Evens, Andrew M

Abstract Abstract 1618 Introduction: Primary breast lymphoma is a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), representing about 1% of breast tumors and 2% of extranodal NHL. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common primary subtype presenting in the breast. Due to the low incidence of primary breast DLBCL, outcome data is limited. The aim of this study was to retrospectively assess the natural history of primary breast DLBCL in the pre and post rituximab eras, with specific emphasis on the incidence of local, systemic and central nervous system (CNS) relapses. Methods: Data was retrospectively collected on patients with primary breast DLBCL from seven USA academic medical centers. Institutional review board approval was obtained at each participating site. Patients were identified through institutional databases and tumor registries at each site. Charts were reviewed to obtain demographic and clinical variables including treatment history and dates of relapse and death when applicable. Only patients with stage I/II disease (involvement of breast and localized lymph nodes) were included. All histologies apart from primary DLBCL were excluded. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from the diagnosis date to the date of death or last follow-up. Time to Progression (TTP) was calculated from diagnosis data until the date of pathological evidence of recurrence or death. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics, and survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Between 1984 and 2012, 75 patients were identified who met the eligibility criteria. The median age was 62 years (range 17–87); 81% presented with a palpable mass; 12% had their disease detected incidentally by mammography; 4% presented with B-symptoms; 59% had right breast involvement; 67% had stage I and 33% had stage II disease. The stage-adjusted international prognostic index (IPI) score was 0 in 28% of patients, 1 in 41%, 2, in 25%, 3 in 4% and 4 in 1%. 91% of patients were treated with chemotherapy; 31% of these were treated in the pre-rituximab era and 69% received rituximab. Radiation therapy (RT) was utilized in 68% of patients and was the only treatment modality in 8% of those receiving RT. 8% of patients received CNS prophylaxis with intrathecal chemotherapy. After a median follow-up of 4.5 years (range 0.6 – 20.6 years), the Kaplan-Meier estimated median TTP was 10.4 years (95% CI 6.2 – 14.6 years) and the median OS was 14.6 years (95% CI 6.5 – 22.6 years). The 5-year TTP and 5-year OS were 65% (95% CI 53–77%) and 75% (95% CI 64–86%) respectively. Among the patients who relapsed, 67% occurred within the first 2 years. A total of 7 relapses in the breast were observed, none in patients treated with combination of chemotherapy and RT. In univariate analysis, rituximab exposure was not associated with any difference in TTP or OS. The stage-adjusted IPI was associated with OS; the 5-year OS was 88% (95% CI 79–98%) in patients with a score of 0–1 versus 48% (95% CI 25–71%) in those with a score of 2–4 (log rank p < 0.001). The very limited-disease group with a stage-adjusted IPI of 0 had a 5-year OS of 94% (95% CI 83–100%) compared to all others who had a 5-year OS of 67% (95% CI 52–81%; log rank p = 0.001). There was no difference in TTP and OS in patients with solitary versus multiple breast masses or between patients with tumors less than versus more than 7cm. Patients receiving RT in addition to chemotherapy had a longer TTP than those who did not (log rank p = 0.03), but RT was not associated with an improved OS. Patients who relapsed and underwent stem cell transplant (SCT) had similar OS to those who never relapsed. Ten patients (13%) had CNS relapse (3 with leptomeningeal disease, 5 with brain parenchymal disease and 2 with both). All CNS relapses occurred within the first 2.8 years from the time of diagnosis. There was no difference in the rate of CNS relapse in the patients who received IT prophylaxis versus those who did not. Conclusions: In this multicenter study, the largest published to date, primary breast DLBCL appears to have a worse prognosis than early-stage DLBCL in nodal or other extranodal sites. RT was associated with improved TTP. Patients who relapsed were successfully salvaged with SCT, and had similar survival times to those who never relapsed. A high CNS relapse rate (∼1 in 8 patients, including parenchymal disease in 70%) was observed. The small numbers preclude definitive conclusions on the value of intrathecal prophylaxis or the utility of rituximab. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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.

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.

PURPOSE Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a B-cell lymphoma characterized by cyclin D1 expression. Autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT) consolidation after induction chemotherapy is often used for eligible patients; however, the benefit remains uncertain in the rituximab era. Herein we retrospectively assessed the impact of AHCT consolidation on survival in a large cohort of transplantation-eligible patients age 65 years or younger. PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively studied transplantation-eligible adults age 65 years or younger with newly diagnosed MCL treated between 2000 and 2015. The primary objective was to assess for improved progression-free survival (PFS) with AHCT consolidation and secondarily to assess for improved overall survival (OS). Cox multivariable regression analysis and propensity score–weighted (PSW) analysis were performed. RESULTS Data were collected from 25 medical centers for 1,254 patients; 1,029 met inclusion criteria. Median follow-up for the cohort was 76 months. Median PFS and OS were 62 and 139 months, respectively. On unadjusted analysis, AHCT was associated with improved PFS (75 v 44 months with v without AHCT, respectively; P < .01) and OS (147 v 115 months with v without AHCT, respectively; P < .05). On multivariable regression analysis, AHCT was associated with improved PFS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.54; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.66; P < .01) and a trend toward improved OS (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.59 to 1.01; P = .06). After PSW analysis, AHCT remained associated with improved PFS (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.59 to 0.84; P < .05) but not improved OS (HR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.69 to 1.1; P = .2). CONCLUSION In this large cohort of younger, transplantation-eligible patients with MCL, AHCT consolidation after induction was associated with significantly improved PFS but not OS after PSW analysis. Within the limitations of a retrospective analysis, our findings suggest that in younger, fit patients, AHCT consolidation may improve PFS.

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.

Summary Peripheral T‐cell lymphomas ( PTCL ) have suboptimal outcomes using conventional CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) chemotherapy. The anti‐folate pralatrexate, the first drug approved for patients with relapsed/refractory PTCL , provided a rationale to incorporate it into the front‐line setting. This phase 2 study evaluated a novel front‐line combination whereby cyclophosphamide, etoposide, vincristine and prednisone ( CEOP ) alternated with pralatrexate ( CEOP ‐P) in PTCL . Patients achieving a complete or partial remission ( CR / PR ) were eligible for consolidative stem cell transplantation ( SCT ) after 4 cycles. Thirty‐three stage II ‐ IV PTCL patients were treated: 21 PTCL ‐not otherwise specified (64%), 8 angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (24%) and 4 anaplastic large cell lymphoma (12%). The majority (61%) had stage IV disease and 46% were International Prognostic Index high/intermediate or high risk. Grade 3–4 toxicities included anaemia (27%), thrombocytopenia (12%), febrile neutropenia (18%), mucositis (18%), sepsis (15%), increased creatinine (12%) and liver transaminases (12%). Seventeen patients (52%) achieved a CR . The 2‐year progression‐free survival and overall survial, were 39% (95% confidence interval 21–57) and 60% (95% confidence interval 39–76), respectively. Fifteen patients (45%) (12 CR ) received SCT and all remained in CR at a median follow‐up of 21·5 months. CEOP ‐P did not improve outcomes compared to historical data using CHOP . Defining optimal front line therapy in PTCL continues to be a challenge and an unmet need.

SummaryPrimary breast diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a rare subtype of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) with limited data on pathology and outcome. A multicentre retrospective study was undertaken to determine prognostic factors and the incidence of central nervous system (CNS) relapses. Data was retrospectively collected on patients from 8 US academic centres. Only patients with stage I/II disease (involvement of breast and localized lymph nodes) were included. Histologies apart from primary DLBCL were excluded. Between 1992 and 2012, 76 patients met the eligibility criteria. Most patients (86%) received chemotherapy, and 69% received immunochemotherapy with rituximab; 65% received radiation therapy and 9% received prophylactic CNS chemotherapy. After a median follow‐up of 4·5 years (range 0·6–20·6 years), the Kaplan–Meier estimated median progression‐free survival was 10·4 years (95% confidence interval [CI] 5·8–14·9 years), and the median overall survival was 14·6 years (95% CI 10·2–19 years). Twelve patients (16%) had CNS relapse. A low stage‐modified International Prognostic Index (IPI) was associated with longer overall survival. Rituximab use was not associated with a survival advantage. Primary breast DLBCL has a high rate of CNS relapse. The stage‐modified IPI score is associated with survival.

Rituximab improves outcomes for persons with lymphoproliferative disorders and is increasingly used to treat immune-mediated illnesses. Recent reports describe 2 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and 1 with rheumatoid arthritis who developed progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) after rituximab treatment. We reviewed PML case descriptions among patients treated with rituximab from the Food and Drug Administration, the manufacturer, physicians, and a literature review from 1997 to 2008. Overall, 52 patients with lymphoproliferative disorders, 2 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, 1 patient with rheumatoid arthritis, 1 patient with an idiopathic autoimmune pancytopenia, and 1 patient with immune thrombocytopenia developed PML after treatment with rituximab and other agents. Other treatments included hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (7 patients), purine analogs (26 patients), or alkylating agents (39 patients). One patient with an autoimmune hemolytic anemia developed PML after treatment with corticosteroids and rituximab, and 1 patient with an autoimmune pancytopenia developed PML after treatment with corticosteroids, azathioprine, and rituximab. Median time from last rituximab dose to PML diagnosis was 5.5 months. Median time to death after PML diagnosis was 2.0 months. The case-fatality rate was 90%. Awareness is needed of the potential for PML among rituximab-treated persons.