The role of Pi3K inhibitors in lymphoma is diminishing due to the adverse results from trials in indolent lymphoma, but is a one‐size‐fits‐all approach to drug development penalising some lymphoma ...subtypes and the newer generation of Pi3K inhibitors? The report by Soumerai et al. of zandelisib with zanubrutinib in follicular and mantle cell lymphoma is an important addition to the data.
Commentary on: Soumerai et al. Safety and efficacy of zandelisib plus zanubrutinib in previously treated follicular and mantle cell lymphomas. Br J Haematol 2024;204:1762‐1770.
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), the most common lymphoma subtype, is localized in 25% to 30% of patients. Prognosis in patients with limited-stage DLBCL (LS-DLBCL) is excellent with 10-year ...overall survival of at least 70% to 80%. Improved insights into the disease biology, the availability of positron-emission tomography (PET) scans, and recent dedicated clinical trials within this unique population have led to evolving treatment paradigms. However, no standard definition of LS-DLBCL exists, and although generally defined as Ann Arbor stages I to II disease with largest mass size <10 cm in diameter, variations across studies cause challenges in interpretation. Similar to advanced-stage disease, rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (R-CHOP) immunochemotherapy forms the basis of treatment, with combined modality therapy including 3 cycles of systemic treatment and involved-site radiation therapy being a predominant historical standard. Yet the well-described continuous risk of relapse beyond 5 years and established late complications of radiotherapy have challenged previous strategies. More rigorous baseline staging and response assessment with PET may improve decision making. Recent clinical studies have focused on minimizing toxicities while maximizing disease outcomes using strategies such as abbreviated immunochemotherapy alone and PET-adapted radiotherapy delivery. This comprehensive review provides an update of recent literature with recommendations for integration into clinical practice for LS-DLBCL patients.
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Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common lymphoma and a heterogeneous B-cell disease. The majority of patients with newly diagnosed disease are cured with first-line combination ...immunochemotherapy treatment however, those who experience treatment failure have dismal outcomes. Antibody therapies and immunotherapy have provided the single most major advance in the treatment of DLBCL in the last 4 decades. Rituximab, the first immunotherapy, and a monoclonal antibody targeting CD20, improved DLBCL overall survival when added to chemotherapy 2 decades ago. Since then, the advent of further "naked" monoclonal antibodies that target malignant B-cells or stimulate the immune system to kill cancer, as well as antibody-drug conjugates and bispecific antibodies have all entered the DLBCL armamentarium; with 5 antibody therapy approvals in the last 6 years alone. Here we review the literature on antibodies and immunotherapies for DLBCL and the future directions involving this successful group of drugs.
Summary Background Dose intensification with a combination of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (CHOP) every 2 weeks improves outcomes in patients older than 60 years with ...diffuse large B-cell lymphoma compared with CHOP every 3 weeks. We investigated whether this survival benefit from dose intensification persists in the presence of rituximab (R-CHOP) in all age groups. Methods Patients (aged ≥18 years) with previously untreated bulky stage IA to stage IV diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in 119 centres in the UK were randomly assigned centrally in a one-to-one ratio, using minimisation, to receive six cycles of R-CHOP every 14 days plus two cycles of rituximab (R-CHOP-14) or eight cycles of R-CHOP every 21 days (R-CHOP-21). R-CHOP-21 was intravenous cyclophosphamide 750 mg/m2 , doxorubicin 50 mg/m2 , vincristine 1·4 mg/m2 (maximum dose 2 mg), and rituximab 375 mg/m2 on day 1, and oral prednisolone 40 mg/m2 on days 1–5, administered every 21 days for a total of eight cycles. R-CHOP-14 was intravenous cyclophosphamide 750 mg/m2 , doxorubicin 50 mg/m2 , vincristine 2 mg, rituximab 375 mg/m2 on day 1, and oral prednisolone 100 mg on days 1–5, administered every 14 days for six cycles, followed by two further infusions of rituximab 375 mg/m2 on day 1 every 14 days. The trial was not masked. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS). This study is registered, number ISCRTN 16017947. Findings 1080 patients were assigned to R-CHOP-21 (n=540) and R-CHOP-14 (n=540). With a median follow-up of 46 months (IQR 35–57), 2-year OS was 82·7% (79·5–85·9) in the R-CHOP-14 group and 80·8% (77·5–84·2) in the R-CHOP-21 (standard) group (hazard ratio 0·90, 95% CI 0·70–1·15; p=0·3763). No significant improvement was noted in 2-year progression-free survival (R-CHOP-14 75·4%, 71·8–79·1, and R-CHOP-21 74·8%, 71·0–78·4; 0·94, 0·76–1·17; p=0·5907). High international prognostic index, poor-prognosis molecular characteristics, and cell of origin were not predictive for benefit from either schedule. Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia was higher in the R-CHOP-21 group (318 60% of 534 vs 167 31% of 534), with no prophylactic use of recombinant human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor mandated in this group, whereas grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia was higher with R-CHOP-14 (50 9% vs 28 5%); other frequent grade 3 or 4 adverse events were febrile neutropenia (58 11% vs 28 5%) and infection (125 23% vs 96 18%). Frequencies of non-haematological adverse events were similar in the R-CHOP-21 and R-CHOP-14 groups. Interpretation R-CHOP-14 is not superior to R-CHOP-21 chemotherapy for previously untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma; therefore, R-CHOP-21 remains the standard first-line treatment in patients with this haematological malignancy. No molecular or clinical subgroup benefited from dose intensification in this study. Funding Chugai Pharmaceutical, Cancer Research UK, National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centres scheme at both University College London and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, and Institute of Cancer Research.
Summary Cancers can evade the host immune system by inducing upregulation of immune inhibitory signals. Anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibodies block these inhibitory signals ...allowing the host to mount an immune response against malignant cells. This class of drugs is active in solid tumours, where upregulation of cell-surface PD-1 ligand proteins is nearly uniform. Because lymphoma is a malignancy of immune system cells, the role of the PD-1 pathway in these neoplasms is more complex. However, early clinical trials using PD-1 inhibitors have shown significant clinical activity in various subtypes of relapsed lymphoma. In this Review, we assess the scientific literature on the role of the PD-1 pathway in lymphoma, the relevant clinical data for PD-1 inhibition, and future strategies for this next generation of anticancer agents.
Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) is a critical terminal enzyme in the B-cell antigen receptor (BCR) pathway. BTK activation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of certain B-cell malignancies. ...Targeting this pathway has emerged as a novel target in B-cell malignancies, of which ibrutinib is the first-in-class agent. A few other BTK inhibitors (BTKi) are also under development (e.g., acalabrutinib). While the predominant action of BTKi is the blockade of B-cell receptor pathway within malignant B-cells, increasing the knowledge of off-target effects as well as a potential role for B-cells in proliferation of solid malignancies is expanding the indication of BTKi into non-hematological malignancies. In addition to the expansion of the role of BTKi monotherapy, combination therapy strategies utilizing ibrutinib with established regimens and combination with modern immunotherapy compounds are being explored.
Whereas 79% (range 50–100%) of articles included at least one male author, only 45% (7–78%) included at least one female author. 55% of the analysed articles were written exclusively by men, whereas ...21% were all-women. ...only 12% of review articles, arguably the most authoritative articles and where editorial preferences exert strong influence, were written exclusively by women compared with 42% all-men authorship. In one journal, a single female author (of a review) was included over the 5-year study period (among 30 total authors). WiL remain committed to reporting the data and supporting evidence-based strategies to reduce unconscious bias and achieve gender parity in all aspects of academia.6 Evidence-based approaches that can change these outcomes include: recognising that implicit (and explicit) attitudes and beliefs can decrease bias over time, developing role-based transparent policies and selection processes, and tracking inclusion data for editorial positions and all assignments of published articles.7–9 We appreciate the attention of editorial boards to this important issue and are committed to working collaboratively towards gender equity in the near future.
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