Citations

Abstract Abstract 1379 Background: Although chemoimmunotherapy (CIT) has substantially improved response rates, treatment free survival, and overall survival in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), only 40–50% of patients achieve a complete remission and the majority have residual disease when evaluated using sensitive assays for minimal residual disease (MRD). While this observation created interest in consolidation therapy, previous alemtuzumab based consolidation trials have demonstrated excess morbidity/mortality. We conducted a lenalidomide based consolidation trial for patients with previously untreated CLL who received 6 cycles of induction with pentostatin, cyclophosphamide and rituximab (PCR). Methods: Eligible patients were previously untreated and had CLL in need of treatment according to the NCI-WG criteria (Blood 111:5446). Treatment schema consisted of 6 cycles of pentostatin (2 mg/m2), cyclophosphamide (600 mg/m2) and rituximab (375 mg/m2) given every 21 days (Blood 109:405). All patients completing 6 cycles of PCR, underwent complete restaging and evaluation for MRD using sensitive flow cytometry (Leukemia 21:956). Following restaging and adequate recovery of blood counts, patients received 6 mos of lenalidomide consolidation by continuous daily administration. The starting lenalidomide dose was 5 mg/day with escalation to 10 mg/day after the first cycle as tolerated. Patients again underwent complete restaging and MRD evaluation after 6 mos of lenalidomide. At the time of this restaging, MRD negative patients entered observation. Those with residual disease continued on lenalidomide and underwent repeat MRD assessment every 3 mos with cessation of lenalidomide when an MRD negative state achieved. Results: 45 patients were enrolled at Mayo Clinic between 3/2008 and 11/2009. 44 patients were eligible for treatment: 71% male, median age 65 (range: 44–78); intermediate Rai risk 61%; high Rai risk 39%. On prognostic testing 32% were CD38+, 52% Zap-70 +, 52% IGHV unmutated, and 16% had high risk FISH (del 17p13; del 11q22). 38 of 44 eligible patients (86%) completed 6 cycles of PCR induction. Adverse events deemed at least possibly related to PCR induction included 19 (43%) patients with grade 3+ hematologic toxicity and 9 (20%) with grade 3+ non-hematologic toxicity. The Overall response rate to induction was 98% with 15 CR/CRi, 3 CCR, 9 nPR, and 16 PR. Four patients with CR were also MRD negative at the completion of induction. Of 38 patients who completed induction, 34 initiated lenalidomide consolidation. Thus, by protocol intent to treat analysis, 34/44 (77%) patients starting CIT with PCR were able to receive consolidation therapy. The remaining patients were unable to initiate consolidation due to: failure to complete induction (6 patients), disease progression (1), adverse event (1) and patient refusal (2). Among the 34 patients who initiated consolidation, the median number of cycles of lenalidomide received was 5.5 (range: 1–19). Adverse events deemed at least possibly related to lenalidomide consolidation included 22 (65%) patients with grade 3+ hematologic toxicity and 4 (12%) with grade 3+ non-hematologic toxicity. Among the 34 patients who received at least 1 cycle of lenalidomide, 4 patients have improved the quality of their response to date with 11 patients still on lenalidomide at the time of this report. After median follow-up of 16 mos, 42/44 patients are alive and median duration of response has not been reached. To date 3/44 (7%) of patients have progressed to require additional treatment. Finally, since eligibility was nearly identical to our historic trial of PCR without lenalidomide consolidation, we compared the 44 patients in the present trial to the 64 patients previously treated on our PCR trial (Blood 109:405). Demographic and prognostic characteristics of the patients in the two studies were similar. With the caveat it represents comparison across phase II trials, the proportion of patients free of retreatment at 12 mos was 97% (95%CI: 91–100) for PCR-L vs. 78% (95%CI: 68–89) for PCR (Figure 1). Conclusion: We report here the first results of lenalidomide based consolidation for CLL patients receiving first-line CIT induction. Although lenalidomide consolidation appears to improve the quality of response and prolong time to retreatment, longer follow-up is necessary to determine the clinical benefit of this strategy. Disclosures: Shanafelt: Celgene: Research Funding; Hospira: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding. Off Label Use: Lenalidomide. Kay:Celgene: Research Funding; Hospira: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding.

Background:Despite advances in the treatment of lymphoma in recent years, unmet medical needs remain, particularly for patients with R/R disease and rarer subtypes of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). The alkylating deacetylase inhibitor tinostamustine (EDO‐S101) is a novel multi‐action therapy that is designed to improve drug access to DNA strands, and at the same time induce DNA damage and counteract its repair in cancer cells.Aims:Here we report findings from the dose‐escalation stage of a Phase I first‐in‐human study to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics, and to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended Phase II dose (RP2D), of tinostamustine in patients with R/R lymphoid malignancies (NCT02576496).Methods:Patients were recruited using a standard 3+3 design, with the first cohort receiving 20 mg/m2 tinostamustine administered iv over 60 minutes, with six ascending cohorts, to a maximum dose of 120 mg/m2. Dose‐limiting toxicities (DLT) were defined as: any Grade (G) 3 or 4 non‐haematological toxicity (excluding alopecia and easily correctable electrolyte abnormalities); nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea ≥10 days despite aggressive symptomatic treatment; G4 neutropenia or thrombocytopenia for ≥7 days; any G2 or more toxicity for >3 weeks; any toxicity resulting in a delay of the next dose administration (Cycle 2 Day 1 ≥14).Results:A total of 27 patients with lymphoid malignancies were enrolled into the study, 10 of these patients were diagnosed with R/R Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and 17 with NHL, including peripheral T‐cell lymphoma and diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma. The MTD of tinostamustine was determined to be 100 mg/m2; shorter infusion times were evaluated in three cohorts of patients, but the recommended infusion time was confirmed as 60 minutes. Safety findings for each dose cohort for HL and NHL patients were mainly haematological toxicities: G3/4 thrombocytopenia, neutropenia and leucopenia, with incidence increasing with increasing dose. One patient experienced a G3 allergic reaction. Signals of efficacy were observed among the 27 patients with lymphoma (overall response rate [ORR] 41% [11 patients]; clinical benefit rate [CBR] 67% [18 patients]). The best response, as determined by the Investigator, was complete response (CR; 3/27 patients [11%]), which was observed in one patient with HL and two with NHL; partial response (PR; 8/27 patients [30%]) and stable disease (SD; 7/27 patients [26%]) were also observed. Nine of the 27 patients (33%) had disease progression.Summary/Conclusion:Administration of tinostamustine on Day 1 of a 21‐day cycle was well tolerated with signals of efficacy in patients with both HL and NHL, including rare forms of NHL such as peripheral T‐cell lymphoma. The RP2D for tinostamustine in lymphoid malignancies, depending on patient platelet count at treatment initiation, was determined as 80 mg/m2 for those with >100 x 109/l platelets, and 100 mg/m2 for those with ≥200 x 109/l platelets. This will be applied in the second phase of this study, where patients will be recruited into one of five different cohorts.

Abstract During development of pancreatic cancer, alternatively activated macrophages contribute to fibrogenesis, pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) lesion growth, and generation of an immunosuppressive environment. Here, we show that the immunomodulatory agent pomalidomide depletes pancreatic lesion areas of alternatively activated macrophage populations. Pomalidomide treatment resulted in downregulation of interferon regulatory factor 4, a transcription factor for M2 macrophage polarization. Pomalidomide-induced absence of alternatively activated macrophages led to a decrease in fibrosis at PanIN lesions and in syngeneic tumors; this was due to generation of an inflammatory, immune-responsive environment with increased expression of IL1α and presence of activated (IFNγ-positive) CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell populations. Our results indicate that pomalidomide could be used to decrease fibrogenesis in pancreatic cancer and may be ideal as a combination treatment with chemotherapeutic drugs or other immunotherapies. Significance: These findings reveal new insights into how macrophage populations within the pancreatic cancer microenvironment can be modulated, providing the means to turn the microenvironment from immunosuppressive to immune-responsive.

To improve the outcome of relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a randomized phase II trial of three novel regimens was conducted. Ninety patients were enrolled and were in first relapse or were refractory to induction/re‐induction chemotherapy. They were randomized to the following regimens: carboplatin‐topotecan (CT), each by continuous infusion for 5 days; alvocidib (formerly flavopiridol), cytarabine, and mitoxantrone (FLAM) in a timed sequential regimen; or sirolimus combined with mitoxantrone, etoposide, and cytarabine (S‐MEC). The primary objective was attainment of a complete remission (CR). A Simon two‐stage design was used for each of the three arms. The median age of the patients in the FLAM arm was older at 62 years compared with 55 years for the CT arm and the S‐MEC arm. The overall response was 14% in the CT arm (5/35, 90% CI 7%‐35%), 28% in the FLAM arm (10/36, 90% CI, 16%‐43%), and 16% in the S‐MEC arm (3/19, 90% CI, 4%‐36%). There were nine treatment‐related deaths, seven of which occurred in the FLAM arm with four of these in elderly patients. We conclude that the FLAM regimen had an encouraging response rate and should be considered for further clinical development but should be used with caution in elderly patients.

AbstractThe combination of pomalidomide (POM) and dexamethasone (DEX) was evaluated for relapsed/refractory primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) and primary vitreoretinal lymphoma (PVRL) to determine the maximal tolerated dose (MTD) of POM as the primary objective, and overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and safety profile as secondary objectives. A cohorts-of-3 study design was used with a dose-escalation schedule consisting of POM (3, 5, 7, or 10 mg) orally daily for 21 days every 28 days and DEX 40 mg orally every week. After 2 cycles, POM was continued alone until disease progression, intolerance, or subject withdrawal. Following MTD determination, the MTD cohort was expanded. Twenty-five of 29 patients with the median of 3 prior treatments were eligible for assessment as per international PCNSL collaborative group criteria. The MTD of POM was 5 mg daily for 21 days every 28 days. Whole-study ORR was 48% (12 of 25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 27.8%, 68.7%) with 6 complete response (CR), 2 complete response, unconfirmed (CRu), and 4 partial response (PR). MTD cohort ORR was 50% (8 of 16; 95% CI, 24.7%, 75.4%) with 5 CR, 1 CRu, and 2 PR. Median PFS was 5.3 months (whole study) and 9 months (for responders). One patient had pseudoprogression. Grade 3/4 hematologic toxicities included neutropenia (21%), anemia (8%), and thrombocytopenia (8%). Grade 3/4 nonhematologic toxicities included lung infection (12%), sepsis (4%), fatigue (8%), syncope (4%), dyspnea (4%), hypoxia (4%), respiratory failure (8%), and rash (4%). POM/DEX treatment is feasible with significant therapeutic activity against relapsed/refractory PCNSL and PVRL. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01722305.

Phlegmonous gastritis is an uncommon acute bacterial infection of the stomach that carries a fatal prognosis in spite of the advent of antibiotics. A high index of suspicion is required in patients with risk factors. An immunocompromised state is identified as one of the most important risk factors. We hereby report a case of successful antimicrobial treatment of phlegmonous gastritis in a patient who was receiving intensive chemotherapy for acute myelogenous leukemia. We have also carried out a review of literature over the past ten years. Streptococcus pyogenes is identified as the most common causative organism, and patient presentation is usually nonspecific. Conservative treatment with prompt institution of antibiotics can lead to rapid resolution in the majority of patients.