Ifosfamide, mitoxantrone and etoposide (VIM) as salvage therapy of low toxicity in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Incidence and risk factors for central nervous system occurrence in elderly patients with diffuse large-B-cell lymphoma: influence of rituximab

BACKGROUND

The incidence of secondary central nervous system (CNS) occurrences in diffuse large-B-cell lymphoma is not sufficiently high to warrant the use of CNS prophylaxis in all patients. The addition of rituximab increases the complete response rate and prolongs event-free and overall survival in elderly patients with such lymphoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We analyzed a cohort of 399 elderly patients with lymphoma prospectively treated with eight cycles of CHOP with or without rituximab in order to assess if rituximab decreases the risk of CNS localization. Prophylaxis of CNS disease was not part of the treatment protocol.

RESULTS

We observed 20 CNS occurrences: 12 on therapy, four after partial remission and four following complete remission. In three patients, the CNS was the only site of relapse. In a multivariate analysis, increased age-adjusted International Prognostic Index (IPI) was the only independent predictive factor of CNS recurrence. Only three of 20 patients are alive with a follow-up of 24 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Rituximab did not influence the risk of CNS occurrence, possibly because of low rituximab diffusion. Direct intrathecal administration of rituximab could overcome this problem. We also confirmed that CNS occurrence is related to IPI as well as very poor prognosis of relapses occurring on therapy.

Ibritumomab tiuxetan radioimmunotherapy for patients with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma and mild thrombocytopenia: a phase II multicenter trial

Mildly thrombocytopenic patients with relapsed or refractory low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) have an increased risk of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression following treatment. The safety and efficacy of radioimmunotherapy with a reduced dose of (90)Y ibritumomab tiuxetan (0.3 mCi/kg [11 MBq/kg]; maximum 32 mCi [1.2 GBq]) was evaluated in 30 patients with mild thrombocytopenia (100-149 x 10(9) platelets/L) who had advanced, relapsed or refractory, low-grade, follicular, or transformed B-cell NHL. The ibritumomab tiuxetan regimen included an infusion of rituximab (250 mg/m(2)) and injection of (111)In ibritumomab tiuxetan (5 mCi [185 MBq]) for dosimetry evaluation, followed 1 week later with rituximab (250 mg/m(2)) and (90)Y ibritumomab tiuxetan (0.3 mCi/kg [11 MBq/kg]). Patients (median age, 61 years; 90% stage III/IV at study entry; 83% follicular lymphoma; and 67% with bone marrow involvement) had a median of 2 prior therapy regimens (range, 1-9). Estimated radiation-absorbed doses were well below the study-defined maximum allowable for all 30 patients. With the use of the International Workshop criteria for NHL response assessment, the overall response rate was 83% (37% complete response, 6.7% complete response unconfirmed, and 40% partial response). Kaplan-Meier estimated median time to progression (TTP) was 9.4 months (range, 1.7-24.6). In responders, Kaplan-Meier estimated median TTP was 12.6 months (range, 4.9-24.6), with 35% of data censored. Toxicity was primarily hematologic, transient, and reversible. The incidence of grade 4 neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and anemia was 33%, 13%, and 3%, respectively. Reduced-dose ibritumomab tiuxetan is safe and well tolerated and has significant clinical activity in this patient population.

DIZE (dexamethasone, idarubicin, and continuous infusion of ifosfamide and etoposide): an effective and well-tolerated new regimen for patients with relapsed lymphoma

We performed a phase II study of dexamethasone, ifosfamide, idarubicin and etoposide (DIZE) in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's (HL) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The regimen consisted of dexamethasone (20 mg i.v. days 1-4), idarubicin (8 mg/m2 i.v. days 1+2), continuous infusion (c.i.) of ifosfamide (1,000 mg/m2 days 1-4), and c.i. etoposide (60 mg/m2 days 1-4). G-CSF (5 microg/kg) was used to support neutrophil recovery from day 5. In older patients (> 60 years) the dosage of idarubicin and ifosfamide was reduced to 75% in the initial cycle. Fourty six patients (pts) were treated with a total of 131 cycles. Sixteen pts were primary resistant and 30 were relapsed. Median age was 54.3 years (range 22-75). The median number of different prior chemotherapies was 1.7 (range 1 to 5). 31/46 (67.4%) pts had advanced disease (stage III or IV); 19/46 had B symptoms. Of 43 evaluable pts the response rate was 58.1% including 11 complete remissions (CR) and 14 partial remissions (PR). Mean duration of response was 8 months (1-30+). DIZE was more effective in relapsed than in refractory high-grade NHL (74 % vs 16.6%; p < 0.001). Of four heavily pretreated pts with HL, one obtained CR and two PR (response rate 75%). Myelosuppression was generally moderate with a mean duration of leukocytopenia < 1,000/microl of 2.5 days (range 0-18) and of thrombocytopenia < 25,000/microl 1.5 days (range 0-17). One patient died of uncontrollable infection in treatment related neutropenia. No other serious toxicities apart from alopecia were observed. We conclude that DIZE is safe and effective in heavily pretreated pts with relapsed lymphoma. The continuous infusion of cytostatic drugs such as that used in the new DIZE protocol might reduce hematotoxicity.