure, one from respiratory distress and one from an unknown cause). At diagnosis, six were in New York Heart Association Functional Class III/IV with severe haemodynamic impairment (median mean pulmonary arterial pressure 39 mmHg, cardiac index 2.45 L·min-1·m-2 and pulmonary vascular resistance 7.2 WU). In the WHO pharmacovigilance database, 169 cases of PH associated with PI were reported since 2013 with significant signals of disproportionate reporting (SDR) for carfilzomib, regardless of the definition of cases or control group. However, SDR for bortezomib were inconsistent. The systematic review identified 17 clinical trials, and carfilzomib was associated with a significantly higher risk of dyspnoea, severe dyspnoea and PH compared with bortezomib.

CONCLUSION

PIs may induce PAH in patients undergoing treatment, with carfilzomib emitting a stronger signal than bortezomib, and these patients should be monitored closely.

Recent advance in management of herpes simplex in Japan

Herpes simplex, a common infection caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV), is transmitted through contact of the skin/mucous membrane and establishes latency in the sensory ganglia for the rest of the life of the host. HSV occasionally reactivates and forms blisters around the lips or genitalia in some patients. Repeated overt symptoms, and, much more frequent, subclinical reactivation in the mucosa, make the host retain anti-HSV immunity continuously, resulting in maintaining steadily elevated antibody titer at any point after infection. Clinical symptoms differ in primary infection and recurrence. Primary infections sometimes manifest as severe symptoms such as fever and lymphadenopathy in addition to blisters/erosions of the skin, gingiva, lips, and oral mucosa, while recurrent herpes is generally mild. Diagnosing typical herpes simplex is not difficult, but when the course and manifestations are typical, definitive tests to identify HSV infection are limited since serology is not useful except with primary infection. For treatment, safe and effective oral antiviral drugs are available. Patient-initiated therapy is a new method of administration labeled in Japan. Amenamevir, an inhibitor of viral helicase primase, is available in Japan and labeled in addition to herpes zoster. These new diagnostic and therapeutic tools should be used for better management of herpes simplex.

Agents contributing to secondary immunodeficiency development in patients with multiple myeloma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma: A systematic literature review

Introduction

Patients with hematological malignancies (HMs), like chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), multiple myeloma (MM), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), have a high risk of secondary immunodeficiency (SID), SID-related infections, and mortality. Here, we report the results of a systematic literature review on the potential association of various cancer regimens with infection rates, neutropenia, lymphocytopenia, or hypogammaglobulinemia, indicative of SID.

Methods

A systematic literature search was performed in 03/2022 using PubMed to search for clinical trials that mentioned in the title and/or abstract selected cancer (CLL, MM, or NHL) treatments covering 12 classes of drugs, including B-lineage monoclonal antibodies, CAR T therapies, proteasome inhibitors, kinase inhibitors, immunomodulators, antimetabolites, anti-tumor antibiotics, alkylating agents, Bcl-2 antagonists, histone deacetylase inhibitors, vinca alkaloids, and selective inhibitors of nuclear export. To be included, a publication had to report at least one of the following: percentages of patients with any grade and/or grade ≥3 infections, any grade and/or grade ≥3 neutropenia, or hypogammaglobulinemia. From the relevant publications, the percentages of patients with lymphocytopenia and specific types of infection (fungal, viral, bacterial, respiratory [upper or lower respiratory tract], bronchitis, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, skin, gastrointestinal, and sepsis) were collected.

Results

Of 89 relevant studies, 17, 38, and 34 included patients with CLL, MM, and NHL, respectively. In CLL, MM, and NHL, any grade infections were seen in 51.3%, 35.9% and 31.1% of patients, and any grade neutropenia in 36.3%, 36.4%, and 35.4% of patients, respectively. The highest proportion of patients with grade ≥3 infections across classes of drugs were: 41.0% in patients with MM treated with a B-lineage monoclonal antibody combination; and 29.9% and 38.0% of patients with CLL and NHL treated with a kinase inhibitor combination, respectively. In the limited studies, the mean percentage of patients with lymphocytopenia was 1.9%, 11.9%, and 38.6% in CLL, MM, and NHL, respectively. Two studies reported the proportion of patients with hypogammaglobulinemia: 0-15.3% in CLL and 5.9% in NHL (no studies reported hypogammaglobulinemia in MM).

Conclusion

This review highlights cancer treatments contributing to infections and neutropenia, potentially related to SID, and shows underreporting of hypogammaglobulinemia and lymphocytopenia before and during HM therapies.

Copanlisib plus rituximab versus placebo plus rituximab in patients with relapsed indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (CHRONOS-3): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial

BACKGROUND

Copanlisib, an intravenous pan-class I PI3K inhibitor, showed efficacy and safety as monotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma who had received at least two therapies. The CHRONOS-3 study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of copanlisib plus rituximab in patients with relapsed indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

METHODS

CHRONOS-3 was a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 study in 186 academic medical centres across Asia, Australia, Europe, New Zealand, North America, Russia, South Africa, and South America. Patients aged 18 years and older with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of no more than 2 and histologically confirmed CD20-positive indolent B-cell lymphoma relapsed after the last anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody-containing therapy and progression-free and treatment-free for at least 12 months, or at least 6 months for patients unwilling or unfit to receive chemotherapy, were randomly assigned (2:1) with an interactive voice-web response system via block randomisation (block size of six) to copanlisib (60 mg given as a 1-h intravenous infusion on an intermittent schedule on days 1, 8, and 15 [28-day cycle]) plus rituximab (375 mg/m² given intravenously weekly on days 1, 8, 15, and 22 during cycle 1 and day 1 of cycles 3, 5, 7, and 9) or placebo plus rituximab, stratified on the basis of histology, progression-free and treatment-free interval, presence of bulky disease, and previous treatment with PI3K inhibitors. The primary outcome was progression-free survival in the full analysis set (all randomised patients) by masked central review. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of any study drug. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02367040 and is ongoing.

FINDINGS

Between Aug 3, 2015, and Dec 17, 2019, 652 patients were screened for eligibility. 307 of 458 patients were randomly assigned to copanlisib plus rituximab and 151 patients were randomly assigned to placebo plus rituximab. With a median follow-up of 19·2 months (IQR 7·4-28·8) and 205 total events, copanlisib plus rituximab showed a statistically and clinically significant improvement in progression-free survival versus placebo plus rituximab; median progression-free survival 21·5 months (95% CI 17·8-33·0) versus 13·8 months (10·2-17·5; hazard ratio 0·52 [95% CI 0·39-0·69]; p<0·0001). The most common grade 3-4 adverse events were hyperglycaemia (173 [56%] of 307 patients in the copanlisib plus rituximab group vs 12 [8%] of 146 in the placebo plus rituximab group) and hypertension (122 [40%] vs 13 [9%]). Serious treatment-emergent adverse events were reported in 145 (47%) of 307 patients receiving copanlisib plus rituximab and 27 (18%) of 146 patients receiving placebo plus rituximab. One (<1%) drug-related death (pneumonitis) occurred in the copanlisib plus rituximab group and none occurred in the placebo plus rituximab group.

INTERPRETATION

Copanlisib plus rituximab improved progression-free survival in patients with relapsed indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma compared with placebo plus rituximab. To our knowledge, copanlisib is the first PI3K inhibitor to be safely combined with rituximab and the first to show broad and superior efficacy in combination with rituximab in patients with relapsed indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

FUNDING

Bayer.

Novel Therapy Approaches to Follicular Lymphoma

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is the most common form of indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It is a disease characterised by a long median overall survival and high response rates to currently available chemotherapy and anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody therapy combinations. However, for a sub-group of patients the disease behaves aggressively, fails to respond adequately to initial therapy or relapses early. For others, the disease becomes resistant following multiple lines of therapy, and despite recent advances the main cause of death for patients with FL remains their lymphoma. A wide landscape of novel therapies is emerging and the role of individual agents in the FL treatment paradigm is still being established. Some agents, including the cereblon modulator lenalidomide, the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors idelalisib, copanlisib and duvelisib, and the EZH2 inhibitor tazemetostat have received regulatory approval in the USA or European Union and have entered clinical practice for relapsed FL. Other developments, such as the emergence of immunotherapies including CAR-T cell therapy and bispecific antibodies, are expected to fundamentally change the approach to FL treatment in the future.

Upcoming immunotherapeutic combinations for B-cell lymphoma

After initial introduction for B-cell lymphomas as adjuvant therapies to established cancer treatments, immune checkpoint inhibitors and other immunotherapies are now integrated in mainstream regimens, both in adult and pediatric patients. We here provide an overview of the current status of combination therapies for B-cell lymphoma, by in-depth analysis of combination therapy trials registered between 2015–2020. Our analysis provides new insight into the rapid evolution in lymphoma treatment, as propelled by new additions to the treatment arsenal. We conclude with prospects on upcoming clinical trials which will likely use systematic testing approaches of more combinations of established chemotherapy regimens with new agents, as well as new combinations of immunotherapy and targeted therapy. Future trials will be set up as basket or umbrella-type trials to facilitate the evaluation of new drugs targeting specific genetic changes in the tumor or associated immune microenvironment. As such, lymphoma patients will benefit by receiving more tailored treatment that is based on synergistic effects of chemotherapy combined with new agents targeting specific aspects of tumor biology and the immune system.

Lenalidomide plus rituximab Vs rituximab alone in relapsed or refractory indolent lymphoma: A cost-effectiveness analysis

Background

The aim of the study was to evaluate the cost‐effectiveness of lenalidomide plus rituximab vs rituximab alone in patients with relapsed or refractory indolent lymphoma.

Methods

A Markov decision model was established to carry out the cost‐effectiveness analysis. Three discrete health states, progression‐free survival (PFS), progressive disease (PD), and death, were included. Cycle length was set at 1 month, and utility scores were derived from previously published literature. The incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) was defined as the primary endpoint, and the willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) threshold was set at $29,306.43 per quality‐adjusted life year (QALY). Both cost and effectiveness were determined using a 3% annual discount rate. Furthermore, one‐way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to check the robustness of the model.

Results

Lenalidomide plus rituximab gained 6.08 QALYs at a cost of $120,979.62 while rituximab alone gained 4.84 QALYs at a cost of $48,052.11. The ICER of lenalidomide plus rituximab vs rituximab alone was $58,812.51/QALY. The parameters most significantly influenced the model were the utility values for the PFS state, the duration of the PFS state in the lenalidomide plus rituximab group, and the cost of lenalidomide. The probability of lenalidomide plus rituximab or rituximab alone being the most cost‐effective option was 0% and 100%, respectively, at a WTP threshold of $29,306.43/QALY.

Conclusions

Lenalidomide plus rituximab is not a cost‐effective strategy compared with rituximab monotherapy for relapsed or refractory indolent lymphoma from a Chinese societal perspective.

AUGMENT: A Phase III Study of Lenalidomide Plus Rituximab Versus Placebo Plus Rituximab in Relapsed or Refractory Indolent Lymphoma

PURPOSE

Patients with indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma typically respond well to first-line immunochemotherapy. At relapse, single-agent rituximab is commonly administered. Data suggest the immunomodulatory agent lenalidomide could increase the activity of rituximab.

METHODS

A phase III, multicenter, randomized trial of lenalidomide plus rituximab versus placebo plus rituximab was conducted in patients with relapsed and/or refractory follicular or marginal zone lymphoma. Patients received lenalidomide or placebo for 12 cycles plus rituximab once per week for 4 weeks in cycle 1 and day 1 of cycles 2 through 5. The primary end point was progression-free survival per independent radiology review.

RESULTS

A total of 358 patients were randomly assigned to lenalidomide plus rituximab (n = 178) or placebo plus rituximab (n = 180). Infections (63% v 49%), neutropenia (58% v 23%), and cutaneous reactions (32% v 12%) were more common with lenalidomide plus rituximab. Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia (50% v 13%) and leukopenia (7% v 2%) were higher with lenalidomide plus rituximab; no other grade 3 or 4 adverse event differed by 5% or more between groups. Progression-free survival was significantly improved for lenalidomide plus rituximab versus placebo plus rituximab, with a hazard ratio of 0.46 (95% CI, 0.34 to 0.62; P < .001) and median duration of 39.4 months (95% CI, 22.9 months to not reached) versus 14.1 months (95% CI, 11.4 to 16.7 months), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Lenalidomide improved efficacy of rituximab in patients with recurrent indolent lymphoma, with an acceptable safety profile.

Anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies: reviewing a revolution

Since the inception of rituximab in the 1990s, anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies have revolutionised the treatment of B cell hematological malignancies and have become a cornerstone of modern gold-standard practice. Additionally, the potent efficacy of these agents in depleting the B cell compartment has been used in the management of a broad array of autoimmune diseases. Multiple iterations of these agents have been investigated and are routinely used in clinical practice. In this review, we will discuss the physiology of CD20 and its attractiveness as a therapeutic target, as well as the pharmacology, pre-clinical and clinical data for the major anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies: rituximab, obinutuzumab and ofatumumab.

Chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) is the most common hematologic malignancy. More than 20,000 people in United States, more than 37,000 people in Europe and more than 199,000 people worldwide die of NHL every year. Recent advances in immunotherapeutic approaches for cancer have resulted in development of new classes of very effective immunotherapeutic approaches including chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy that are designed to bypass cancer immune evasion. Here, we review recent advances in CAR-T cell therapy for NHL. US food and drug administration (FDA) recently approved axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta) a CD19 CAR T cell therapy for treatment of relapsed refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), high grade lymphoma, and primary mediastinal B cell lymphoma (PMBCL). Approval of Yescarta and rapid development of other CAR T cell therapies at various stages of development are opening up the door for a new wave of CAR T cell therapies that will dramatically change the way we treat NHL and hopefully other malignancies in the near future.

Paclitaxel synergizes with exposure time adjusted CD22-targeting immunotoxins against B-cell malignancies

CD22-targeted recombinant immunotoxins (rIT) are active in hairy cell leukemia or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), but not in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) patients. The goal was to enhance rIT efficacy in vivo and to define a strong combination treatment. Activity of Moxetumomab pasudotox (Moxe) and LR combined with paclitaxel was tested against MCL cell lines in vitro and as bolus doses or continuous infusion in xenograft models. In the KOPN-8 ALL xenograft, Moxe or paclitaxel alone was active, but all mice died from leukemia; when combined, 60% of the mice achieved a sustained complete remission. Against MCL cells in vitro, LR was more active than Moxe and the cells had to be exposed to rIT for more than 24 hours for them to die. To maintain high blood levels in vivo, LR was administered continuously by 7-day pumps achieving a well-tolerated steady plasma concentration of 45 ng/ml. In JeKo-1 xenografts, continuously administered LR was 14-fold more active than bolus doses and the combination with paclitaxel additionally improved responses by 135-fold. Maintaining high rIT-plasma levels greatly improves responses in the JeKo-1 model and paclitaxel substantially enhances bolus and continuously infused rIT, supporting a clinical evaluation against B-cell malignancies.

Drug approval based on randomized phase 3 trials for relapsed malignancy: analysis of oncologic drugs granted accelerated approval, publications and clinical trial databases

Background As relapsed disease is frequently the first target of newly developed therapies, it is vital to address the difficulty in demonstrating the efficacy of new drugs for relapsed malignancy in randomized phase 3 trials. Methods We analyzed the approved indications, target populations, and development status of post-marketing confirmatory trials of all oncology-related drugs that were granted accelerated approval for both hematological and solid malignancies. Furthermore, we searched for randomized phase 3 trials for adult patients with relapsed lymphoid malignancy, other than chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and multiple myeloma (MM). Results Thirty-one (81.6%) of the 38 hematological indications and 23 (53.5%) of the 43 solid malignancy indications were in the relapsed settings. The target population of post-marketing studies was different from the approved indication in 18 (47.4%) of 38 hematological indications and 11 (25.6%) of 43 solid malignancy indications; all 18 hematological indications involved relapsed settings. Improved time-to-event outcome for relapsed patients was the primary endpoint in 6 (19.3%) of the 31 relapsed hematological indications. In 4 published studies of relapsed lymphoid malignancy, the medication significantly improved outcomes. From 33 trials listed at Clinicaltrials.gov , 2 were positive and 13 were negative. Five out of the 13 negative trials were terminated due to poor accrual. Conclusion Our analysis indicates that drug approval based on phase 3 trials is more challenging for relapsed hematological malignancies than for solid malignancies. Therefore, determining proper evaluation methods for the efficacy and safety of drugs for relapsed malignancy, without randomized trials, is important.

A phase 2 study of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, bortezomib and dexamethasone (R-CyBorD) in relapsed low grade and mantle cell lymphoma

In this phase 2 trial, we sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone (R-CyBorD) in patients with low-grade NHL. The regimen included rituximab on day 1 with weekly cyclophosphamide, dexamethasone, and bortezomib 1.3 mg/m² IV in a 28-day cycle. Twenty one patients were enrolled on the study. Median age was 69 years (range 51-80) and 17 (81%) patients had two or more prior treatments. Histologies included FL (n = 8), MCL (n = 8), and LPL/WM (n = 5). Hematologic toxicity and peripheral sensory neuropathy were the most common adverse events. With a median follow-up of 38.1 months, ORR was 13/21 (62%), with 4 (19%) CR. The ORR was 7/8 (88%) in FL and was 4/5 (80%) in LPL/WM. Median PFS and OS were 11.6 months and 54.8 months, respectively. R-CyBorD is an effective regimen in relapsed FL and LPL/WM patients with an acceptable safety profile.

The evolving role of targeted biological agents in the management of indolent B-cell lymphomas

Improved understanding of the mechanisms of lymphomagenesis has resulted in a surge of development for new targeted agents. An impressive number of biological agents targeting different steps in the pathways of tumor proliferation, survival and apoptosis have become available. The management of patients with indolent non-Hodgkin lymphomas (iNHLs) is rapidly transforming with incorporation of those targeted biological agents into the front-line and relapsed/refractory setting. This review highlights several categories of novel biological agents and will discuss their potential role in the contemporary management of patients with iNHLs.

Bendamustine, bortezomib and rituximab produces durable complete remissions in patients with previously untreated, low grade lymphoma

This Phase II trial evaluated the efficacy of bendamustine, bortezomib and rituximab in patients with previously untreated low-grade lymphoma. Eligible patients had low grade lymphoma with no previous systemic disease treatment. Treatment for all patients was given in 28-day cycles for a maximum of 6 cycles. Patients received rituximab 375 mg/m² intravenously (IV) on days 1, 8 and 15 of cycle 1 and day 1 of cycles 2-6; bendamustine 90 mg/m² IV on days 1 and 2; and bortezomib 1·6 mg/m² IV on days 1, 8 and 15. Patients were permitted to begin maintenance treatment with rituximab 6 months after completion of study treatment and after 6-month follow-up assessments had been conducted. Fifty-four eligible patients were enrolled. The most common grade 3/4 toxicities were leucopenia (28%), neutropenia (30%) and lymphopenia (17%). There were no treatment-related deaths and 1 unrelated death on study (embolic stroke). The overall response rate was 94% for all patients. The median follow-up was 54 months. Kaplan-Meier estimates of progression-free survival and overall survival at 36 months were 75% and 88%, respectively. The treatment regimen was well tolerated and produced high response rates. Further study of this regimen in patients with previously untreated lymphoma is warranted.

Post-autologous transplant maintenance therapies in lymphoma: current state and future directions

Disease relapse following high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) remains the principal cause of mortality in patients with relapsed or refractory lymphomas. In an effort to prevent post-ASCT relapse, a number of studies have evaluated the role of maintenance therapy with varying success. In diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, studies evaluating maintenance rituximab (MR) following ASCT failed to demonstrate improved outcomes. In follicular lymphoma, MR was associated with an improvement in PFS; however, no overall survival (OS) benefit was noted. Emerging data evaluating MR in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) have demonstrated improvements in PFS, although a consistent improvement in OS has yet to be demonstrated. Given the aggressive and incurable nature of MCL, it is prudent for practitioners to weigh the risks and benefits of MR in the post-ASCT setting. Similarly, post-ASCT maintenance therapy with brentuximab vedotin in Hodgkin lymphoma, has led to improved PFS and may be considered in those with a high risk of relapse. Ongoing clinical studies evaluating a multitude of novel maintenance therapies are crucial to the efforts of further defining and optimizing the role of post-transplant maintenance therapy in lymphoma.

Phase 2 Open-Label Study of Bortezomib, Cladribine, and Rituximab in Advanced, Newly Diagnosed, and Relapsed/Refractory Mantle-Cell and Indolent Lymphomas

BACKGROUND

Mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL) and indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (iNHL) are incurable heterogeneous diseases characterized by relapse. There is a need for newer treatments in MCL and iNHL, especially in the relapsed/refractory (R/R) setting. We therefore investigated the novel combination of bortezomib (Velcade), cladribine, and rituximab (VCR) in front-line and R/R settings in MCL and iNHL (NCT00980395).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eligible patients included adults with biopsy-proven CD20-positive MCL and iNHL who met the criteria for treatment. Rituximab 375 mg/m² intravenous (IV) day 1, cladribine 4 mg/m² IV days 1 to 5, and bortezomib 1.3 mg/m² IV days 1 and 4 were administered every 28 days for 6 cycles.

RESULTS

Twenty-four patients were enrolled onto the study with a median follow-up of 38.5 months. Median age was 66.5 years, and 46% had MCL. The most common adverse events were hematologic, with febrile neutropenia in 3 patients. Neuropathy was noted in 17% of patients, of which 8% was grade 3 or above. The overall response rate was 92%. For the entire cohort, and for MCL patients, the median progression-free survival and the median overall survival were not reached. The 2-year progression-free survival was 82% for the MCL group and 54% for the iNHL group; it was 80% for treatment-naive patients and 57% for R/R patients.

CONCLUSION

VCR is effective in MCL and iNHL. Although hematologic toxicity can be an issue, this study demonstrates a high response rate to a novel combination and provides an alternative option in transplant-ineligible R/R MCL and iNHL.

International Working Group consensus response evaluation criteria in lymphoma (RECIL 2017)

In recent years, the number of approved and investigational agents that can be safely administered for the treatment of lymphoma patients for a prolonged period of time has substantially increased. Many of these novel agents are evaluated in early-phase clinical trials in patients with a wide range of malignancies, including solid tumors and lymphoma. Furthermore, with the advances in genome sequencing, new "basket" clinical trial designs have emerged that select patients based on the presence of specific genetic alterations across different types of solid tumors and lymphoma. The standard response criteria currently in use for lymphoma are the Lugano Criteria which are based on [18F]2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography or bidimensional tumor measurements on computerized tomography scans. These differ from the RECIST criteria used in solid tumors, which use unidimensional measurements. The RECIL group hypothesized that single-dimension measurement could be used to assess response to therapy in lymphoma patients, producing results similar to the standard criteria. We tested this hypothesis by analyzing 47 828 imaging measurements from 2983 individual adult and pediatric lymphoma patients enrolled on 10 multicenter clinical trials and developed new lymphoma response criteria (RECIL 2017). We demonstrate that assessment of tumor burden in lymphoma clinical trials can use the sum of longest diameters of a maximum of three target lesions. Furthermore, we introduced a new provisional category of a minor response. We also clarified response assessment in patients receiving novel immune therapy and targeted agents that generate unique imaging situations.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity: management informed by pharmacogenetics

The increasing availability of sophisticated methods to characterize human genetic variation has enabled pharmacogenetic data to be used not only to predict responses to treatment (in the context of so-called personalized medicine), but also to identify patients at high or low risk of specific treatment-related adverse effects. Over the past two decades, extensive attempts have been made to understand the genetic basis of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (CIPN), one of the most severe non-haematological adverse effects of cancer treatment. Despite substantial efforts, however, the identification of a genetic profile that can detect patients at high risk of CIPN still represents an unmet need, as the information obtained from pharmacogenetic studies published so far is inconsistent at best. Among the reasons for these inconsistencies, methodological flaws and the poor reliability of existing tools for assessing CIPN features and severity are particularly relevant. This Review provides a critical update of the pharmacogenetics of CIPN, focusing on the studies published since 2011. Strategies for improving the reliability of future pharmacogenetic studies of CIPN are also discussed.

Weekly versus biweekly bortezomib given in patients with indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma: A meta-analysis

Background

Bortezomib is recently studied as a novel agent in indolent lymphoma. The optimal schedule of bortezomib used in indolent lymphoma is still uncertain.

Methods

We did a systematic review and meta-analysis of the clinical trials comparing the efficacy and toxicity of the weekly and biweekly schedules of bortezomib in patients with indolent lymphoma. We searched Pubmed, Cochrane Library and Emabase from inception to July 29, 2016. The primary outcome was the overall response rate including the complete response rate and the partial response rate. The secondary outcomes were the proportions of patients in each group experiencing the adverse events including the neutropathy, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea and neutropenia.

Findings

After final screening, six trials were considered eligible for analysis. The results showed that the overall response rate of biweekly schedule was higher than that of weekly schedule in indolent lymphoma (OR 1.691;95%CI 1.02–2.80). Furthermore, there were no significant differences between the two schedules of bortezomib for the main adverse events.

Interpretation

The biweekly schedule of bortezomib was more effective than the weekly schedule in indolent lymphoma, with similar proportion of toxicities.

Looking back to move forward: a twenty-year audit of herpes zoster in Asia-Pacific

Background

Herpes zoster (HZ) is a prevalent viral disease that inflicts substantial morbidity and associated healthcare and socioeconomic burdens. Current treatments are not fully effective, especially among the most vulnerable patients. Although widely recommended, vaccination against HZ is not routine; barriers in Asia-Pacific include long-standing neglect of adult immunisation and sparse local data. To address knowledge gaps, raise awareness, and disseminate best practice, we reviewed recent data and guidelines on HZ from the Asia-Pacific region.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Scopus, and World Health Organization databases for articles about HZ published from 1994 to 2014 by authors from Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. We selected articles about epidemiology, burden, complications, comorbidities, management, prevention, and recommendations/guidelines. Internet searches retrieved additional HZ immunisation guidelines.

Results

From 4007 retrieved articles, we screened-out 1501 duplicates and excluded 1264 extraneous articles, leaving 1242 unique articles. We found guidelines on adult immunisation from Australia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand.

HZ epidemiology in Asia-Pacific is similar to elsewhere; incidence rises with age and peaks at around 70 years – lifetime risk is approximately one-third. Average incidence of 3–10/1000 person-years is rising at around 5% per year. The principal risk factors are immunosenescence and immunosuppression. HZ almost always causes pain, and post-herpetic neuralgia is its most common complication. Half or more of hospitalised HZ patients have post-herpetic neuralgia, secondary infections, or inflammatory sequelae that are occasionally fatal. These disease burdens severely diminish patients’ quality of life and incur heavy healthcare utilisation.

Conclusions

Several countries have abundant data on HZ, but others, especially in South-East Asia, very few. However, Asia-Pacific countries generally lack data on HZ vaccine safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness. Physicians treating HZ and its complications in Asia-Pacific face familiar challenges but, with a vast aged population, Asia bears a unique and growing burden of disease. Given the strong rationale for prevention, most adult immunisation guidelines include HZ vaccine, yet it remains underused. We urge all stakeholders to give higher priority to adult immunisation in general and HZ in particular.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12879-017-2198-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Emerging therapies for the treatment of relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma

With no treatment standard having been established for relapsed and refractory follicular lymphoma, a number of therapeutic approaches are used in Canada. In patients who relapse early or who eventually become resistant to subsequent treatment, prognosis is poor, and new approaches are needed. A number of novel therapies are being examined in this setting, including monoclonal antibodies, immunoconjugates, immunomodulatory agents, and signal transduction inhibitors. With the body of evidence for those emerging therapies accumulating and the standard upfront treatment changing from rituximab and chop (cyclophosphamide-doxorubicin-vincristine-prednisone) or rituximab and cvp (cyclophosphamide-vincristine-prednisone) to bendamustine and rituximab, treatment decisions in the relapsed and refractory setting have become more complex. The choice of subsequent treatment must consider type of upfront treatment; duration of remission; and patient-related factors such as age, comorbidities, and treatment preferences. This paper summarizes the evidence for novel therapies and proposes recommendations for subsequent treatment options by remission duration after induction and maintenance.

A Multicenter Phase II Study of Twice-Weekly Bortezomib plus Rituximab in Patients with Relapsed Follicular Lymphoma: Long-Term Follow-Up

Single-agent bortezomib (B) has shown activity in heavily pretreated patients with relapsed/refractory indolent lymphoma. On the basis of these findings, we performed a phase II study of B combined with rituximab (R) in patients with relapsed follicular lymphoma (FL). Forty-five patients with fairly good prognostic profiles were enrolled from 2007 to 2011 and received a total of 6 cycles of the B+R combination. The endpoints were the overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), duration of remission (DoR), overall survival (OS), and toxicity evaluation. When considering all the enrolled patients the ORR was 64%. At 5 years, the estimated PFS, DoR, and OS were 34, 49, and 70%, respectively. After excluding the 7 R-naïve patients, the ORR was 58%, with a PFS of 19 months. The most common grade >2 toxicities were thrombocytopenia (18%), peripheral neuropathy (13%), and neutropenia (2%). Our study shows the feasibility, long-term efficacy, and excellent tolerability of the B+R combination. We are aware that our study has specific limitations, such as the small sample size consisting of patients with a relatively good prognostic profile. However, because FL patients will be treated with subsequent chemotherapy regimens, a well-tolerated and effective chemotherapy-free therapy could be considered an additional tool for long-term disease control.

New drugs for follicular lymphoma

Despite the improvement in prognosis since the advent of rituximab, follicular lymphoma is still incurable and remains the cause of death of most afflicted patients. With the expanding knowledge of the pathogenesis of B-cell malignancies, in the last few years a plethora of new therapies acting through a variety of mechanisms have shown promising results. This review attempts to analyze the evidence available on these new drugs, which include new monoclonal antibodies and immunoconjugates, the anti-angiogenic and immunomodulatory agent lenalidomide, the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib, inhibitors of B-cell receptor pathway enzymes, such as ibrutinib, idelalisib, duvelisib and entospletinib, BCL2 inhibitors and checkpoint inhibitors. We conclude that despite the high expectations around the new therapeutic options for patients with refractory disease, these new drugs have side effects that require caution with their use, particularly in light of the still short follow up and the lack of both randomized trials and data on combination regimens.

Switching from body surface area-based to fixed dosing for the investigational proteasome inhibitor ixazomib: a population pharmacokinetic analysis

AIMS

This population pharmacokinetic analysis of the investigational oral proteasome inhibitor ixazomib assessed the feasibility of switching from body surface area (BSA)-based to fixed dosing, and the impact of baseline covariates on ixazomib pharmacokinetics.

METHODS

Data were pooled from 226 adult patients with multiple myeloma, lymphoma or solid tumours in four phase 1 studies, in which ixazomib dosing (oral/intravenous, once/twice weekly) was based on BSA. Population pharmacokinetic modelling was undertaken using nonmem version 7.2.

RESULTS

Ixazomib pharmacokinetics were well described by a three compartment model with first order absorption and linear elimination. Ixazomib was absorbed rapidly (Ka 0.5 h(-1)), with dose- and time-independent pharmacokinetics. Estimated absolute bioavailability and clearance were 60% and 2l h(-1), respectively. Although a small effect of BSA (range 1.3-2.6 m(2)) was observed on the peripheral volume of distribution (V4), reducing the corresponding inter-individual variability by 12.9%, there was no relationship between BSA and ixazomib clearance (the parameter that dictates total systemic exposure following fixed dosing). Consistently, based on simulations (n = 1000), median AUCs (including interquartile range) were similar after BSA-based (2.23 mg m(-2)) and fixed (4 mg) oral dosing with no trend in simulated AUC vs. BSA for fixed dosing (P = 0.42). No other covariates, including creatinine clearance (22-213.7 ml min(-1)) and age (23-86 years), influenced ixazomib pharmacokinetics.

CONCLUSIONS

This analysis supports a switch from BSA-based to fixed dosing, without dose modification for mild/moderate renal impairment or age, in future adult studies of ixazomib, simplifying dosing guidance and clinical development.

Idelalisib for the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma

INTRODUCTION

B-cell Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (B-NHLs) include a number of disease subtypes, each defined by the tempo of disease progression and the identity of the cancerous cell. Idelalisib is a potent, selective inhibitor of the delta isoform of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), a lipid kinase whose over-activity in B-NHL drives disease progression. Idelalisib has demonstrated activity in indolent B-NHL (iB-NHL) and is approved for use as monotherapy in patients with follicular lymphoma and small lymphocytic lymphoma and in combination with rituximab in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

AREAS COVERED

Herein we review the development and pharmacology of idelalisib, its safety and efficacy in clinical studies of iB-NHL, and its potential for inclusion in future applications in iB-NHL and in combination with other therapies.

EXPERT OPINION

Idelalisib adds to the growing arsenal of iB-NHL pharmacotherapeutics and to the progression of the field toward precision agents with good efficacy and reduced toxicities. Nevertheless, idelalisib carries important risks that require careful patient counseling and monitoring. The appropriate sequencing of idelalisib with other proven treatment options in addition to its potential for combination with established or novel drugs will be borne out in ongoing and planned investigations.

Signaling pathway and dysregulation of PD1 and its ligands in lymphoid malignancies

Tumor cells evade immune destruction, at least partially, by upregulating inhibitory signals to limit effector T cell activation. Programmed death 1 (PD-1) is one of the most critical co-inhibitory molecules limiting the T-cell antitumor response. PD-1 and its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, are overexpressed by various types of tumors as well as reactive cells in the tumor microenvironment. A growing body of evidence has shown the clinical efficiency and minimal toxicity of PD-1 pathway inhibitors in patients with solid tumors, but the role of these inhibitors in lymphoid malignancies is much less well studied. In this review, we analyze the pathologic role of the PD-1 pathway in most common lymphoid malignancies and we organize the clinical data from clinical trials of PD-1 pathway inhibitors. Several anti-PD-1 regimens have shown encouraging therapeutic effects in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Additional progress is needed to foster an improved understanding of the role of anti-PD-1 therapy in reconstituting antitumor immunity in patients with lymphoid malignancies. Upcoming trials will explore the clinical efficiency of combining PD-1 pathway inhibitors and various agents with diverse mechanisms of action and create more therapeutic possibilities for afflicted patients.

A phase II study of bortezomib added to rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone in patients with previously untreated indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Bortezomib-containing combinations are active in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) although peripheral neuropathy can limit their dose intensity. Based on our phase I findings, we conducted a phase II trial of bortezomib in combination with R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) with a modified dose of vincristine. Patients with untreated indolent NHL received bortezomib (1·6 mg/m(2) ) on days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle for up to 8 cycles and R-CHOP with a 1·5 mg cap of vincristine. Patients achieving a complete response (CR) received maintenance rituximab, and remaining patients received maintenance rituximab and bortezomib. The primary endpoint was CR rate; secondary survival analyses were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Among 29 eligible patients, NHL morphologies included follicular (n = 20), marginal zone (n = 5) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (n = 4). Nineteen patients had CR (66%) and 10 had partial response (34%), yielding a 100% overall response rate. With a median follow-up of 48·7 months, the 4-year progression-free and overall survivals were 83% and 93%. Twenty-two patients experienced peripheral neuropathy of any grade, and two had grade 3 neuropathy. The combination of bortezomib with R-CHOP is effective for indolent NHL, and we plan to evaluate therapies incorporating novel proteasome inhibitors in future studies in NHL.

Randomized controlled trials in relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

This systematic literature review evaluated the clinical efficacy and safety of interventions used in relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma. Primary efficacy outcomes were objective response rate, progression-free survival and overall survival. Safety endpoints were grade 3/4 toxicities, serious adverse events and withdrawals or deaths due to toxicity. Studies were selected if they were randomized controlled trials reporting on the efficacy or safety of treatments for relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma, and if outcomes were reported separately from trials that included other lymphoid neoplasms. We used the Bucher method for conducting adjusted indirect comparisons within a meta-analysis. We identified 10 randomized controlled trials of treatments for relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma. The most prominent drug investigated (alone or in combination) was rituximab. Most trials did not report median overall survival. Two trials reported median event-free survival (range, 1.2-23.2 months). Six of ten trials reported objective response rate (range, 9-93%). Meta-analysis showed only one statistically significant result: rituximab + bortezomib yielded a significantly higher objective response rate than rituximab monotherapy (relative risk, 1.28; 95% confidence interval, 1.11-1.47). Otherwise, there were no discernable differences in overall survival or progression-free survival, partly due to insufficient reporting of results in the clinical trials. The relatively small number of randomized controlled trials, few overlapping treatment arms, and variability in the randomized controlled trial features and in the endpoints studied complicate the formal comparison of therapies for relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma. Additional well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to fully understand the relative outcomes of older and more recently developed therapies.

Randomized Trial of Lenalidomide Alone Versus Lenalidomide Plus Rituximab in Patients With Recurrent Follicular Lymphoma: CALGB 50401 (Alliance)

PURPOSE

Lenalidomide and rituximab (LR) are active agents in follicular lymphoma (FL). Combination regimens have not been previously assessed in randomized studies.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The Cancer and Leukemia Group B (Alliance) 50401 trial is a randomized phase II trial studying rituximab (375 mg/m(2) weekly for 4 weeks), lenalidomide (15 mg per day on days 1 to 21, followed by 7 days of rest, in cycle 1 and then 20 mg per day on days 1 to 21, followed by 7 days of rest, in cycles 2 to 12), or LR. The rituximab-alone arm was discontinued as a result of poor accrual. Eligibility included recurrent FL and prior rituximab with time to progression of ≥ 6 months from last dose. Aspirin or heparin was recommended for patients at high thrombosis risk.

RESULTS

Ninety-one patients (lenalidomide, n = 45; LR, n = 46) received treatment; median age was 63 years (range, 34 to 89 years), and 58% were intermediate or high risk according to the Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index. In the lenalidomide and LR arms, grade 3 to 4 adverse events occurred in 58% and 53% of patients, with 9% and 11% of patients experiencing grade 4 toxicity, respectively; grade 3 to 4 adverse events included neutropenia (16% v 20%, respectively), fatigue (9% v 13%, respectively), and thrombosis (16% [n = 7] v 4% [n = 2], respectively; P = .157). Thirty-six percent of lenalidomide patients and 63% of LR patients completed 12 cycles. Lenalidomide alone was associated with more treatment failures, with 22% of patients discontinuing treatment as a result of adverse events. Dose-intensity exceeded 80% in both arms. Overall response rate was 53% (20% complete response) and 76% (39% complete response) for lenalidomide alone and LR, respectively (P = .029). At the median follow-up of 2.5 years, median time to progression was 1.1 year for lenalidomide alone and 2 years for LR (P = .0023).

CONCLUSION

LR is more active than lenalidomide alone in recurrent FL with similar toxicity, warranting further study in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma as a platform for addition of novel agents.

Are we nearing an era of chemotherapy-free management of indolent lymphoma?

Indolent B-cell lymphomas are heterogeneous, comprising three grades of follicular lymphoma, small lymphocytic lymphoma, Waldenstöm macroglobulinemia, marginal zone lymphoma, and most recently, possibly low proliferative mantle cell lymphoma. These lymphomas are characterized by a high responsiveness to chemotherapy or immunochemotherapy; however, in most cases, conventional therapy might not offer a cure. Furthermore, the patient's age at diagnosis, at time to first or subsequent relapses, as well as potential comorbidities often preclude the use of chemotherapy. Recent progress has been made in our understanding of dysregulated pathways and immunologic antitumor responses in indolent lymphoma. Major therapeutic advances have been achieved in the development of nonchemotherapeutic agents, making "chemo-free" treatment a near-future reality. In this article, we highlight these promising approaches, such as the combination of anti-CD20 antibodies with immunomodulatory drugs, with mAbs directed against other surface antigens such as CD22, with immunomodulatory antibodies such as PD-1, or with inhibitors of key steps in the B-cell receptor pathway signaling. However, the cost of such therapies and potential, albeit manageable, toxicity should be considered. Phase III trials will confirm the benefit of these new treatment strategies that do not require a chemotherapeutic drug and help us identify their exact place in the therapeutic armamentarium for indolent lymphoma. Here we focus on follicular lymphoma, which is the most frequent subtype of indolent lymphoma and for which an increasing body of evidence has emerged that supports the dawn of a new era of chemotherapy-free treatment. See all articles in this CCR Focus section, "Paradigm Shifts in Lymphoma."

New targeted therapies for indolent B-cell malignancies in older patients

Molecularly targeted agents have become an established component of the treatment of indolent B-cell malignancies (iNHL). iNHL disproportionately affects older adults, so treatments that have excellent tolerability and efficacy across multiple lines of therapy are in demand. The numbers and classes of targeted therapies for iNHL have proliferated rapidly in recent years; classes of agents that show promise for older patients with iNHL include anti-CD20 antibodies, phosphatidyl-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway inhibitors, immunomodulators, proteasome inhibitors, epigenetic modulators, and immunotherapies. Here, we review the proposed mechanisms of action, efficacy, and tolerability of novel agents for iNHL, with an emphasis on their applicability to older patients.

Meta-analysis of incidence and risk of peripheral neuropathy associated with intravenous bortezomib

BACKGROUND

Bortezomib is a proteasome inhibitor which has demonstrated activity against recurrent or newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) and mantle cell lymphoma. Peripheral neuropathy has been described with this agent, although the overall incidence and relative risk remain unclear. We performed a meta-analysis to calculate the incidence of peripheral neuropathy associated with the use of intravenous bortezomib in MM and lymphoma and to compare the relative risk compared with placebo.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane databases, and meeting proceedings from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) for relevant clinical trials. Eligible studies included prospective phase 2 and 3 clinical trials with toxicity profile on peripheral neuropathy associated with intravenous bortezomib in patients with MM and lymphoma. Statistical analyses were done to calculate summary incidences, relative risks (RRs), and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs), employing fixed- or random-effects models depending on the heterogeneity of the included studies.

RESULTS

Altogether, 34 clinical trials were selected for the meta-analysis, yielding a total of 6492 patients. The incidence of peripheral neuropathy (all grades) was 33.9 % (95 % CI, 29.9-38.5 %) and that of high-grade events was 8.1 % (95 % CI, 6.9-9.4 %). The relative risks of bortezomib-induced peripheral neuropathy compared to placebo were increased for all-grade (RR = 4.89; 95 % CI, 2.52-9.51) and high-grade (RR = 4.53; 95 % CI, 2.04-10.07) peripheral neuropathy (for randomized controlled trials only). Our analysis was also stratified by different underlying diseases, and patients with lymphoma had an increased incidence of all-grade peripheral neuropathy than those with MM when treated with intravenous bortezomib.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment with intravenous bortezomib is associated with an increased risk of developing peripheral neuropathy.

Chemotherapy-free treatment in patients with follicular lymphoma

The outcome of patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) has improved over the last two decades through the introduction of anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies, usually used in combination with chemotherapy. However, patients with FL still experience multiple relapses, requiring several lines of treatment. Early toxicity of chemotherapy is a significant concern and as the life expectancy of patients with FL is increasing, late toxicities become an increasingly important concern. Progress made in understanding the biology of FL, especially dysregulation of intracellular pathways and immunological antitumor responses, recently allowed for the development of innovative chemo-free therapeutic approaches. In this report, different options such as new anti-CD20 antibodies, antibodies targeting other cell surface antigens, bi-specific antibodies, immunomodulation, idiotype vaccine and other targeted therapies are presented. The article also highlights how, although promising in early phase studies, the cost-effectiveness of new agents will have to be justified in Phase III trials. Furthermore, chemo-free regimen might not mean toxicity-free treatment and monitoring of early and late toxicities is required.

Bortezomib for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

INTRODUCTION

Bortezomib , the first proteasome inhibitor (PI) to be evaluated in humans, is approved in the USA and Europe for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma, and in the USA for patients with relapsed mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).

AREAS COVERED

This review examines the role of bortezomib in the therapy of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Bortezomib may be particularly effective against the NF-κB-dependent activated B-cell subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The combination of bortezomib with rituximab and dexamethasone represents a standard approach for the treatment of Waldenström's macroglobulinemia, and that with bendamustine and rituximab has demonstrated excellent efficacy in follicular lymphoma. Combinations with other novel agents, such as inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases or histone deacetylases, also hold substantial promise in NHL. Unmet needs in NHL, competitor compounds, chemistry, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and safety and tolerability of bortezomib are also discussed.

EXPERT OPINION

The success of bortezomib in MCL has validated the proteasome as a therapeutic target in NHL. Rational combinations, for example, with Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors or BH3-mimetics, may hold the key to optimizing the therapeutic potential of PIs in NHL. Future trials are likely to involve newer agents with improved pharmacodynamic (e.g., carfilzomib, marizomib) or pharmacokinetic (e.g., ixazomib, oprozomib) properties.

Trial watch: Monoclonal antibodies in cancer therapy

During the past 20 years, dozens-if not hundreds-of monoclonal antibodies have been developed and characterized for their capacity to mediate antineoplastic effects, either as they activate/enhance tumor-specific immune responses, either as they interrupt cancer cell-intrinsic signal transduction cascades, either as they specifically delivery toxins to malignant cells or as they block the tumor-stroma interaction. Such an intense research effort has lead to the approval by FDA of no less than 14 distinct molecules for use in humans affected by hematological or solid malignancies. In the inaugural issue of OncoImmunology, we briefly described the scientific rationale behind the use of monoclonal antibodies in cancer therapy and discussed recent, ongoing clinical studies investigating the safety and efficacy of this approach in patients. Here, we summarize the latest developments in this exciting area of clinical research, focusing on high impact studies that have been published during the last 15 months and clinical trials launched in the same period to investigate the therapeutic profile of promising, yet hitherto investigational, monoclonal antibodies.

Phase 1 dose-escalation study of IV ixazomib, an investigational proteasome inhibitor, in patients with relapsed/refractory lymphoma

Ixazomib is an investigational proteasome inhibitor that has shown preclinical activity in lymphoma models. This phase 1 study assessed the safety, tolerability, maximum tolerated dose (MTD), pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and preliminary activity of intravenous (IV) ixazomib in relapsed/refractory lymphoma patients who had received ⩾ 2 prior therapies. Thirty patients with a range of histologies received ixazomib 0.125-3.11 mg/m(2) on days 1, 8 and 15 of 28-day cycles. Patients received a median of two cycles (range 1-36). MTD was determined to be 2.34 mg/m(2). Most common drug-related adverse events (AEs) included fatigue (43%), diarrhea (33%), nausea, vomiting and thrombocytopenia (each 27%). Drug-related grade ⩾ 3 AEs included neutropenia (20%), thrombocytopenia (13%) and diarrhea (10%). Drug-related peripheral neuropathy occurred in four (13%) patients; no grade ⩾ 3 events were reported. Plasma exposure increased dose proportionally from 0.5-3.11 mg/m(2); terminal half-life was 4-12 days after multiple dosing. Of 26 evaluable patients, five achieved responses: 4/11 follicular lymphoma patients (one complete and three partial responses) and 1/4 peripheral T-cell lymphoma patients (partial response). Sustained responses were observed with ⩾ 32 cycles of treatment in two heavily pretreated follicular lymphoma patients. Results suggest weekly IV ixazomib is generally well tolerated and may be clinically active in relapsed/refractory lymphoma.

Comparative effectiveness research in follicular lymphoma: current and future perspectives and challenges

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is the most common indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in northern America. FL is an incurable disease with relapsing-remitting courses requiring serial intermittent treatments. Duration of remission will often become progressively shorter and most patients will die from refractory disease or transformation to aggressive lymphoma. Given the incurable nature of FL, current goals of treatment are focused on improving symptoms and survival by a variety of available treatment options, while considering potential adverse events. Although randomized controlled trials are universally perceived as the gold standard of clinical research, randomized controlled trials are not always practical and have several limitations. Therapeutic and diagnostic options of FLs are expanding faster than randomized controlled trials can test them, so employing comparative effectiveness research on other research designs are needed to efficiently improve global FL care. Implementing comparative effectiveness research with judicious use of appropriate research designs will hopefully fill current knowledge gaps and provide insights for FL managements.