High Risk Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma: A Comparison of Aggressive Subtypes Treated with Dose Adjusted Chemotherapy-the University of Texas MD Anderson Experience

• Published in: Blood 2016-12, Vol.128 (22), p.106-106
• Main Authors: Sathyanarayanan, Vishwanath, Oki, Yasuhiro, Issa, Amir K, Ahmed, Mohamed Amin, Noorani, Mansoor, Fanale, Michelle A, Hagemeister, Fredrick B., Neelapu, Sattva S., Nastoupil, Loretta J., Fowler, Nathan, Turturro, Francesco, Davis, Eric Richard, Rodriguez, Alma, Wang, Michael, Feng, Lei, Young, Ken H., McDonnell, Timothy J., Pinnix, Chelsea C, Fayad, Luis E., Westin, Jason R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0006-4971; 1528-0020
• DOI: 10.1182/blood.V128.22.106.106

Background: Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of non Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).Nearly 50% of high-risk DLBCL patients are not cured with standard rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (RCHOP). High risk DLBCL may be defined as double hit lymphoma (DHL, translocation of MYC and BCL2 or BCL6), double expressor lymphoma (DEL, over expression of MYC and BCL2), high risk international prognostic index (IPI) of 3-5, high Ki-67, and non-germinal center subtype (non-GCB). The majority of DHL cases occur in the GCB subtype, as opposed to the majority of DEL cases which occur in non-GCB. Hence we sought to compare different high risk subsets treated with dose-adjusted etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone and rituximab (DA) EPOCH-R. In single arm phase II clinical trials, dose adjusted (DA) EPOCH-R has shown promising results, with potential greater efficacy in the GCB subtype in subset analyses (Wilson et al, Hematologica 2012). A randomized phase III study comparing RCHOP with (DA) EPOCH-R in newly diagnosed DLBCL has completed accrual, with highly anticipated results due in late 2016. Methods: We conducted a retrospective reviewof all consecutive, newly diagnosed DLBCL patients treated with (DA) EPOCH-R at MD Anderson Cancer Center from 2010 to 2014. Eligible patients were 18 years or greater, had high-risk DLBCL as determined by the treating physician, and had available data of treatment and response. The cell of origin subtype was determined by immunohistochemistry using Hans algorithm, and MYC and BCL2 positivity were defined as BCL2 positive in at least 70% and MYC positive in at least 40% of cells. DHL was defined as rearrangement of MYC and BCL2 or BCL6 by fluorescent in situ hybridization. The objectives were to analyze demographic, prognostic, and treatment variables in comparison with clinical response and survival outcomes in three sub groups which included 1. DHL (GCB) 2. DLBCL without MYC and BCL2 expression (GCB), and 3. DEL (GCB and non GCB). Complete response (CR), overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) were calculated using standard methods. Statistical analysis was done using Fishers exact test or Chi-square test / Kruskal-Wallis test. Kaplan-Meier method was used for time-to-event analysis including overall survival and progression free survival. The Log-rank test was used to evaluate the difference in time-to-event endpoints between patient gr