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Context Tafasitamab is an Fc-modified, humanized anti-CD19 monoclonal antibody, which induces enhanced in vitro antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and phagocytosis. Preclinical studies data suggest that tafasitamab+lenalidomide may synergistically enhance cytotoxicity to malignant B-cells. Tafasitamab+lenalidomide is FDA-approved in adult patients with relapsed/refractory DLBCL who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplantation. R-CHOP is the current standard of care (SOC) for patients with newly-diagnosed DLBCL. Data from the Phase Ib FIRST-MIND (NCT04134936) study in newly-diagnosed DLBCL patients suggest that tafasitamab+lenalidomide when added to R-CHOP is tolerable in patients with treatment-naive DLBCL. Objective To assess the efficacy and safety of tafasitamab+lenalidomide+R-CHOP vs R-CHOP alone in previously untreated, high-intermediate and high-risk patients with DLBCL. Design FRONT-MIND is a Phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Patients will be followed-up for up to 60 months after end of treatment. Setting Patients will be enrolled from approximately 350 centers in America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Patients Eligible patients (n=880) will be aged 18–80 years with previously untreated local biopsy-proven, CD20-positive DLBCL (IPI ≥3 if >60 years/age-adjusted IPI 2–3 if ≤60 years), and ECOG PS 0–2. Patients with transformed lymphoma (except double or triple hit lymphoma) are excluded. Interventions Patients will be randomized to receive six 21-days (D) cycles of tafasitamab (12 mg/kg intravenous [IV], D 1, 8, and 15)+lenalidomide (25 mg orally, D1–10)+R-CHOP or six 21-D cycles of tafasitamab placebo (D1, 8, and 15)+lenalidomide placebo (orally, D1–10)+R-CHOP. Main Outcome Measures The primary endpoint is investigator-assessed progression-free survival. Secondary endpoints include investigator-assessed event-free survival, overall survival, and safety. Results Not yet available. Conclusions As 30–50% of patients overall relapse or are refractory to first-line therapy, there remains a high unmet need to improve treatment options for newly diagnosed patients, particularly those with high-risk DLBCL. The combination of tafasitamab, lenalidomide, and R-CHOP may have synergistic potential. Preliminary data from the FIRST-MIND study suggest that tafasitamab±lenalidomide+R-CHOP is tolerable in patients with treatment-naive DLBCL. The present study will provide further evaluation of clinical benefits and safety when adding tafasitamab+lenalidomide to current SOC in newly diagnosed patients with high-intermediate and high-risk DLBCL treated with R-CHOP.

Background: Single-agent polatuzumab vedotin (pola) and obinutuzumab (G) demonstrated safety/clinical activity in separate B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) trials. Methods: Open-label, non-randomised, phase 1b/2 study (ROMULUS) of patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) B-NHL evaluating safety/efficacy of pola 1·8 mg/kg + G 1000 mg in 21-day cycles, up to eight cycles. Primary objectives were safety/tolerability and anti-tumour response. Findings: Eighty-eight patients were enrolled and received ≥1 dose of any study drug; 43 patients with R/R follicular lymphoma (FL) and 45 with R/R diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Grade 3–4 AEs occurred in 48·5% (n=48/88) of patients, most commonly, neutropenia (18·6%; n=18). In R/R FL, the most frequent any-grade adverse event (AE) was fatigue (n=23/43; 53·5%) and in R/R DLBCL diarrhoea (n=16/45; 35·6%). In R/R FL, the complete response (CR) rate (by independent review committee) was 36·1% (n=13/36; 90% confidence interval [CI]: 22·9–51·2) with an objective response rate (ORR) of 66·7% (n=24/36; 90% CI: 51·7–79·5). The ORR in R/R DLBCL was 19·4% (n=6/31; 90% CI: 8·8–34·7; no CRs). In R/R FL, investigator-assessed median duration of response was 8·5 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 6×3–9×7) and in R/R DLBCL was 3·7 months (IQR: 3×3–not estimable [NE]); median progression-free survival was 11·5 months (IQR: 7×8-12×4) and 2·8 months (IQR: 1×5-6×3); and median overall survival was not reached and 10·7 months, respectively. Interpretation: While the anti-tumour activity of pola (1.8 mg/kg)-G in R/R DLBCL was modest, pola-G warrants further investigation as a treatment for R/R FL. Trial Registration: www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01691898). Funding Statement: F. Hoffmann-La Roche. Declaration of Interests: T.P. has received research support from AbbVie and Pharmacyclics, and reports advisory board participation for Genentech, Inc., Bayer, Gilead, Pharmacyclics, Incyte, and Seattle Genetics. M.B. has no disclosures; the clinical and intellectual work on this paper was performed prior to employment with the Cigna Corporation and does not reflect the opinions or support of the Cigna Corporation. A.I.C. has acted as a consultant and has received research funding from Genentech, Inc. J.E. has nothing to disclose. A.C. reports advisory board participation for Celgene, Janssen, and iQone, and has received lecture fees from Celgene, Janssen, F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd, and Servier. C.D. has served as a consultant/advisory board participant for Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Merck, Genentech, Inc./F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd, and Seattle Genetics, and has received research support from Seattle Genetics, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck, Genentech, Inc., Incyte, LAM Therapeutics, Millennium/Takeda, MEI Pharma, and Trillium. J.C. is an employee of F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. D.R. was a consultant to Genentech, Inc. at the time the study was carried out. J.H. is an employee of Genentech, Inc. F.M. has participated in advisory boards for Celgene, F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd, Gilead, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Epizyme, and Bayer, and reports receiving lecture fees from Celgene, Janssen, F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd, and Novartis, and research support from AbbVie, Pharmacyclics, and advisory board fees from Genentech, Inc., Bayer, Gilead, Pharmacyclics, Incyte, and Seattle Genetics. I.W.F. has acted as a consultant for AbbVie, Seattle Genetics, TG Therapeutics, and Verastem Oncology, and has received research funding from Acerta Pharma, Agios, Calithera Biosciences, Celgene, Constellation Pharmaceuticals, Genentech, Inc., Gilead Sciences, Incyte, Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Janssen, Karo Pharma, Kite Pharma, Novartis, Pharmacyclics, Portola Pharmaceuticals, F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd, TG Therapeutics, Trillium Therapeutics, AbbVie, ArQule, BeiGene, Curis Inc., FORMA Therapeutics, Forty Seven, Merck, Pfizer, Takeda, Teva, Verastem Oncology, Gilead Sciences, Astra Zeneca, Juno Therapeutics, Unum Therapeutics, and MorphoSys AG. Ethics Approval Statement: Institutional review boards/ethics committees approved the protocol. The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, the International Council for Harmonisation guidelines for Good Clinical Practice, and country-specific laws and regulations. All patients provided written informed consent.

Purpose To assess the predictive value of 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for disease recurrence after immunochemotherapy (R-CHT) and mediastinal irradiation (RT), using the recently published criteria of the Lugano classification to predict outcomes for patients with primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma. Methods and Materials Among 125 patients prospectively enrolled in the IELSG-26 study, 88 were eligible for central review of PET/CT scans after completion of RT. Responses were evaluated using the 5-point Deauville scale at the end of induction R-CHT and after consolidation RT. According to the Lugano classification, a complete metabolic response (CMR) was defined by a Deauville score (DS) ≤3. Results The CMR (DS1, -2, or -3) rate increased from 74% (65 patients) after R-CHT to 89% (78 patients) after consolidation RT. Among the 10 patients (11%) with persistently positive scans, the residual uptake after RT was slightly higher than the liver uptake in 6 patients (DS4; 7%) and markedly higher in 4 patients (DS5; 4%): these patients had a significantly poorer 5-year progression-free survival and overall survival. At a median follow-up of 60 months (range, 35-107 months), no patients with a CMR after RT have relapsed. Among the 10 patients who did not reach a CMR, 3 of the 4 patients (positive predictive value, 75%) with DS5 after RT had subsequent disease progression (within the RT volume in all cases) and died. All patients with DS4 had good outcomes without recurrence. Conclusions All the patients obtaining a CMR defined as DS ≤3 remained progression-free at 5 years, confirming the excellent negative predictive value of the Lugano classification criteria in primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma patients. The few patients with DS4 also had an excellent outcome, suggesting that they do not necessarily require additional therapy, because the residual 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake may not reflect persistent lymphoma.

Purpose To validate, in a monoinstitutional cohort with extended follow-up, that post–rituximab chemotherapy (R-CT) 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ( 18 FDG-PET) is a prognostic factor allowing discrimination of primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) patients at higher risk for progression after radiation therapy. Methods and Materials We analyzed 51 patients, and 18 FDG-PET scans were re-examined evaluating both the Deauville 5-point scale (D5PS) score and the standardized uptake value (SUV) of residual activity, if present. These parameters were then tested by univariate analysis for a potential correlation with progression-free survival (PFS) as the primary study endpoint. Results Median follow-up time was 51 months (range, 9-153 months). After R-CT, D5PS score was 1 in 10 (19.6%), 2 in 11 (21.6%), 3 in 7 (13.8%), 4 in 17 (33.3%), and 5 in 6 patients (11.7%). Forty-three out of 51 patients (84.3%) had an SUV max ≤5, and 8 out of 51 (15.7%) had an SUV max ≥5. Overall, 6 patients experienced progression or relapse: 1 had a D5PS score 2 (with SUV max ≤5), and 5 had a D5PS score 5 (and SUV max ≥5). Patients with a D5PS score 5 showed significantly lower PFS rates versus all other scores (log-rank P max ≥5 when compared with those with SUV max ≤5 (log-rank P Conclusions The present study confirmed the prognostic role of 18 FDG-PET after R-CT, with patients with a D5PS score of 5 and/or an SUV max ≥5 being at high risk of progression/relapse after RT.

Background Tumor regression after antiviral therapy (AT) is in favor of an etiological role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphomas (NHL). Patients and methods We carried out a cohort study of 704 consecutive HIV-negative, HCV-positive patients with indolent NHL diagnosed and treated from 1993 to 2009 in 39 centers of the Fondazione Italiana Linfomi; 134 patients were managed with AT for lymphoma control. Results For entire cohort, 5-year overall survival (OS) was 78% [95% confidence interval (CI): 74%–82%] and 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 48% (95% CI: 44%–53%). In multivariate analysis, the use of AT during the patients’ life had positive impact on OS. Forty-four of the 100 patients treated with first-line AT achieved a complete remission (CR) and 33 a partial response (PR). HCV-RNA clearance was achieved in 80 patients and was related to lymphoma response. At a median follow-up of 3.6 years, 5-year PFS was 63% (95% CI: 50%–73%). CR + PR rate was 85% with AT as second-line treatment. Conclusion AT produces HCV-RNA clearance and consequent tumor regression in most patients with HCV-related indolent NHL. AT used at any time is associated with improved OS. Consequently, AT can be considered an option for patients with indolent lymphomas who do not need immediate cytoreductive treatment.

Iron overload (IO) is a known adverse prognostic factor in patients who undergo allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for thalassemia and appears to play a similar role in patients with other hematologic disorders. The estimation of IO is based primarily on serum ferritin level; however, many confounding factors can result in ferritin overestimation, especially in HSCT recipients. The aim of the present study was to quantify IO after HSCT using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), and to evaluate the impact of IO on hepatic function and infections. In addition, the feasibility of iron depletion was investigated. A total of 102 consecutive allogeneic HSCT recipients admitted to our outpatient department between December 2005, and December 2007, were analyzed. Primary diagnosis included acute leukemia/myelodysplastic syndrome in 61% of cases. Assessment of IO after HSCT included serum ferritin; in those with hyperferritinemia (ferritin1000 ng/mL), liver iron concentration (LIC) was evaluated by SQUID magnetic susceptometry. Iron removal therapy was offered to patients with moderate IO (LIC 1000-2000 microg Fe/g wet weight [ww]) or severe IO (LIC2,000 microg Fe/g ww). Fifty-seven patients had a ferritin level1000 ng/mL: the median time between HSCT and assessment of ferritin level was 1006 days (range, 93-5239 days), significantly different from the median time of 183 days (range, 78-2957 days) in the 45 patients with a ferritin level1000 ng/mL. Out of 42 patients evaluated by SQUID, 29 had moderate to severe IO (median LIC value, 1493 microg Fe/g ww [range, 1030-3253]). In a multivariate analysis, a significant correlation was found between a ferritin level1000 ng/mL and the presence of at least one abnormal liver function test (LFT) ORo=6.8; 95% CI=2.2-20.6). In addition, the rate of proven/probable invasive fungal disease was significantly higher in the patients with hyperferritinemia (13% vs 0%; P=.006). Nineteen of the 24 patients considered eligible for iron-depletion therapy underwent regular phlebotomy; 13 completed the program in a median of 287 days (range, 92-779 days), reaching the target of a ferritin level500 ng/mL; LIC was significantly reduced (median, 1419 microg Fe/g ww to 625 microg Fe/g ww; P.001) in 8 of the 9 patients who were revaluated by SQUID at the end of the iron-depletion program. In conclusion, the measurement of LIC obtained by SQUID documented the presence of moderate/severe IO in 69% of the patients with a high ferritin level. Our data showed that in HSCT recipients, high ferritin level is an independent risk factor for abnormal LFTs, and IO may be considered a potential risk factor for fungal infections. A phlebotomy program may be feasible in two-thirds of the patients who might benefit from iron depletion.

Indolent non-Hodgkin lymphomas are characterized by a low proliferation, but relapses are frequent. The gold standard treatment at diagnosis is still unknown. Careful watchful waiting is appropriate in asymptomatic patients with low tumor burden. In symptomatic patients that require treatment, chemoimmunotherapy with rituximab in association with chlorambucil, CVP, CHOP, fludarabine-containing regimens or bendamustine is recommended. Maintenance treatment with rituximab after induction is effective and safe and determines an improvement of progression-free survival respect observation; also, radioimmunotherapy consolidation is effective. High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation is useful in relapsed/refractory patients. Knowledge on biology and pathogenesis of lymphoma represents the basis for the introduction of targeted therapy. New drugs such as bortezomib, lenalidomide, humanized monoclonal antibody anti-CD20 or anti-CD22 are tested in relapse and front-line patterns, with encouraging results. These therapeutic approaches improved the outcome of indolent lymphoma's patients and may represent a paradigm for the treatment of Waldenström's macroglobulinemia.

Background Recent studies show that the risk of VTE in NHL pts is similar to that observed in high risk solid tumors (i.e. pancreatic, ovarian cancer). VTE in NHL occurs in most cases within three months from diagnosis and can have substantial impact on treatment delivery and outcome as well as on quality of life. However few data are available on potential predictors. Aims To better clarify the epidemiology of early (within six months from treatment start) VTE in NHL we conducted a pooled data analysis of 12 clinical trials from FIL. Our analysis included basic demographic features, lymphoma-related characteristics as well the Khorana score (based on histology, BMI, platelets WBC and HB counts) which is extensively used in solid tumors to predict VTE risk. Patients and methods From Jan. 2010 to Dec. 2014, all pts with B-cell NHL enrolled in prospective clinical trials from FIL for frontline treatment were included. For 9 studies study period included the entire trial population was included. The analyses were conducted based on CRFs as well as pharmacovigilance reports. VTE definition and grading was stated according to standard criteria of toxicity (CTCAE V4.0). Cumulative incidence of VTE from the study enrollment was estimated using the method described by Gooley et al. accounting for death from any causes as a competing risk. The Fine & Gray survival model was used to identify predictors of VTE among NHL pts. Factors predicting the grade of VTE were investigated using an ordinal logistic regression model. This pooled data analysis was approved by local IRB. Results Overall, 1,717 patients belonging to 12 studies were evaluated. Eight were phase I/II or II (25% of pts) and 4 phase III (75% of pts). M/F ratio was 1.41, Median age was 57, (IQ range (IQR) 49-66). Histologies were: DLCL-B 34%, FL 41%, MCL 18%, other 6%. Median BMI was 25 (IQR 22-28). Median Hb, WBC and platelets counts were 13g/dl) (IQR 11.5-14.2), 7.1*10^9/l (IQR 5.6-10.3), 224*10^9/l (IQR 169-298), respectively. 1189 pts were evaluable Khorana score: 58% low risk, 30% intermediate risk, 12% were high risk. Human erythropoetin support was given to 9% of patients. All pts received Rituximab. Planned therapeutic programs included ASCT in 27% of pts, conventional chemotherapy in 67% a conventional chemotherapy plus lenalidomide in 6%. Overall 59 any grade VTE episodes occurred in 51 pts (2.9%), including 21 grade III-IV VTE (18 pts). None was fatal. Median time from study enrolment to VTE was 63 days (IQR: 35-110). Considering death as a competitive event the 6 months cumulative incidence of VTE was 2,2% in low risk Khorana score, 4.5% (95%IC: 2.3-6.7) in intermediate and 6.6% (95%IC: 2.4-10.8) in high risk (p = 0.012) (figure 1). Khorana score was predictive also for grade III-IV events as they were 0,7% (95% CI:0.1-1.4) in low risk and 2.0% (95% CI:0.8-3.3) in intermediate-high risk (p = 0.048). The results were similar also after excluding lenalidomide containing studies. The Fine and Gray multivariate analyses, adjusted for age and stage, showed that Khorana score (intermediate risk adjHR = 1.96; 95%IC: 0.84-4.56 and high risk adjHR = 3.81; 95%IC: 1.51-9.58) and DLCL-B histotype (adjHR = 2.58; 95% CI: 1.01-6.55) were independently associated to an increased risk of VTE. Moreover an ordinal logistical regression model indicated that the increase of one point in the Khorana score resulted in an increased risk of VTE (OR = 1.85; 95% CI: 1.23-2.79). Download : Download high-res image (130KB) Download : Download full-size image Fig. 1 . Conclusions Our results suggest that DLCL-B histotype and Khorana score are predictors of VTE in NHL. The latter might become a simple and effective tool to assess the risk of VTE in NHL. Prospective validation including also patients not eligible for clinical trials is needed.