Quon, Andrew

Abstract Purpose: We sought to improve upon frontline bendamustine/rituximab (BR) induction therapy followed by rituximab maintenance in untreated high-risk follicular lymphoma (FL). Patients and Methods: Patients were randomized to BR induction followed by 2-year rituximab maintenance (BR-R), BR with bortezomib and rituximab maintenance (BVR-R), or BR followed by lenalidomide (1 year) with rituximab maintenance (BR-LR). Dual primary objectives were complete remission (CR) rate and 1-year disease-free survival (DFS); 289 patients enrolled (NCT01216683). Results: For induction, 92%, 87%, and 86% of patients randomized to BR-R, BVR-R, or BR-LR received six cycles, respectively. CR rate with BR versus BVR induction was 62% versus 75%, respectively (P = 0.04). One-year DFS rates with BR-R versus BR-LR were 85% versus 67%, respectively (P = 0.0009). This was due to an imbalance in CR rates post-BR induction and discontinuation due to adverse events (AEs). The most common grade 3–4 AEs for BVR versus BR were neutropenia and sensory neuropathy (12% vs <1%); 83% of the latter occurred with intravenous bortezomib. The most common grade 3–4 AEs related to LR versus rituximab maintenance were neutropenia 66% versus 21%, respectively (P < 0.0001), and febrile neutropenia 10% versus 2%, respectively (P = 0.05). The overall treatment-related mortality was 1.4%. With 5-year median follow-up, 3-year PFS rates for BR-R, BVR-R, and BR-LR were 77%, 82%, and 76%, respectively (P = 0.36) with OS rates of 87%, 90%, and 84%, respectively (P = 0.79). For prognostication, CR rate and POD-24 were associated with survival. Conclusions: Altogether, neither bortezomib added to BR induction nor lenalidomide added to rituximab maintenance immediately post-BR induction is recommended in untreated FL.

Abstract Background: Positive interim PET scans have been associated with inferior outcomes in DLBCL treated with chemotherapy, alone or with rituximab. In the ECOG 3404 study for bulky and advanced DLBCL, PET scans at baseline and after 3 R-CHOP are centrally reviewed by a single reader; those with positive scans cross-over to R-ICE after 4 R-CHOP, whereas those with negative scans continue on R-CHOP. The primary endpoint of E3404 is progression-free survival. To determine the reproducibility of interim PET scan interpretation, we convened an expert panel. Methods: Three external nuclear medicine physicians visually scored baseline and interim PET scans independently and blinded to other clinical information or outcome. ECOG study criteria were binary (0,1) based on residual disease in initially involved sites with uptake greater than the liver. London criteria were on a scale of 0–5, where 4–5 was positive, based on increased uptake relative to the liver. Overall scores and agreement among experts were evaluated for both criteria, with application of the kappa statistic to correct for chance. Results: Using the ECOG criteria, external reviewers were in complete agreement in 68% of 38 interim scans and completely agreed with the central review in the same 68% cases. Agreement among the experts was 71% employing the London criteria in these cases. The range of PET+ interim scans by reviewer was 16.8% to 34.2% (p=NS) by both ECOG and London criteria. The kappa statistic for overall pairwise correlation between readers was 0.445 (0.396–0.533) using ECOG and 0.502 (0.396–0.630) using London criteria – indicating moderate consistency. Areas of disagreement often, but not exclusively, related to bone disease, the shape and focality of residual uptake, splenic disease, and rare scans without CT-fusion. Conclusions: These data show that visual criteria, either ECOG or London in this series, for interim PET results are moderately reproducible among individual nuclear medicine experts. Our finding of variability among experts indicates the need for caution in interpreting interim PET results in studies and in practice. Review of all E3404 cases is planned after accrual is completed (projected 12/08). Other ongoing studies evaluating interim PET after 1–3 cycles of therapy, the application of quantitative criteria, and consensus panels may provide further valuable information.

Abstract Background: Bortezomib has efficacy in follicular lymphoma (FL). Though generally well tolerated, it is associated with a few known toxicities, including neurotoxicity. As a chronically administered agent, it is important to investigate the tolerability of bortezomib over time as a single agent and in combination with chemotherapy. The current method of summarizing adverse events (AEs) -focusing on the maximum grade and reporting only grade 3 or higher incidences- fails to capture toxicity that evolves over time or chronic low grade AEs that may occur at significant expense to patients' quality of life. In this study, we applied the Toxicity over Time (ToxT) analytic approach (Thanarajasingam et al, Lancet Oncol 2016), which graphically and analytically depicts AEs longitudinally, to a randomized Phase 2 ECOG-ACRIN sponsored study, E2408, to characterize chronic toxicity of bortezomib (V) when added to standard bendamustine-rituximab (BR) induction in previously untreated high risk FL. Methods: In E2408, patients (pts) were randomized to one of 3 arms at a 1:2:2 ratio: A) BR x 6 followed by maintenance rituximab (MR) x 2 years (yrs) vs B) BVR x 6 (bortezomib 1.3 mg/m2 IV/SQ days 1, 4, 8, 11) then MR x 2 yrs vs C) BR x 6 then MR x 2 yrs + lenalidomide 20mg/day x 1 yr. Pts enrolled 1/2011-5/2015. This analysis focuses on the 6 cycles of induction only, with arms A and C combined. Six AEs of interests were selected, 4 symptomatic (subjective) AEs (peripheral sensory neuropathy (PSN), diarrhea, febrile neutropenia, fatigue); and 2 non-symptomatic (objective) AEs (neutropenia and thrombocytopenia). Treatment-related post baseline AEs of any grade were investigated by conventional maximum grade toxicity analysis (ToxC) and ToxT methods. The mean AE grades over cycles were analyzed by repeated measures models, time to grade 2 or higher (gr2+)AE were analyzed with time-to-event analysis; and AE profile over the entire course of the study was summarized by area under the curve (AUC) analyses. Comparisons were performed between treatment arms (BVR vs. BR). Results: All 280 randomized treated pts (187 on BR, 93 on BVR) were included in the analysis regardless of eligibility status; 87% (163/187 BR, 81/93 BVR) completed all 6 cycles. Analyzing the symptomatic AEs,ToxC indicates that the overall incidence of grade 3+ PSN was significantly higher in BVR (12%) than BR (1%) (p<.0001). Additional, ToxT captures the trajectory, demonstrating a rapid, rising incidence and worsening grade of PSN on BVR vs BR over 6 cycles in a steam plot of mean gr. by cycle (Fig 1a) and bar chart of incidence and grade per cycle (c1: 13% gr1 3% gr2, c6: 36% gr1 12% gr2 6% gr3 on BVR; c1: 3% gr1, c6: 10% gr1 1% gr2 on BR, Fig. 1b). Risk of developing gr2+ PSN was significantly higher in BVR than BR with 28% vs 0.5% by day 100 (HR=0.01, p<.0001, Fig. 1c). ToxC captures a higher incidence of grade 3+ diarrhea on BVR (7% vs. 1% , p=.01) while AUC from ToxT includes chronic lower grade diarrhea, that is substantial over time on BVR vs. BR (p<.0001), but is not cumulative. Furthermore, the risk of developing gr2+ diarrhea affecting drug tolerability is significantly higher on BVR than BR(13% vs 5% by day 100) (HR=0.3, p=.05). Febrile neutropenia appeared to be similar, and fatigue was marginally more severe under BVR (p=.06 by AUC). For objective AEs, ToxC reveals no significant difference in neutropenia or thrombocytopenia BVR vs BR (neutropenia gr 3+: 36% vs 31%, p=.4; thrombocytopenia gr3+: 10% vs. 5%, p=.12). However, ToxT illustrates that neutropenia is cumulative, worsening over repeated exposure to drug (c1: 2% gr1 5% gr2 5% gr 3+ , c6: 7% gr1 10% gr2 12% gr3+ both arms combined; p<.0001) on mean grade over time (Fig. 2a). In contrast, thrombocytopenia does not worsen with continued treatment (Fig 2b, p=.73). Conclusions: Compared with conventional toxicity analysis (ToxC), ToxT delineated important additional and clinically relevant depictions of both symptomatic and laboratory AEs over time for bortezomib added to BR in FL pts. In patients receiving BVR, close monitoring is suggested for PSN, diarrhea and neutropenia for reassessment of risks and benefits, symptom interventions and dose modification. Longitudinal toxicity analyses such as ToxT can guide AE interventions as well as patient and clinician education, and provide a more patient-centered toxicity assessment of chronically administered therapies for lymphoma. Disclosures Hong: Merck: Consultancy. Evens:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Acerta: Consultancy; Abbvie: Consultancy; Bayer: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy; Tesaro: Research Funding; Affimed: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pharmacyclics International DMC: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Advani:Kura: Research Funding; Roche/Genentech: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Participated in an advisory board, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bristol Myers Squibb: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Participated in an advisory board, Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Kyowa: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Participated in an advisory board; Bayer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Participated in an advisory board; Cell Medica: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Participated in an advisory board; Infinity: Research Funding; Gilead/Kite: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Participated in an advisory board; Janssen: Research Funding; Astra Zeneca: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Participated in an advisory board; Regeneron: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Participated in an advisory board, Research Funding; Forty Seven Inc.: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Millenium: Research Funding; Agensys: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Autolus: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Participated in an advisory board. Gascoyne:NanoString: Patents & Royalties: Named Inventor on a patent licensed to NanoString Technologies. Witzig:Celgene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Dueck:Bayer: Employment; Pfizer: Honoraria; Phytogine: Employment. Kahl:Genentech: Consultancy; Acerta: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy; Abbvie: Consultancy; Juno: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; CTI: Consultancy; AstraZeneca: Consultancy.

Abstract Background: There remains a critical need to identify untreated HR FL patients (pts) who are at increased risk of early progression and death with conventional treatment. Data examining baseline PET has been reported to be prognostic in FL, however, there remains a paucity of data analyzing this in the context of bendamustine/rituximab (BR) induction followed by maintenance rituximab (MR). We examined the prognostic impact of baseline PET metabolic imaging from the randomized BIONIC study for pts with untreated HR FL. Methods: The BIONIC study conducted by the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group enrolled untreated grade I/II or IIIa FL pts with HR disease defined as GELF high tumor burden and/or FLIPI score of 3-5. Pts were randomized to: a) standard BR induction x 6 followed by maintenance rituximab (MR) q 2 months x 2 years vs b) bortezomib + BR x 6 followed by MR q 2 months x 2 years vs c) BR x 6 followed by q 2 months MR x 2 years + lenalidomide given concurrently with the first year of MR. Survival analyses showed no significant differences in 4-year progression-free survival (PFS) or overall survival (OS) for any study arm (Evens AM et al, ASH 2017). All pts were thus pooled for the purpose of analyzing baseline PET imaging and other characteristics and for correlation with clinical outcomes. Kruskal-Wallis & Wilcoxon Rank Sum test were used to assess differences in distribution of: metabolic measurements (SUVmax and SUVmean of the dominant mass (i.e., the mass/lesion with the highest SUV uptake); metabolic tumor volume (MTV); and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) by categorical variables); induction treatment response; and end-of-induction (EOI) PET response vis-à-vis Deauville scoring (1-3 = negative). Cox proportional hazards regression was used to correlate these metabolic measurements with PFS & OS and multivariable analyses were conducted. An optimal cutoff threshold (grouping into 'High' or 'Low' categories) was used for the metabolic measurements that were significantly associated with PFS & OS. Results: Metabolic data were received and measurements were analyzed centrally on 182 (71%) of 257 eligible pts. The EOI overall response rate (ORR) for all pts on study was 92% with a complete remission (CR) rate of 73%. Additionally, 12% of pts experienced early progression of disease (POD) within 2 years. SUVmax was borderline for association with PFS (P=0.06) and MTV and TLG were not associated with PFS or OS. We demonstrated a statistically significant linear relationship between continuous SUVmean score with PFS and OS, and thereafter, used the minimum p-vlaue approach to determine the optimal cutoff threshold of 7.03 to group pts into 'High' and 'Low' risk groups; with this threshold, baseline SUVmean of the dominant mass was categorized as high risk in 27% pts. The 4-year PFS rates for SUVmean low vs high groups were 80% (95% CI 72, 90%) vs 55% (40, 74%), respectively, P<0.001; and the corresponding 4-year OS rates were 93% (89, 98)% vs 80% (95% CI 69, 93%), respectively, P=0.01 (see Fig. 1). Sensitivity analyses showed no differences in baseline SUVmean by study arm, GELF or FLIPI. The only clinical characteristic that varied among patients with low vs high baseline SUVmean was Black race (0.8 vs 8.0%, respectively, Chi-square P=0.08); there were no other differences based on age, sex, stage, FLIPI, GELF status, ECOG PS, LDH, or # of extranodal sites. In addition, baseline SUVmean correlated with EOI PET (negative EOI PET with baseline SUVmean Low vs High: 81% vs 62%, respectively, P=0.03). In multivariable analyses, both baseline SUVmean and EOI PET remained significant (SUVmean: PFS HR 2.62 (95% CI 1.40-4.92), P=0.001, OS HR 2.37 (95% CI 1.01-5.56), P=0.02; EOI PET PFS HR 4.70 (95% CI 2.74-9.54), P<0.001, OS HR 2.78 (95% CI 1.18-6.56), P=0.01). Finally, baseline SUVmean was also strongly predictive of FL pts who experienced early 2-year POD (Chi-square P<0.001). Conclusions: High baseline SUVmean of the dominant mass was a strong independent prognostic factor for survival for untreated HR FL pts treated with BR-based induction with rituximab maintenance and significance was independent of FLIP or GELF criteria. Collectively, this represents a novel and simple method to identify FL pts at increased risk of early POD and poor survival with standard therapy. Continued investigation of combined PET imaging analyses and other correlative studies to enrich prognostication are warranted. Disclosures Hong: Merck: Consultancy. Advani:Bristol Myers Squibb: Other: Consultancy/Advisory role and Institutional Research Support; Kyowa: Other: Consulting/Advisory Role; Infinity: Other: Institutional Research Support; Pharmacyclics: Other: Institutional Research Support; Seattle Genetics: Other: Consultancy/Advisory role, Institutional Research Support; Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Other: Institutional Research Support; Millenium: Other: Institutional Research Support; Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals: Other: Consultancy/Advisory Role; Autolus: Other: Consultancy/Advisory Role; Takeda: Other: Consultancy/Advisory Role; Celgene: Other: Institutional Research Support; Roche/Genentech: Other: Consultancy/Advisory Role, Institutional Research Support; AstraZeneca: Other: Consultancy/Advisory Role; Cell Medica: Other: Consultancy/Advisory Role; Gilead/Kite: Other: Consultancy/Advisory Role; Agensys: Other: Institutional Research Support; Kura: Other: Institutional Research Support; Forty Seven, Inc: Other: Institutional Research Support; Merck: Other: Institutional Research Support; Janssen Pharmaceutical: Other: Institutional Research Support. Gascoyne:NanoString: Patents & Royalties: Named Inventor on a patent licensed to NanoString Technologies. Witzig:Celgene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Kahl:Acerta: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Abbvie: Consultancy; Juno: Consultancy; CTI: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy; Genentech: Consultancy; AstraZeneca: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy. Evens:Affimed: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy; Acerta: Consultancy; Bayer: Consultancy; Tesaro: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics International DMC: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Abbvie: Consultancy.

Abstract Abstract 687 Background: A persistently positive PET scan after just a few cycles of therapy is predictive of a poor clinical outcome in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Prior data suggested that about one third of patients remain PET positive after 2–4 cycles, with ≤ 20% 2 year progression-free survival (PFS) for such patients. A response-adapted strategy was studied in E3404 to test the hypothesis that an early treatment change to four cycles of R-ICE might reduce the treatment failure rate of patients whose PET scan remained positive after an initial 3 cycles of R-CHOP. Study Design: Previously untreated patients with DLBCL stage III, IV, or bulky II, with measurable disease, HIV negative, and with adequate organ reserve, were eligible. PET/CT scan was performed before treatment and again after 3 cycles of R-CHOP. A fourth cycle of R-CHOP was given while the scan was centrally reviewed and scored as either positive or negative for FDG-avid tumor by a single reviewer using criteria based on modifications of the Harmonization Criteria. Persistently PET-positive patients received 4 cycles of R-ICE, while PET-negative patients received 2 more cycles of R-CHOP, for a total of 6 cycles. PET/CT was performed again at the end of treatment. A ≥45% 2 year PFS for mid-treatment PET- positive patients was viewed as a promising result, with 88% power if 33 such patients were accrued. Total accrual of 99 patients was therefore planned. Results: Of 100 patients accrued, 78 were eligible; all but 1 ineligibility was based on central pathology review. Fifty-eight were male; median age was 62 years (20–74); 13% IPI 0–1, 31% IPI 2, 37% IPI 3, and 19% IPI 4–5. Seventy-four of 78 (95%) patients completed the first 3 cycles of R-CHOP. Of 72 patients continuing treatment, 67 (93%) completed protocol treatment: 83% of mid-treatment PET-positive and 93% of PET-negative patients. Of 74 patients undergoing mid-treatment PET scan, 12 (16%) were scored as positive, and 62 (84%) as negative. At the end of treatment, 13% were scored as positive, and 87% as negative. Two-year PFS, from the time of study entry, was 72% among all eligible patients. Two year PFS from the time of mid-treatment PET scan was 45% (90% CI, 21–67%) for patients scored as mid-treatment PET-positive, and 77% (90% CI 67–85%) for patients scored as mid-treatment PET-negative. The 80% confidence interval (corresponding to a test with a one-sided type I error of 10%) did not include the null hypothesis of 25%, implying that the results met the pre-specified threshold. Among all 78 eligible patients, 10 have died (13%); 5-year overall survival was 87% (90% CI 78–92%) Three-year overall survival was 67% (90% CI 40–84%) for mid-treatment PET-positive patients, and 93% (90% CI 85–97%) for mid-treatment PET-negative patients. Conclusions: The 2-year PFS for mid-treatment PET-positive patients met the threshold to be considered promising, but the confidence interval was wider than expected due to the small patient number. In addition, the inter-observer variability in the interpretation of mid-treatment PET scans as a binary variable in this study (studied and reported separately in Horning SJ et al. Blood 2010) implies that treatment modification based on early PET scanning should remain confined to clinical trials. Disclosures: Swinnen: Celgene: Consultancy; Genentech: Research Funding. Quon:Genentech: Research Funding. Advani:Pharmacyclics: Research Funding. Kahl:Roche/Genentech: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Cell Therapeutics: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy; GSK: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy. Horning:Genentech: Employment; Roche: stock, stock Other.

6511 Background: Conventional adverse event (AE) analysis (ToxC) focuses on incidence of grade (gr) 3+ toxicities, and fails to capture AE time profile. Novel metrics that reflect chronic low gr and overall AE burden are needed. We applied the Toxicity over Time (ToxT) approach to ECOG-ACRIN 2408 to depict time-dependent toxicity of lenalidomide (L) with rituximab maintenance (MR) in follicular lymphoma (FL), and we developed a novel summary metric of symptomatic AE burden, the maximum gr over time (MGOT). Methods: In E2408, high risk FL patients (pts) were randomized (1:2:2) to: A) bendamustine-rituxumab (BR) x 6 then MR x 2 years (yrs) vs B) BR-bortezomib x 6 then MR x 2 yrs vs C) BR x 6 then MR x 2 yrs + L x 1 yr (MRL). Analysis included 3 laboratory and 5 symptomatic AEs of highest incidence during maintenance on arms A and C. Treatment-related AEs of any gr were analyzed by ToxC and ToxT. Repeated measures, time-to-event (TTE) and area under the curve (AUC) analyses capture trends over time in ToxT. MGOT combines the 5 symptomatic AEs. Results: 104 randomized pts (30 MR, 74 MRL) were included. For the laboratory AEs, by ToxC, neutropenia incidence was significantly higher in MRL (84%) than MR (47%, p < .001). ToxT additionally shows neutropenia does not worsen over time (10/14/20% gr 1/2/3+ at c1, 6/21/12% gr 1/2/3+ at c12). For the symptomatic AEs, ToxC indicates 2% gr 3+ GI AEs. However, gr 1-2 GI AEs are more common on MRL (59%) than MR (26%, p < .001). ToxT AUC captures a higher burden of GI AEs over time on MRL(2.8) vs MR(1.4, p = .002). TTE depicts sooner GI AE onset in MRL (10% vs 0% gr 2+ GI by day 50, p = 0.03). Bar charts of incidence and grade by cycle illustrate this improves over time (34/7/4% gr 1/2/3+ at c1, 13/0/0% gr 1/2/3+ at c12). ToxT MGOT analyses demonstrate earlier time to gr 2+ symptomatic AE on MRL vs MR (63% vs 31% by day 50, p < .001) and suggest that overall AE burden over time is higher for patients on MRL(AUC 18.2) than MR(11.8, p < .001). Conclusions: ToxT depicts AE time profile and can guide AE interventions. Summary metrics suggest that symptomatic AEs occur earlier and their burden over time is higher on MRL. We are implementing ToxT in patient-reported AE data to better characterize pt tolerability.

Summary A persistently positive positron emission tomography ( PET ) scan during therapy for diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma ( DLBCL ) is predictive of treatment failure. A response‐adapted strategy consisting of an early treatment change to four cycles of R‐ ICE (rituximab, ifosfamide, carboplatin, etoposide) was studied in the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group E3404 trial. Previously untreated patients with DLBCL stage III, IV, or bulky II, were eligible. PET scan was performed after three cycles of R‐ CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) and scored as positive or negative by central review during the fourth cycle. PET ‐positive patients received four cycles of R‐ ICE , PET ‐negative patients received two more cycles of R‐ CHOP . A ≥45% 2‐year progression‐free survival ( PFS ) for mid‐treatment PET ‐positive patients was viewed as promising. Of 74 patients, 16% were PET positive, 79% negative. The PET positivity rate was much lower than the 33% expected. Two‐year PFS was 70%; 42% [90% confidence interval (CI), 19–63%] for PET ‐positives and 76% (90% CI 65–84%) for PET ‐negatives. Three‐year overall survival ( OS ) was 69% (90% CI 43–85%) and 93% (90% CI 86–97%) for PET ‐positive and ‐negative cases, respectively. The 2‐year PFS for mid‐treatment PET ‐positive patients intensified to R‐ ICE was 42%, with a wide confidence interval due to the low proportion of positive mid‐treatment PET scans. Treatment modification based on early PET scanning should remain confined to clinical trials.

Abstract Positive interim positron emission tomography (PET) scans are thought to be associated with inferior outcomes in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. In the E3404 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma study, PET scans at baseline and after 3 cycles of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone were centrally reviewed by a single reader. To determine the reproducibility of interim PET interpretation, an expert panel of 3 external nuclear medicine physicians visually scored baseline and interim PET scans independently and were blinded to clinical information. The binary Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) study criteria were based on modifications of the Harmonization Criteria; the London criteria were also applied. Of 38 interim scans, agreement was complete in 68% and 71% by ECOG and London criteria, respectively. The range of PET+ interim scans was 16% to 34% (P = not significant) by reviewer. Moderate consistency of reviews was observed: κ statistic = 0.445 using ECOG criteria, and κ statistic = 0.502 using London criteria. These data, showing only moderate reproducibility among nuclear medicine experts, indicate the need to standardize PET interpretation in research and practice. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00274924.