Category: Clinical Trials

ASCO Update:Bendamustine plus rituximab beats CHOP plus rituximab as first-line treatment for indolent and mantle cell lymphoma

By Peter Martin, MD

At the plenary session of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) on Sunday, June 3, Dr. Mattias Rummel from Germany presented updated results from a phase 3 trial initially presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) in 2009. The study compared bendamustine plus rituximab (BR) to CHOP chemotherapy plus rituximab (R-CHOP) in over 500 patients with indolent and mantle cell lymphoma.

Now with a median follow-up period of 45 months, the updated data were consistent with the previously reported findings. Bendamustine plus rituximab (BR) was better tolerated than R-CHOP, with significantly less neutropenia, fewer infections, and no alopecia (hair loss), and was also more effective, reducing the risk of progression roughly two-fold.

Importantly, there was no difference in the rate of transformation to aggressive lymphoma, the rate of secondary malignancies, and the ability to collect stem cells. These data support the design of ongoing and planned cooperative group trials further evaluating the first-line use of BR and BR-based combinations.

In his discussion of the abstract, Dr. Michael Williams from the University of Virginia agreed that the data were promising but cautioned that a peer-reviewed publication of the data remains to be seen.

PD0332991 Shows Promising Signs of Activity in Mantle Cell Lymphoma in Phase 1 Trial at Weill Cornell

By Peter Martin, MD

Cancer cells in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) undergo uncontrolled proliferation due to overproduction of the protein Cyclin D1. The family of proteins called Cyclins combine with enzymes called Cyclin dependent kinases (Cdk) in a way that is analgous to gas in an engine. The Cdks are the engine but they rely on the Cyclins to make them work.

PD0332991 is an orally bioavailable (i.e., a pill) inhibitor of Cdk4/6, the Cdks that combine with Cyclin D1 in MCL. A recently published clinical trial  performed at Weill Cornell Medical College and other sites around the United States demonstrated that PD0332991 could successfully stop MCL tumors from growing in several patients, including one response that lasted for more than 30 months. Biopsies taken from patients while receiving PD0332991 revealed that Cdk4/6 was effectively inhibited while a specialized kind of imaging, called FLT-PET, demonstrated that MCL cells had stopped proliferating. Although these results were promising, not every patient benefited, and the responses were not permanent.

Additional studies combining PD0332991 with other drugs based on promising laboratory data are currently underway at Weill Cornell. Click here for more information.

Lymphoma and PTSD Study: Participants Still Needed

Update: this study is closed to enrollment. 

The “Coping with Lymphoma to Enhance Adjustment and Reduce Stress in Survivors (CLEAR Stress)” study is still looking for participants to complete recruitment.

The study, conducted at Weill Cornell Medical College, is looking at Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Post-traumatic Growth in patients diagnosed with Lymphoma (Non-Hodgkin’s, Hodgkin’s, or Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia). Here is a brief description of the study:

We are looking to see if we can find which patients are more likely to develop PTSD, which patients are more likely to develop Post-traumatic Growth, and we are also looking to see if there is a correlation between the two.

Any patient with a diagnosis of Lymphoma including Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, or Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia is welcome to participate, regardless of treatment history. The interview will be approximately 60-90 minutes and is given in survey form. This can be completed in-person, over the phone, via mail, or via internet-based surveys.

Click here for more information, including the background to the study, or contact Dr. Regina Jacob at (646) 962-5027 or rej2008@med.cornell.edu.