New Clinical Trial: Ibrutinib in Refractory Follicular Lymphoma

The Weill Cornell Lymphoma Program has recently opened a clinical trial evaluating ibrutinib in men and women with refractory follicular lymphoma. The study sponsor is Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and the principal investigator at Weill Cornell is Dr. Peter Martin. For more information about the study, please call Amelyn Rodriguez, RN at (212) 746-1362 or e-mail Amelyn at amr2017@med.cornell.edu.

Key Eligibility
  • Age 18 and older
  • Refractory follicular lymphoma
  • Previously treated with at least 2 prior lines of therapy
  • Did not respond to last prior therapy
  • Detailed eligibility reviewed when you contact the study team
Study Details

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the response to treatment with the experimental drug ibrutinib, also called PCI-32765. Ibrutinib is an oral drug that inhibits the enzyme Bruton’s Tyrosine Kinase (BTK), decreasing the ability of lymphoma cells to grow and survive.

Treatment Plan

All study participants will receive ibrutinib; there is no placebo. Participants will take 4 capsules by mouth once every day. Participants will continue taking ibrutinib as long as they are responding to treatment and not experiencing unacceptable side effects.

Click here to view all current lymphoma trials at Weill Cornell Medical College.

Dose-Adjusted EPOCH-Rituximab Shows Encouraging Results for Patients with Primary Mediastinal B-Cell Lymphoma

Initially recognized in the 1980s, primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) is a subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) arising in the thymus. Representing less than 3% of non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases, PMBCL has a skewed age distribution affecting young adults, especially young women. Historically, patients with PMBCL have been treated with mediastinal radiation following chemotherapy based on evidence that chemotherapy alone was insufficient. Despite the high cure rates with this strategy, mediastinal radiation in young patients can be associated with late adverse effects, including premature cardiovascular disease and secondary cancers.

Researchers from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and their partner institutions recently completed a phase II study of infusional dose-adjusted etoposide, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide with vincristine, prednisone, and rituximab (DA-EPOCH-R) with no mediastinal radiation complement. In 51 patients with a median age of 30 years, of which 59% were women, the overall survival rate was 97% at the median 5-year follow-up. From these results, researchers suggested that DA-EPOCH-R therapy obviated the need for radiotherapy in patients with PMBCL.  

While these results from this phase II study are encouraging, they will need to be confirmed with further research.

New Clinical Trial: Ibrutinib in Relapsed/Refractory CLL/SLL with 17p Deletion

Update: this study is closed to enrollment. 

The Weill Cornell Lymphoma Program is now recruiting men and women with relapsed or refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (SLL) with 17p deletion for a new clinical trial evaluating the experimental drug ibrutinib. The study sponsor is Pharmacyclics, and the principal investigator at Weill Cornell is Dr. Richard Furman. For more information about the study, please call Amelyn Rodgriguez, RN at (212) 746-1362 or e-mail Amelyn at amr2017@med.cornell.edu.

Key Eligibility
  • Men and women age 18 and older
  • Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (SLL) with 17p deletion
  • Relapsed or refractory disease after receiving at least one prior line line of systemic therapy which included at least two cycles of chemotherapy or immunotherapy for CLL/SLL
  • Detailed eligibility reviewed when you contact the study team
Study Details

Ibrutinib (also known as PCI-32765) is a type of drug called a kinase inhibitor; the drug blocks an enzyme that helps cancer cells live and grow. By blocking the enzyme, it is possible that ibrutinib will kill cancer cells or stop them from growing.

The purpose of the study is to determine whether ibrutinib is safe and effective in treating CLL/SLL with 17p deletion.

Treatment Plan

All study participants will receive ibrutinib; there is no placebo in this study. Participants will take 3 capsules by mouth once a day and continue on treatment as long as they are responding to therapy and not experiencing unacceptable side effects.