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Purpose The Sequential Treatment of CD20-Positive Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder (PTLD-1) trial ( ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT01458548) established sequential treatment with four cycles of rituximab followed by four cycles of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) chemotherapy as a standard in the management of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) and identified response to rituximab induction as a prognostic factor for overall survival. We hypothesized that rituximab consolidation might be sufficient treatment for patients with a complete response after rituximab induction. Patients and Methods In this prospective, international, multicenter phase II trial, 152 treatment-naive adult solid organ transplant recipients, with CD20 + PTLD unresponsive to immunosuppression reduction, were treated with four weekly doses of rituximab induction. After restaging, complete responders continued with four courses of rituximab consolidation every 21 days; all others received four courses of rituximab plus CHOP chemotherapy every 21 days. The primary end point was treatment efficacy measured as the response rate in patients who completed therapy and the response duration in those who completed therapy and responded. Secondary end points were frequency of infections, treatment-related mortality, and overall survival in the intention-to-treat population. Results One hundred eleven of 126 patients had a complete or partial response (88%; 95% CI, 81% to 93%), of whom 88 had a complete response (70%; 95% CI, 61% to 77%). Median response duration was not reached. The 3-year estimate was 82% (95% CI, 74% to 90%). Median overall survival was 6.6 years (95% CI, 5.5 to 7.6 years). The frequency of grade 3 or 4 infections and of treatment-related mortality was 34% (95% CI, 27% to 42%) and 8% (95% CI, 5% to 14%), respectively. Response to rituximab induction remained a prognostic factor for overall survival despite treatment stratification. Conclusion In B-cell PTLD, treatment stratification into rituximab or rituximab plus CHOP consolidation on the basis of response to rituximab induction is feasible, safe, and effective.

Purpose: To assess the efficacy of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) in preventing chemotherapy-induced ovarian failure in patients treated for Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma within the setting of a multicenter, randomized, prospective trial., Patients and Methods: Patients age 18 to 45 years were randomly assigned to receive either the GnRHa triptorelin plus norethisterone (GnRHa group) or norethisterone alone (control group) concomitantly with alkylating agents containing chemotherapy. The primary end point was the premature ovarian failure (POF) rate (follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH] ≥ 40 IU/L) after 1 year of follow-up., Results: Eighty-four of 129 randomly assigned patients completed the 1-year follow-up. The mean FSH values were higher in the control group than in the GnRHa group during chemotherapy; however, this difference was no longer observed after 6 months of follow-up. After 1 year, 20% and 19% of patients in the GnRHa and control groups, respectively, exhibited POF (P = 1.00). More than half of patients in each group completely restored their ovarian function (FSH < 10 IU/L), but the anti-Müllerian hormone values were higher in the GnRHa group than in the control group (1.4 ± 0.35 v 0.5 ± 0.15 ng/mL, respectively; P = .040). The occurrence of adverse events was similar in both groups with the exception of metrorrhagia, which was more frequently observed in the control group than the GnRHa group (38.4% v 15.6%, respectively; P = .024)., Conclusion: Approximately 20% of patients in both groups exhibited POF after 1 year of follow-up. Triptorelin was not associated with a significant decreased risk of POF in young patients treated for lymphoma but may provide protection of the ovarian reserve.

Purpose: The utility of [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) in assessing response at the end of induction therapy is well documented in Hodgkin's and diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, but its role in follicular lymphoma (FL) remains undetermined. We investigated the prognostic significance of PET-CT performed after first-line therapy in patients with FL treated in the prospective Primary Rituximab and Maintenance (PRIMA) study., Patients and Methods: Results of PET-CT scans performed after induction immunochemotherapy were recorded retrospectively. Patients went on to either observation or rituximab maintenance per protocol independent of the PET-CT result. Patient characteristics and outcomes were then evaluated., Results: Of 122 PET-CT scans performed at the end of the induction immunochemotherapy, 32 (26%) were reported as positive by the local investigator. Initial demographic or disease characteristics did not differ between PET-CT-positive (PET-positive) and PET-CT-negative (PET-negative) patients. PET status correlated with conventional response criteria (P < .001). Patients remaining PET positive had a significantly (P < .001) inferior progression-free survival at 42 months of 32.9% (95% CI, 17.2% to 49.5%) compared with 70.7% (95% CI, 59.3% to 79.4%) in those who became PET negative. PET status, but not conventional response (complete response or complete response unconfirmed v partial response) according to IWC 1999, was an independent predictive factor for lymphoma progression. The risk of death was also increased in PET-positive patients (hazard ratio 7.0; P = .0011)., Conclusion: [(18)F]FDG PET-CT status at the end of immunochemotherapy induction in patients with FL is strongly predictive of outcome and should be considered a meaningful clinical end point in future studies.