Kahl, Brad S.

AbstractThe investigators present results on the long-term value and limitations of early interim positron emission tomography (PET) scanning in advanced Hodgkin lymphoma.

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.

PURPOSE Alliance/CALGB 50303 (NCT00118209), an intergroup, phase III study, compared dose-adjusted etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and rituximab (DA-EPOCH-R) with standard rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) as frontline therapy for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients received six cycles of DA-EPOCH-R or R-CHOP. The primary objective was progression-free survival (PFS); secondary clinical objectives included response rate, overall survival (OS), and safety. RESULTS Between 2005 and 2013, 524 patients were registered; 491 eligible patients were included in the final analysis. Most patients (74%) had stage III or IV disease; International Prognostic Index (IPI) risk groups included 26% IPI 0 to 1, 37% IPI 2, 25% IPI 3, and 12% IPI 4 to 5. At a median follow-up of 5 years, PFS was not statistically different between the arms (hazard ratio, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.68 to 1.27; P = .65), with a 2-year PFS rate of 78.9% (95% CI, 73.8% to 84.2%) for DA-EPOCH-R and 75.5% (95% CI, 70.2% to 81.1%) for R-CHOP. OS was not different (hazard ratio, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.75 to 1.59; P = .64), with a 2-year OS rate of 86.5% (95% CI, 82.3% to 91%) for DA-EPOCH-R and 85.7% (95% CI, 81.4% to 90.2%) for R-CHOP. Grade 3 and 4 adverse events were more common ( P < .001) in the DA-EPOCH-R arm than the R-CHOP arm, including infection (16.9% v 10.7%, respectively), febrile neutropenia (35.0% v 17.7%, respectively), mucositis (8.4% v 2.1%, respectively), and neuropathy (18.6% v 3.3%, respectively). Five treatment-related deaths (2.1%) occurred in each arm. CONCLUSION In the 50303 study population, the more intensive, infusional DA-EPOCH-R was more toxic and did not improve PFS or OS compared with R-CHOP. The more favorable results with R-CHOP compared with historical controls suggest a potential patient selection bias and may preclude generalizability of results to specific risk subgroups.

Abstract Serum soluble chemokines/cytokines produced by Hodgkin cells and the tumor microenvironment might be of value as biomarkers in classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). We assessed serum thymus and activation-related chemokine (TARC), macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and soluble CD163 (sCD163) levels at baseline, time of interim fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET), and after therapy in cHL patients treated on S0816, an intergroup phase 2 response-adapted study evaluating escalated therapy for interim PET (PET2)–positive patients (www.clinicaltrials.gov #NCT00822120). Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) status was assessed, and 559 serum samples were evaluated for TARC, MDC, IL-10, and sCD163 by immunoassay. EBV positivity correlated with higher sCD163 and IL-10 levels but lower TARC levels. While baseline biomarker levels were not associated with outcome, sCD163 levels at the time of PET2 were associated with favorable progression-free survival (PFS), adjusting for PET2 status. After therapy TARC, MDC, and IL-10 correlated with PFS and overall survival (OS) on univariable analysis, which remained significant adjusting for international prognostic score. When also adjusting for end-of-therapy PET results, TARC and IL-10 remained significantly associated with shorter PFS and OS. Exploratory analysis in PET2-negative patients showed that elevated posttherapy TARC and IL-10 levels were associated with PFS. Serum cytokine levels correlate with outcome in cHL and should be investigated further in risk-adapted cHL trials.

SummaryBendamustine (B) with rituximab (R) is a standard frontline treatment for medically fit follicular lymphoma (FL) patients. The safety and efficacy of maintenance rituximab (MR) after BR induction has not been formally compared to observation for FL, resulting in disparate practice patterns. Prospective trials have shown benefit of MR after R‐CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) or R‐CVP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone), yet recent data from the GALLIUM study comparing outcomes of patients treated with chemotherapy with R or obinutuzumab (G) showed higher than anticipated fatal adverse events with BR/BG. In order to assess the efficacy and tolerability of MR after BR, we retrospectively collected data on 640 newly diagnosed patients treated with FL. We found that patients who achieved partial remission (PR) after ≥4 cycles of BR had improved duration of response (DOR) with MR vs. no maintenance, whereas those in complete remission did not. These findings were confirmed in a validation cohort. In the entire study population, the known fatal adverse event rate after BR was 2·5% and did not significantly differ in those receiving MR versus no maintenance. [Correction added on 14 January 2019, after online publication: The preceding sentence has been corrected in this current version.] Within the limitations inherent to retrospective analysis, these data suggest that FL patients with a PR to BR experience prolongation of remission with MR with an acceptable safety profile.

7547 Background: E1412 statistical design is based on results of lenalidomide/RCHOP (R2CHOP) vs RCHOP in ABC-DLBCL as determined by NanoString gene expression profiling (GEP). Central pathology review (CPR) was conducted to confirm diagnosis and to ensure adequate tissue for GEP. Initially, CPR occurred after randomization and treatment initiation. Due to high ineligibility rate (IR), the protocol was amended to include real-time CPR to determine patient eligibility prior to study enrollment. We describe the revision and how it affected the IR. Methods: Pre-amendment, CPR was done retrospectively. Post-amendment, CPR was done prior to enrollment, in real time, on a submitted tissue block, H&E, and CD20 slides. Based on CPR, if a diagnosis of DLBCL was confirmed, and sufficient tissue remained for GEP, a patient was deemed eligible and the submitter was notified by fax. Protocol goal was notification within 2 working days (WD) of receipt of materials at the CPR site. Results: Pre-amendment, 219 patients were enrolled. Material was typically received at the CPR site 6-9 months after patient registration. The IR with CPR was 36% for all those enrolled, and 26% for patients with adequate tissue for GEP. Post-amendment, 218 patients were submitted for CPR: 145 (67%) were eligible; 73 (33%) were ineligible. Reasons for ineligibility included insufficient tissue (n=27) or a diagnosis other than de novo DLBCL (n=46). Notification of eligibility occurred in a median of 2 WD (Mean 2 WD; Range 1-5 WD). 90% were notified within the protocol goal of 2 WD. GEP for all enrolled was completed within 6 weeks of CPR. Conclusions: The success of this novel, real-time CPR serves as a model for the future of NCTN DLBCL trials. When CPR is performed rapidly prior to enrollment, study slots may more accurately reflect the target population and eliminate excess costs. In the precision medicine era, rapid collection of relevant pathology and biomarker data is essential to trial success. Study Coordinated by ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (Robert L. Comis, MD and Mitchell D. Schnall, MD, PhD, Group Co-Chairs), supported by NCI grant # CA180820, CA180794, CA180790, CA180799, CA180833.