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Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) are a heterogeneous group of aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas, the majority of which have high relapse rates following standard therapy. Despite use of consolidative stem cell transplant (SCT) following frontline therapy, there remains no consensus on its utility. The double-blind randomized phase 3 ECHELON-2 study (#NCT01777152; clinicaltrials.gov) demonstrated improved progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival with frontline brentuximab vedotin plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone (A+CHP). Herein, we conducted an exploratory subgroups analysis of the impact of consolidative SCT on PFS in patients with previously untreated CD30+ PTCL (ALK− anaplastic large cell lymphoma [ALCL] and non-ALCL) who were in complete response (CR) after frontline treatment with A+CHP or cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone. Median PFS follow-up was 47.57 months. The PFS hazard ratio was 0.36, equating to a 64% reduction in the risk of a PFS event in patients who underwent SCT. The median PFS in patients who underwent SCT was not reached, vs 55.66 months in patients who did not undergo SCT. PFS results favored the use of SCT in both ALK− ALCL and non-ALCL subgroups. These data support the consideration of consolidative SCT in patients with CD30+PTCL who achieve CR following treatment with A+CHP.

Most patients receiving CAR T-cell therapy (CAR-T) for aggressive B-cell lymphoma (B-NHL) will not experience a durable remission. There are several novel agents approved for the treatment relapsed, refractory aggressive B-NHL; however, it remains unclear how to sequence these therapies pre- and post-CAR-T (peri-CAR-T). We conducted a multicenter retrospective analysis for the purpose of describing peri-CAR-T practice patterns and survival predictors for patients receiving CD19-directed CAR-T. Patients (n=514) from thirteen centers treated with CAR-T for aggressive B-NHL between 2015-2021 were included. Clinical characteristics, CAR-T outcomes and treatment regimens administered pre- and post-CAR-T were collected. Survival curves were constructed using Kaplan Meier method. Multivariate Cox regression was used to determine the impact of variables on survival outcomes. For all patients receiving CAR-T, a greater number lines of therapy prior to CAR-T apheresis and receipt of bridging therapy were predictive of inferior progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). From time of CAR-T infusion, median PFS and OS were 7.6 and 25.6 months (n=514). From time of progression post-CAR-T (n=254), median OS was 5.5 months. The median PFS of treatments given in the first-line post-CAR-T failure (n=167) was just 2.8 months. Patients with refractory disease at day 30 had inferior OS and were less likely to receive subsequent treatment(s) compared to other patients with CAR-T failure. AlloHCT for select patients at any time following CAR-T failure (n=16) led to durable responses in over half at one-year. These data provide a benchmark for future clinical trials in patients with progression post-CAR-T, an unmet clinical need.

In a multicenter, phase II investigator-initiated trial of sequential pembrolizumab and AVD, nearly two-thirds of patients with untreated unfavorable or advanced stage classic Hodgkin Lymphoma (cHL) achieved PET-defined complete or near complete metabolic responses (CMR) following 3 doses of pembrolizumab monotherapy. Furthermore, all achieved CMR following 2 cycles of AVD chemotherapy and 100% of patients were alive without relapse at the time of initial publication. We now report long-term follow-up, including 3-year OS and planned correlative analyses. Thirty patients received single agent pembrolizumab every 3 weeks x 3, followed by AVD chemotherapy for 4-6 cycles depending on stage and bulk. PET/CT scan was performed after pembrolizumab monotherapy, 2 cycles of AVD, and at the end of therapy. Baseline biopsy samples were analyzed for genomic alterations of chromosome 9p24.1 and PD-1 pathway markers by immunohistochemistry. At a median follow up of 33.1 months (range, 26.0-43.0), PFS and OS remain 100%. All patients had genomic alterations in 9p24.1 and were positive for PD-L1 by immunohistochemistry. There was no relationship between response to single agent pembrolizumumab measured by decline in metabolic tumor volume and 9p24.1 alterations or PD-1 pathway H-scores. With additional follow-up, sequential pembrolizumab and AVD remains highly effective. The high response rates observed at all PD-ligand levels suggest that even low levels of PD ligand expression are sufficient for response to PD-1 blockade in untreated cHL. An international phase II trial (NCT05008224) to confirm these findings is ongoing.

ImportanceTo our knowledge, this is the first clinical trial designed to investigate concurrent treatment with a checkpoint inhibitor and conventional chemotherapy in relapsed or refractory classic Hodgkin lymphoma in patients destined for an autologous stem cell transplant.ObjectiveTo evaluate the complete response rate as assessed by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose–positron emission tomography with computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) after salvage therapy for patients with relapsed or refractory classic Hodgkin lymphoma.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsA single-group, phase 2, multi-institutional nonrandomized clinical trial to evaluate the addition of pembrolizumab to ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide (ICE) chemotherapy was conducted from April 20, 2017, to October 29, 2020, at 5 US sites. The 42 patients were aged 18 years or older, with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status Scale score of 0 or 1 and biopsy-proven relapsed or refractory classic Hodgkin lymphoma after 1 or 2 prior lines of chemotherapy. Patients were required to be appropriate candidates for transplant, with measurable lesions detected by FDG-PET/CT.InterventionsTwo cycles of pembrolizumab (200 mg intravenously on day 1) with ICE chemotherapy every 21 days, followed by stem cell mobilization and collection, and then 1 cycle of pembrolizumab monotherapy followed by FDG-PET/CT response assessment.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary end point was complete response rate detected by FDG-PET/CT, defined as a Deauville score of 3 or lower. Patients with a complete response proceeded to an autologous stem cell transplant. Secondary end points included progression-free survival, overall survival, stem cell mobilization, and neutrophil and platelet engraftment. Adverse events were monitored to assess safety.ResultsForty-two patients were enrolled, with 37 evaluable for the primary end point. The median age was 34 years (range, 19-70 years), 25 patients were female (68%), 6 were African American (16%), and 26 were White (70%). The complete response rate for the 37 patients assessed by FDG-PET/CT imaging was 86.5% (95% CI, 71.2%-95.5%); the overall response rate was 97.3% (36 patients), with 10.8% partial responses (4 patients). New areas of FDG-PET positivity in 2 patients were biopsied, showing noncaseating granuloma in 1 case and a reactive lymph node in a second. Progression-free survival and overall survival 2-year estimates were 87.2% (32 patients; 95% CI, 77.3%-98.3%) and 95.1% (95% CI, 88.8%-100%), respectively. The addition of pembrolizumab to ICE chemotherapy did not negatively affect stem cell mobilization or collection or engraftment, similar to prior experience in this patient population and setting.Conclusions and RelevanceResults suggest that the addition of pembrolizumab to ICE chemotherapy was well tolerated and highly effective in comparison with prior reports of chemotherapy-only regimens, supporting further investigation in patients with relapsed or refractory classic Hodgkin lymphoma eligible for an autologous stem cell transplant.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03077828

Background: The rapid global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), remains the international public health concern of the decade. Early clinical data suggest that patients (pts) with hematologic malignancies are vulnerable to severe forms of SARS-CoV-2 and have higher mortality rates than the general population. Greater understanding of risk factors and outcomes associated with SARS-CoV-2 in pts with hematologic malignancies is crucial in order to develop individualized risk-benefit analyses to guide care. Herein, we report a cohort study from a Comprehensive Cancer Center evaluating outcomes in pts with hematologic malignancies who developed SARS-CoV-2. Methods: Adult pts at Northwestern Memorial Hospital with a current/prior hematologic malignancy and laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR from nasopharyngeal swabs between March-July, 2020 were identified using electronic health records. Data were collected and analyzed based on epidemiologic, laboratory, and clinical characteristics. Severity of illness was defined by level of care (ambulatory, inpatient), need for advanced respiratory support (high flow nasal cannula, BiPAP, mechanical ventilation), incidence of thrombotic events, incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI), and/or death. Statistical analyses of risk factors, severity, and outcomes were performed. Subgroup analyses based on antineoplastic treatment status and receipt of SARS-CoV-2 -directed therapy were made. Active cancer treatment was defined as antineoplastic therapy within 12 months of SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis. Results: Demographic (Table 1) and clinical (Table 2) data were recorded from 73 SARS-CoV-2 infected pts. Sixty (80%) pts had lymphoid and 15 (20%) had myeloid neoplasms, 2 with concurrent lymphoid and myeloid neoplasms. Thirty-seven (51%) pts were undergoing active treatment for their malignancy. Twenty-one pts (29%) were managed in the ambulatory setting while 52 (71%) required hospital admission. Twenty-five (34%) pts required advanced respiratory support including 14 (19%) who required mechanical ventilation. Four pts (6%) had thrombotic events and 31 (42%) received SARS-CoV-2-directed therapies. Sixteen pts (22%) died during the study period. Pts on active cancer treatment had higher rates of hospital admission (81% v 60%; p=0.05) and AKI (51% v 29%; p=0.04) but similar rates of death compared with pts not on active treatment (24% v 20%; p=0.66) (Table 3). Comparing pts who received SARS-CoV-2 -directed therapy versus no therapy: pts on therapy had longer median lengths of stay (11 v 7 days; p=0.04) and higher rates of hospital admission (94% v 55%; p=0.0003) but similar rates of death (23% v 21%; p=0.91); pts in the ICU on SARS-COV-2 -directed therapy had lower rates of death (38% v 88% p=0.02) than pts who did not receive such therapy (Table 4). Twenty-six pts (36%) were tested for viral clearance, defined as two serial negative swabs ≥24 hours apart. Of these, 17 (65%) achieved clearance with a median time of 51 days (range 15-119 days). Thirteen pts (18%) had antibody (Ab) testing. Ten (77%) had detectable Abs: 8 were positive for IgG, 1 for IgG and IgM, and 1 had unspecified positivity. Notably, all 3 pts with undetectable Abs were on active cancer treatment. Conclusion: We demonstrate that pts with hematologic malignancies are exceptionally vulnerable to severe forms of SARS-CoV-2 with high mortality rates. The incidence of thrombotic events was low, an unexpected finding in the setting of a hyperinflammatory syndrome. Prolonged time to viral clearance was observed, a finding which may cause potential delays in the resumption of cancer-directed therapies. Notably, the majority of pts who received antibody testing had detectable antibodies suggesting that pts with hematologic malignancies may be able to mount an immune response to early vaccination. Accordingly, close monitoring, aggressive therapy, and early vaccination, when available, may be warranted for this population. Larger studies are needed to confirm our findings and help guide management of pts with hematologic malignancies during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Disclosures Altman: Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy; Immune Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Syros: Consultancy; Genentech: Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy; Amphivena: Research Funding; Amgen: Research Funding; Aprea: Research Funding; ImmunoGen: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Boehringer Ingelheim: Research Funding; Fujifilm: Research Funding; Kartos: Research Funding; AbbVie: Other: advisory board, Research Funding; Kura Oncology: Other: Scientific Advisory Board - no payment accepted, Research Funding; BioSight: Other: No payment but was reimbursed for travel , Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Other: Advisory Board - no payment but was reimbursed for travel; Agios: Other: advisory board, Research Funding; Glycomimetics: Other: Data safety and monitoring committee; Astellas: Other: Advisory Board, Speaker (no payment), Steering Committee (no payment), Research Funding; Theradex: Other: Advisory Board; ASH: Consultancy; Cancer Expert Now: Consultancy; France Foundation: Consultancy; PeerView: Consultancy; PrIME Oncology: Consultancy. Winter:Delta Fly Pharma: Consultancy; Amgen: Consultancy; Epizyme: Other: DSMB; CVS/Caremark: Consultancy; Ariad/Takeda: Consultancy; Norvartis: Consultancy, Other: DSMB; Merck: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: advisory board; Karyopharm: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: advisory board. Gordon:Zylem Biosciences: Patents & Royalties: Patents, No Royalties. Pro:Verastem Oncology: Research Funding. Ma:TG Therapeutics: Research Funding; Juno: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Kite: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pharmacyclics, LLC, an AbbVie Company: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; BeiGene: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Bioverativ: Consultancy, Honoraria; Genentech: Consultancy, Honoraria; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Karmali:BMS/Celgene/Juno: Honoraria, Other, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Research Funding; Karyopharm: Honoraria; Gilead/Kite: Honoraria, Other, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; AstraZeneca: Speakers Bureau; BeiGene: Speakers Bureau.

We developed an outpatient salvage chemotherapy regimen using bendamustine, ofatumumab, carboplatin and etoposide (BOCE) to treat relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (RR NHL) in a single-center phase I/II study. Primary objectives were safety, tolerability and overall response rate (ORR). Thirty-five RR NHL patients (57% de novo large cell [DLBCL] or grade 3B follicular [FL], 26% transformed DLBCL, 9% grade 3A FL, 3% mantle cell; median age = 62, median prior therapies = 1) were treated. Median follow-up was 24.1 months. ORR was 69% (CR = 49%, PR = 20% [ORR = 70%, CR = 50%, PR = 20% in the de novo DLBCL/grade 3B FL subgroup]). Median progression-free survival was 5.1 months and overall-survival 26.2 months. Twelve patients subsequently underwent stem cell transplantation. The most common non-hematologic grade 3-4 toxicities were neutropenic fever and hypophosphatemia. There were no treatment-related deaths. In conclusion, BOCE is a safe and effective outpatient salvage regimen for patients with RR NHL and serves as an effective bridge to stem cell transplantation.

Hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL) is a rare subtype of T-cell lymphoma associated with an aggressive clinical course and a worse prognosis. HSTCL develops in the setting of chronic immune suppression or immune dysregulation in up to 20% of cases and is most often characterized by spleen, liver, and bone marrow involvement. Diagnosis and management of HSTCL pose significant challenges given the rarity of the disease along with the absence of lymphadenopathy and poor outcome with conventional chemotherapy regimens. These Guidelines Insights focus on the diagnosis and treatment of HSTCL as outlined in the NCCN Guidelines for T-Cell Lymphomas.

R-FND (rituximab, fludarabine, mitoxantrone, and dexamethasone) can induce molecular remissions in indolent lymphoma. The addition of 90yttrium ibritumomab tiuxetan (90YIT) radioimmunotherapy following first-line induction treatment in patients with advanced follicular lymphoma (FL) may improve remission rates. We now report 10-year follow-up results from our sequential treatment approach with an abbreviated regimen of R-FND followed by 90YIT consolidation and rituximab maintenance. Forty-nine patients were enrolled; 47 received treatment. Patients had high-risk (FLIPI score ≥3) FL of grade 1-3A and stage III/IV with adequate hematologic function. Following R-FND, the complete and partial response rates were 91% and 8.5%, respectively. After 90YIT consolidation, the CR rate increased to 97%. The 10-year PFS rate was 49%. The most common non-hematologic, grade 3 or 4 adverse events were fatigue, dyspnea, and myalgia. Five developed myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). This treatment approach is most appropriate in FLIPI-based high-risk patients whose outlook with standard therapy is inadequate.

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common subtype of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), and Sézary syndrome (SS) is a rare erythrodermic and leukemic subtype of CTCL characterized by significant blood involvement. Although early-stage disease can be effectively treated predominantly with skin-directed therapies, systemic therapy is often necessary for the treatment of advanced-stage disease. Systemic therapy options have evolved in recent years with the approval of novel agents such as romidepsin, brentuximab vedotin, and mogamulizumab. These NCCN Guidelines Insights discuss the diagnosis and management of MF and SS (with a focus on systemic therapy).

Primary cutaneous γδ T cell lymphomas (PCGDTLs) represent a heterogeneous group of uncommon but aggressive cancers. Herein, we perform genome-wide DNA, RNA, and T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing on 29 cutaneous γδ lymphomas. We find that PCGDTLs are not uniformly derived from Vδ2 cells. Instead, the cell-of-origin depends on the tissue compartment from which the lymphomas are derived. Lymphomas arising from the outer layer of skin are derived from Vδ1 cells, the predominant γδ cell in the epidermis and dermis. In contrast, panniculitic lymphomas arise from Vδ2 cells, the predominant γδ T cell in the fat. We also show that TCR chain usage is non-random, suggesting common antigens for Vδ1 and Vδ2 lymphomas respectively. In addition, Vδ1 and Vδ2 PCGDTLs harbor similar genomic landscapes with potentially targetable oncogenic mutations in the JAK/STAT, MAPK, MYC, and chromatin modification pathways. Collectively, these findings suggest a paradigm for classifying, staging, and treating these diseases., Cutaneous gamma-delta T cell lymphomas are rare but aggressive cancers. Here, by DNA, RNA and T cell receptor sequencing, the authors elucidate the molecular ontogeny by revising the cell of origin and identifying potentially targetable mutations.

Since the publication of the Revised European-American Classification of Lymphoid Neoplasms in 1994, subsequent updates of the classification of lymphoid neoplasms have been generated through iterative international efforts to achieve broad consensus among hematopathologists, geneticists, molecular scientists, and clinicians. Significant progress has recently been made in the characterization of malignancies of the immune system, with many new insights provided by genomic studies. They have led to this proposal. We have followed the same process that was successfully used for the third and fourth editions of the World Health Organization Classification of Hematologic Neoplasms. The definition, recommended studies, and criteria for the diagnosis of many entities have been extensively refined. Some categories considered provisional have now been upgraded to definite entities. Terminology for some diseases has been revised to adapt nomenclature to the current knowledge of their biology, but these modifications have been restricted to well-justified situations. Major findings from recent genomic studies have impacted the conceptual framework and diagnostic criteria for many disease entities. These changes will have an impact on optimal clinical management. The conclusions of this work are summarized in this report as the proposed International Consensus Classification of mature lymphoid, histiocytic, and dendritic cell tumors. ispartof: BLOOD vol:140 issue:11 pages:1229-1253 ispartof: location:United States status: published

Treatment strategies for post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) consist of response-adapted risk-stratified methods using immunosuppression reduction, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy. We investigated the efficacy of Brentuximab vedotin given concurrently with Rituximab (BV + R) once weekly for four weeks, followed by optional consolidation, and up to one year of maintenance. Among 20 assessable patients, BV + R therapy resulted in an overall response rate of 75% (95% CI 51 to 91, p = 0.044) with 60% achieving a complete response. Median time to best response was 28 days. Two-year progression-free survival and overall survival rates were 75 and 90%, respectively. Most common severe grade 3/4 treatment-related toxicities included neutropenia (40%), hypertension (30%), infection (25%), and peripheral neuropathy (15%). BV + R is a novel and effective therapeutic strategy that achieved rapid and durable remissions in previously untreated PTLD patients; however, this treatment platform requires further modification due to the high rates of treatment-related toxicity.Key pointsBrentuximab vedotin + Rituximab showed ORR and CR rates of 75 and 60% in patients with immunosuppression-associated lymphoid malignanciesHigh rates of treatment delay were attributed to treatment-related toxicity; further dosing optimization of this regimen is required.

Introduction The phase 3 ECHELON-2 study (NCT01777152) demonstrated that frontline treatment with brentuximab vedotin (BV) plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone (A+CHP) is superior to cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) for patients (pts) with systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (sALCL) or other CD30-expressing peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCL) (Horowitz S, et al. Lancet 2019). With a median follow-up of 36.2 months for progression-free survival (PFS), the hazard ratio (HR) (0.71 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 0.54, 0.93], P=0.01) favored A+CHP over CHOP. The median PFS was 48.2 months (95% CI: 35.2, not evaluable) versus 20.8 months (95% CI: 12.7, 47.6) for A+CHP and CHOP, respectively. With a median follow-up of 42.1 months for overall survival (OS), the HR (0.66 [95% CI: 0.46, 0.95], P=0.02) also favored A+CHP over CHOP. Median OS was not reached for either arm. With these results, A+CHP was the first treatment regimen to show an OS benefit over CHOP in this pt population. Herein, we report results with a median follow-up of 44.3 months for PFS and 55.5 months for OS. Methods ECHELON-2 is a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled, active-comparator, multicenter study. Eligible adult pts with previously untreated CD30-positive PTCL (targeting 75% ± 5% with sALCL) were randomized to A+CHP or CHOP for six or eight cycles. Randomization was stratified by histological subtype and international prognostic index score. The primary endpoint of PFS was assessed per blinded independent central review in the primary analysis and per investigator in this updated analysis. Key secondary endpoints were OS, PFS in sALCL, complete remission (CR) rate, and objective response rate (ORR). Subsequent therapies, including BV or BV-containing regimens, were permitted. Results A total of 452 pts were enrolled and randomized 1:1 with 226 pts in each arm. The study included pts with advanced disease (Stage III [27%] and Stage IV [53%]; IPI ≥2 [78%]); given target enrollment, most pts (316 [70%]) had sALCL (218 [48%] anaplastic lymphoma kinase [ALK]-negative and 98 pts [22%] ALK-positive). With additional follow-up, the HRs for PFS per investigator (0.70 [95% CI: 0.53, 0.91], P=0.0075) (Figure 1) and OS (0.74 [95% CI: 0.54, 1.02], P=0.0688) continue to favor A+CHP over CHOP. The median PFS was 63.5 months (95% CI: 42.0, not evaluable) versus 23.8 months (95% CI: 13.6, 55.9) for A+CHP and CHOP, respectively. The estimated 5-year PFS was 50.9% (95% CI: 42.1, 59.1) for the A+CHP arm versus 42.7% (95% CI: 35.3, 49.8) for the CHOP arm. Median OS was not reached for either arm. The estimated 5-year OS was 68.7% (95% CI: 61.3, 75.0) for the A+CHP arm versus 60.3% (95% CI: 52.8, 67.0) for the CHOP arm. The PFS analyses for key prespecified subgroups were generally consistent with the overall study results (Figure 2). In the subset of pts with sALCL, the HR for PFS (0.55 [95% CI: 0.39, 0.78]) also favors A+CHP over CHOP, with an estimated 5-year PFS of 59.8% (95% CI: 48.0, 69.7) for the A+CHP arm versus 48.1% (95% CI: 39.1, 56.6) for the CHOP arm. A total of 23 pts (10%) in the A+CHP arm (16 pts with sALCL, 4 pts with PTCL not otherwise specified, and 3 pts with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma) and 51 pts (23%) in the CHOP arm received subsequent systemic therapy with BV. In the A+CHP arm, the median time to retreatment was 12.3 months (range, 3, 51); 15 pts (ORR: 65%) had CR (9 pts) or partial remission (6 pts) after retreatment with BV monotherapy (21 pts) or BV-containing regimen (2 pts). With additional follow-up in pts with treatment-emergent peripheral neuropathy (PN) (117 pts A+CHP and 124 pts CHOP), 68% of pts in the A+CHP arm had either resolution or improvement of these events compared with 77% of pts in the CHOP arm. Of the pts with ongoing PN events at last follow-up, 73% in A+CHP arm and 74% in the CHOP arm had grade 1 events, 25% and 23% of pts, respectively, had grade 2 events, and 2% of pts in each arm had grade 3 events. Conclusions At 5 years, frontline treatment with A+CHP continues to provide clinically meaningful improvement in PFS and OS versus CHOP, including ongoing remission in ~60% of pts with sALCL, with a manageable safety profile, including continued resolution or improvement of PN. Additional 5-year results, including data from prespecified subgroups, will be presented. Disclosures Horwitz: C4 Therapeutics: Consultancy; Daiichi Sankyo: Research Funding; Affirmed: Consultancy; GlaxoSmithKline: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy; Kura Oncology: Consultancy; Miragen: Consultancy; Myeloid Therapeutics: Consultancy; Verastem: Consultancy, Research Funding; ASTEX: Consultancy; Vividion Therapeutics: Consultancy; Beigene: Consultancy; ADCT Therapeutics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Aileron: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Forty Seven: Consultancy, Research Funding; Infinity/Verastem: Research Funding; Kyowa Hakka Kirin: Consultancy, Research Funding; Millenium/Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Trillium: Consultancy, Research Funding; Corvus: Consultancy; Innate Pharma: Consultancy; Mundipharma: Consultancy; Portola: Consultancy, Research Funding. Pro:Verastem Oncology: Research Funding. Illidge:Takeda: Current Employment, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau. Iyer:Legend Biotech: Consultancy; Rhizen: Research Funding; Spectrum: Research Funding; CRISPR: Research Funding; Curio Biosciences: Honoraria; Trillium: Research Funding; Target Oncology: Honoraria; Afffimed: Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy; Merck: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Advani:Astra Zeneca, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, Cell Medica, Celgene, Genentech/Roche, Gilead, KitePharma, Kyowa, Portola Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi, Seattle Genetics, Takeda: Consultancy; Celgene, Forty Seven, Inc., Genentech/Roche, Janssen Pharmaceutical, Kura, Merck, Millenium, Pharmacyclics, Regeneron, Seattle Genetics: Research Funding. Bartlett:BTG: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Forty Seven: Research Funding; Autolus: Research Funding; Acerta: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Immune Design: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; Kite, a Gilead Company: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Millennium: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Affimed Therapeutics: Research Funding; BMS/Celgene: Research Funding; Roche/Genentech: Consultancy, Research Funding. Christensen:Odense University Hospital: Current Employment; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Morschhauser:Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Epizyme: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Gilead: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Honoraria; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Servier: Consultancy. Domingo-Domenech:Takeda: Consultancy, Other: Travel, accomodations and expenses , Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Other: Travel, Research Funding; Roche: Other: Travel, accomodations and expenses ; Janssen: Other: Travel, accomodations and expenses ; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Rossi:Takeda: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Other: Advisory board; Astellas: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Honoraria; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Honoraria; Sanofi: Honoraria; Jazz: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Alexion: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Kim:Donga: Research Funding; Joihnson & Johnson: Research Funding; Kyowa Kirin: Research Funding; Mundipharma: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Roche: Research Funding; Takeda: Research Funding; Celltrion: Research Funding. Feldman:Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; Cell Medica: Research Funding; Amgen: Research Funding; Kite: Honoraria, Other: Travel expenses, Speakers Bureau; Rhizen: Research Funding; Janssen: Speakers Bureau; Pharmacyclics: Honoraria, Other, Speakers Bureau; AstraZeneca: Consultancy; Bayer: Consultancy, Honoraria; Abbvie: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria, Other: Travel expenses; Pfizer: Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Trillium: Research Funding; Portola: Research Funding; Corvus: Research Funding; Kyowa Kirin: Consultancy, Research Funding; Eisai: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel expenses, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Viracta: Research Funding. Menne:Daiichi Sankyo: Honoraria; Kyowa Kirin: Other: Travel expenses; Pfizer: Honoraria, Other; Roche: Honoraria; Bayer: Other: Travel expenses; Kite/Gilead: Honoraria, Other: Travel expenses; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria, Other: Travel expenses; Takeda: Honoraria; Atara: Honoraria; AstraZeneca: Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria, Other: Travel expenses; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding. Belada:Takeda: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel expenses, Research Funding; Roche: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel expenses, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Gilead: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel expenses, Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding. Illés:Celgene, Janssen, Novartis,Roche, Takeda: Consultancy; Novartis, Janssen, Pfizer, Roche;: Other: Travel, Accommodations, Expenses; Janssen, Celgene, Takeda, Novartis Pharma SAS, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Israel, Roche;: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda, Seattle Genetics: Research Funding. Tobinai:Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Honoraria; Kyowa Kirin: Consultancy, Honoraria; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Mundipharma: Consultancy, Honoraria; Ono Pharma: Consultancy, Honoraria; Solasia: Honoraria; SymBio: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria; HUYA Bioscience: Consultancy, Honoraria; Eisai: Honoraria; Yakult: Consultancy, Honoraria; Zenyaku Kogyo: Consultancy, Honoraria; Chugai Pharma: Consultancy, Honoraria. Tsukasaki:Ono Pharma: Consultancy; Mundy Pharma: Honoraria; HUYA: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kyowa Kirin: Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria; Chugai Pharma: Honoraria, Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy; Eizai: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding. Yeh:AbbVie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Astellas: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Astex: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Shustov:Seattle Genetics: Research Funding. Hüttmann:Lead Discovery Center GmbH: Consultancy; Celgene: Honoraria, Other: TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATIONS, EXPENSES (paid by any for-profit health care company); Gilead: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATIONS, EXPENSES (paid by any for-profit health care company); Roche: Other: Travel expenses; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany: Current Employment. Savage:Verastem: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Servier: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy, Honoraria; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria. Zinzani:Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; AbbVie: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; TG Therapeutics, Inc.: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; EUSA Pharma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Merck: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Immune Design: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Kirin Kyowa: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; ADC Therapeutics: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Sanofi: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Verastem: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Servier: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Incyte: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Kyowa Kirin: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Eusapharma: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Portola: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Immune Design: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Sandoz: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; MSD: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Janssen-Cilag: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Celltrion: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau. Miao:Takeda: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Bunn:Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Takeda: Current Employment. Fenton:Seattle Genetics: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Fanale:Seattle Genetics: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Puhlmann:Seattle Genetics: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Truemper:Janssen: Consultancy; Mundipharma: Research Funding; Nordic Nanovector: Consultancy; Roche: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Takeda Europe: Consultancy, Research Funding.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) transformed from follicular lymphoma (FL) (tDLBCL) has been traditionally associated with an aggressive course, but more recent studies have shown longer survivals. The clinical significance of concurrent FL at the time of diagnosis of DLBCL (cDLBCL/FL) is less clear. We compared outcomes of tDLBCL, cDLBCL/FL, and

Single agents have demonstrated activity in relapsed and refractory (R/R) peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). Their benefit relative to combination chemotherapy remains undefined. Patients with histologically confirmed PTCL were enrolled in the Comprehensive Oncology Measures for Peripheral T-cell Lymphoma Treatment (COMPLETE) registry. Eligibility criteria included those with R/R disease who had received one prior systemic therapy and were given either a single agent or combination chemotherapy as first retreatment. Treatment results for those with R/R disease who received single agents were compared to those who received combination chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was best response to retreatment. Fifty-seven patients met eligibility criteria. At first retreatment, 46% (26/57) received combination therapy and 54.5% (31/57) received single agents. At median follow up of 2 years, a trend was seen towards increased complete response rate for single agents versus combination therapy (41% vs 19%; P = .02). There was also increased median overall survival (38.9 vs 17.1 months; P = .02) and progression-free survival (11.2 vs 6.7 months; P = .02). More patients receiving single agents received hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (25.8% vs 7.7%, P = .07). Adverse events of grade 3 or 4 occurred more frequently in those receiving combination therapy, although this was not statistically significant. The data confirm the unmet need for better treatment in R/R PTCL. Despite a small sample, the analysis shows greater response and survival in those treated with single agents as first retreatment in R/R setting, while maintaining the ability to achieve transplantation. Large, randomized trials are needed to identify the best strategy.

Peripheral T-cell Lymphomas (PTCL) are a heterogenous group of aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas that are far less sensitive to chemotherapy than their B-cell counterparts. Despite their poor prognosis, they are treated similarly to most aggressive B-cell lymphomas, heavily relying on CHOP or CHOP-like combination chemotherapy irrespective of their different subtypes or biology. The last decade has seen the emergence of many targeted therapies that include histone deacetylase inhibitors, hypomethylating agents, monoclonal antibodies and PIK3 inhibitors, among others. However, prognosis remains poor especially in the relapsed/refractory setting. Using an extensive pubmed search, the authors will be summarizing the different trials that lead to these approved targeted agents as well as novel combination strategies. The fundamental recognition that different subtypes of PTCL have specific biological features that drive not only proliferation, but also responses to different treatment approaches, should be informing the design of future clinical trials.

Pembrolizumab, a humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody targeting programmed death-1 protein, has demonstrated efficacy in relapsed/refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). To assess the complete metabolic response (CMR) rate and safety of pembrolizumab monotherapy in newly diagnosed cHL, we conducted a multicenter, single-arm, phase 2 investigator-initiated trial of sequential pembrolizumab and doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (AVD) chemotherapy. Patients ≥18 years of age with untreated, early, unfavorable, or advanced-stage disease were eligible for treatment. Thirty patients (early unfavorable stage, n = 12; advanced stage, n = 18) were treated with 3 cycles of pembrolizumab monotherapy followed by AVD for 4 to 6 cycles, depending on stage and bulk. Twelve had either large mediastinal masses or bulky disease (>10 cm). After pembrolizumab monotherapy, 11 patients (37%) demonstrated CMRs, and an additional 7 of 28 (25%) patients with quantifiable positron emission tomography computed tomography scans had >90% reduction in metabolic tumor volume. All patients achieved CMR after 2 cycles of AVD and maintained their responses at the end of treatment. With a median follow-up of 22.5 months (range, 14.2-30.6) there were no changes in therapy, progressions, or deaths. No patients received consolidation radiotherapy, including those with bulky disease. Therapy was well tolerated. The most common immune-related adverse events were grade 1 rash (n = 6) and grade 2 infusion reactions (n = 4). One patient had reversible grade 4 transaminitis and a second had reversible Bell’s palsy. Brief pembrolizumab monotherapy followed by AVD was both highly effective and safe in patients with newly diagnosed cHL, including those with bulky disease. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT03226249.

Introduction: Cutaneous T cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are a heterogenous group of lymphomas of the skin-homing CD4+ T cell. Although the median survival for patients with stage IV disease is generally poor, there is significant heterogeneity with some stage-matched patients surviving 10 years. Currently, it is unclear why this is the case, and whether there are any biomarkers for patients with the most aggressive forms of disease. To address this knowledge gap, we sought to combine multi-omics and functional assays to a clinically annotated cohort of CTCLs to identify drivers of disease heterogeneity. Materials and methods: To explore the molecular underpinnings of disease heterogeneity in CTCL, we combined whole-genome sequencing, RNA-sequencing, immunophenotyping, and ex vivo proliferation assays on sorted malignant cells from 14 patients with leukemic CTCL. Whole genome sequencing was analyzed for single nucleotide and copy number variants. To determine ex vivo proliferation, sorted malignant cells were stained with carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE), cultured with T cell receptor stimulation or cytokines and assessed via flow cytometry. Results: Unexpectedly, we observed significant heterogeneity in the ability of malignant CTCL cells to proliferate to T cell receptor and cytokine signals ex vivo. A subset of samples proliferated to more stimuli than healthy controls, another group of samples similarly to controls, and yet another group significantly less. Strikingly, unbiased DNA and RNA-seq analyses revealed a critical role for the co-inhibitory receptor and tumor suppressor PD1. PDCD1 (the gene which encodes PD1) was the most highly expressed gene in samples that failed to proliferate ex vivo compared to those that proliferate highly. The single gene significantly more frequently mutated in highly proliferating samples was PD1. Integrating genomic, transcriptomic, and functional data, we observed that most samples harbored features of T cell exhaustion, including diminished proliferation and effector cytokine production, and expression of markers of T cell exhaustion. However, samples with deletions of PD1 reversed this phenotype. These samples had higher ex vivo proliferation and effector cytokine production, and lower expression of T cell exhaustion markers. Accordingly, samples with deletions of PD1 had significantly worse prognoses in both stage IV disease and in stage II-III MF. Conclusions: By integrating genotype, transcriptome, and functional status, we have identified that a majority of CTCLs harbor features of T cell exhaustion. A subset of CTCLs which harbor PD1 deletions reverse the T cell exhaustion phenotype. Consistent with this, PD1-deleted CTCLs have significantly worse overall survival in stage-matched patients. Our data establishes T cell exhaustion status and PD1 deletions as novel drivers of heterogeneity in cutaneous T cell lymphoma.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are a clinically heterogeneous collection of lymphomas of the skin-homing T cell. To identify molecular drivers of disease phenotypes, we assembled representative samples of CTCLs from patients with diverse disease subtypes and stages. Via DNA/RNA-sequencing, immunophenotyping, and ex vivo functional assays, we identified the landscape of putative driver genes, elucidated genetic relationships between CTCLs across disease stages, and inferred molecular subtypes in patients with stage-matched leukemic disease. Collectively, our analysis identified 86 putative driver genes, including 19 genes not previously implicated in this disease. Two mutations have never been described in any cancer. Functionally, multiple mutations augment T-cell receptor–dependent proliferation, highlighting the importance of this pathway in lymphomagenesis. To identify putative genetic causes of disease heterogeneity, we examined the distribution of driver genes across clinical cohorts. There are broad similarities across disease stages. Many driver genes are shared by mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sezary syndrome (SS). However, there are significantly more structural variants in leukemic disease, leading to highly recurrent deletions of putative tumor suppressors that are uncommon in early-stage skin-centered MF. For example, TP53 is deleted in 7% and 87% of MF and SS, respectively. In both human and mouse samples, PD1 mutations drive aggressive behavior. PD1 wild-type lymphomas show features of T-cell exhaustion. PD1 deletions are sufficient to reverse the exhaustion phenotype, promote a FOXM1-driven transcriptional signature, and predict significantly worse survival. Collectively, our findings clarify CTCL genetics and provide novel insights into pathways that drive diverse disease phenotypes.

Peripheral T-cell lymphomas represent an evolving class of aggressive T-cell malignancies that are generally refractory to conventional treatments and historically carry a poor prognosis. Recent advances in gene expression profiling have begun to unravel the specific molecular mechanisms of tumorigenesis in these disease processes, allowing for discrete classification schemes that help guide discussions regarding prognosis and therapy options. We outline here a review of the histopathology, epidemiology, clinical features, and treatment strategies currently used in the management of these diseases.