CHOP Improves Response Rates but Not Overall Survival in Follicular and Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL)- Results of a Randomized Trial of the German Low Grade Lymphoma Study Group (GLSG).

Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 611-611 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Nickenig ◽  
Martin H. Dreyling ◽  
Eva Schiegnitz ◽  
Michael Pfreundschuh ◽  
Lorenz H. Truemper ◽  
...  

Abstract In advanced stage follicular lymphoma conventional chemotherapy is non-curative and no major improvement in overall survival has been achieved by different regimens. Similarly, MCL, a lymphoma subtype with an especially poor clinical outcome, cannot be cured by conventional chemotherapy. In 1996, the German Low Grade Lymphoma Study Group (GLSG) started a randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy of two different anthracycline/anthrachinon containing regimens comparing CHOP (cyclophosphamide 750 mg/m2 day 1, vincristine 1.4 mg/m2 day 2, adriamycine 50 mg/m2 day 1, prednisone 100 mg/m2 days 1–5) and MCP (mitoxantrone 8 mg/m2 days 1–2, chlorambucil 3x3 mg/m2 days 1–5; prednisone 25 mg/m2 days 1–5). 415 previously untreated patients with advanced stage indolent lymphoma were prospectively randomized to receive either 6–8 cycles of CHOP or MCP and are evaluable for induction therapy. 277 patients (67%) had a follicular lymphoma, 86 (21%) had a mantle cell lymphoma and 52 (13%) patients had another indolent histology. Responders up to 60 years were subsequently assigned to either myeloablative radiochemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation or to interferon-a maintenance (IFNa ), all other patients received IFNa. As stem cell mobilization was hampered in the MCP arm (only 44% sucessful mobilisations after MCP, 93% after CHOP; p=0.0003), from July 1998 all younger patients were asssigned to the CHOP arm. 86% complete and partial remissions (18% CR) were observed in the CHOP arm, whereas after MCP an overall response rate of 77% was obtained (14% CR, p=0.0094). In subgroup analysis similar improvement of remission rates were detected in follicular lymphoma (91% vs 82%, p=0.026) and mantle cell lymphomas (87% vs 73%, p=0.080). No differences, were observed, however, between both regimens for progression-free survival in both lymphoma subtypes. Overall survival was comparable for FL in both study arms (74% vs 69% at five years, p=0.29). In MCL, overall survival was slightly higher in the CHOP arm (5y OS: 57% vs. 31%; p=0.0578), but this difference was mostly due to unbalanced patient characteristics (IPI). In conclusion, CHOP appears superior to MCP in achieving a higher initial response rate but has no long term impact on response duration or overall survival.

2005 ◽  
Vol 23 (9) ◽  
pp. 1984-1992 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georg Lenz ◽  
Martin Dreyling ◽  
Eva Hoster ◽  
Bernhard Wörmann ◽  
Ulrich Dührsen ◽  
...  

Purpose Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is characterized by a poor prognosis with a low to moderate sensitivity to chemotherapy and a median survival of only 3 to 4 years. In an attempt to improve outcome, the German Low Grade Lymphoma Study Group (GLSG) initiated a randomized trial comparing the combination of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) and rituximab (R-CHOP) with CHOP alone as first-line therapy for advanced-stage MCL. Patients and Methods One hundred twenty-two previously untreated patients with advanced-stage MCL were randomly assigned to six cycles of CHOP (n = 60) or R-CHOP (n = 62). Patients up to 65 years of age achieving a partial or complete remission underwent a second randomization to either myeloablative radiochemotherapy followed by autologous stem-cell transplantation or interferon alfa maintenance (IFNα). All patients older than 65 years received IFNα maintenance. Results R-CHOP was significantly superior to CHOP in terms of overall response rate (94% v 75%; P = .0054), complete remission rate (34% v 7%; P = .00024), and time to treatment failure (TTF; median, 21 v 14 months; P = .0131). No differences were observed for progression-free survival. Toxicity was acceptable, with no major differences between the two therapeutic groups. Conclusion The combined immunochemotherapy with R-CHOP resulted in a significantly higher response rate and a prolongation of the TTF as compared with chemotherapy alone. Hence, R-CHOP may serve as a new baseline regimen for advanced stage MCL, but needs to be further improved by novel strategies in remission.


Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 880-880 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Hoster ◽  
Bernd Metzner ◽  
Roswitha Forstpointner ◽  
Michael Pfreundschuh ◽  
Lorenz Trümper ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 880 On behalf of the German Low-Grade Lymphoma Study Group (GLSG) and the European MCL Network Background: In younger patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) significantly prolonged response duration with a trend towards improved overall survival in a randomized trial of the European MCL Network (Dreyling et al., ASH 2008). A recently updated clinical trial of the German Low-Grade Lymphoma Study Group (GLSG) also reported a significantly prolonged response duration by the addition of Rituximab to first-line CHOP (Hoster et al., ASH 2008). By pooled analysis of these trials we investigated whether Rituximab and ASCT independently prolong response duration. Methods: The analysis included all advanced stage MCL patients of the trials “CHOP vs. MCP” (Nickenig et al., Cancer 2006), “CHOP vs. R-CHOP” (Lenz et al., JCO 2005) and European MCL trial 1 (Dreyling et al., Blood 2005) with complete or partial remission to either CHOP or R-CHOP first-line induction and randomization between ASCT and Interferon-α maintenance. Response duration was defined as time from the end of successful induction chemotherapy to relapse or death from any cause, overall survival from the end of successful induction chemotherapy to death from any cause. Stratified Kaplan-Meier curves for response duration and overall survival were calculated for the four treatment groups (CHOP without ASCT, CHOP with ASCT, R-CHOP without ASCT and R-CHOP with ASCT). By multiple Cox regression we tested whether the impact of Rituximab (R) and ASCT was independent and additive. Results: One-hundred and eighty patients with MCL were evaluable, 80 treated with R-CHOP, 78 with ASCT (CHOP without ASCT: 56, CHOP with ASCT: 46, R-CHOP without ASCT: 44 and R-CHOP with ASCT: 34). Median age was 55 years (range 34-65), the MIPI classified 71% as low risk, 22% as intermediate risk, and 6% as high risk, and baseline characteristics were comparable between treatment groups. With a median follow-up of 63 months, median response duration was 16 months after CHOP without ASCT, 26 months after R-CHOP without ASCT, 39 months after CHOP with ASCT, and 41 months after R-CHOP with ASCT. In multiple Cox regression including R and ASCT, the hazard ratios of R (0.60, 95% CI 0.42-0.86, p = 0.0056) and ASCT (0.50, 95% CI 0.35-0.70, p = 0.0001) were independently significant. There was no interaction between R and ASCT (p=0.43). Median overall survival was 54 months after CHOP without ASCT, 66 months after R-CHOP without ASCT, 90 months after CHOP with ASCT, and not reached after R-CHOP with ASCT. The hazard ratios for OS were 0.70 (95% CI 0.44-1.12, p = 0.14) for R and 0.63 (95% CI 0.41-0.97, p = 0.0379) for ASCT. Conclusions: Our results indicate an additive effect of ASCT and Rituximab in combination with CHOP on response duration in advanced stage MCL patients and support strategies of several study groups to combine Rituximab-containing induction therapies with ASCT in younger MCL patients. However, even after combined treatment approaches, delayed relapses have been observed, supporting the use of maintenance therapy and the introduction of molecular targeted therapeutical strategies. Disclosures: Hoster: Roche: Travel Support. Off Label Use: Rituximab in Mantle Cell Lymphoma. Pfreundschuh:Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Dührsen:Roche: Honoraria, Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding. Gisselbrecht:Roche: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Unterhalt:Roche: Travel Support. Dreyling:Roche: Honoraria, Research Funding.


2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 511-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annina Herrmann ◽  
Eva Hoster ◽  
Thomas Zwingers ◽  
Günter Brittinger ◽  
Marianne Engelhard ◽  
...  

Purpose Mantle cell lymphomas (MCLs) represent a clinically aggressive lymphoma subtype with a poor prognosis. To explore a potential progress in outcome a historical comparison was performed using data from the Kiel Lymphoma Study Group (KLSG; 1975 to 1986) and the German Low Grade Lymphoma Study Group (GLSG; 1996 to 2004). Patients and Methods All patients with the histologically confirmed diagnosis of advanced-stage nonblastoid MCL were eligible. To minimize the potential heterogeneity of different risk profiles frequency matching was pursued. In addition, we adjusted for potential confounding variables by multiple Cox regression. Results A total of 520 patients were assessable, 150 from KLSG and 370 from GLSG studies. The median overall survival was 2.7 years for KLSG patients as compared with 4.8 years for GLSG patients (P < .0001). The 5-year survival rates were 22% in the KLSG group (95% CI, 13% to 31%) as compared with 47% for GLSG treated patients (95% CI, 38% to 55%). The hazard ratio adjusted for performance status, lactate dehydrogenase, and age was 0.44 for GLSG patients (95% CI, 0.32 to 0.59). Conclusion Median overall survival of patients with advanced nonblastoid MCL almost doubled during the past 30 years. Potential reasons for this apparent improvement in overall survival include the application of anthracycline-containing regimens and new approaches, such as antilymphoma antibodies or stem cell transplantation. Advances in general supportive care, new diagnostic tools, and general improvement of life span might have also reinforced this effect. However, our results are questioning the validity of historical comparisons which had been frequently applied in previous trials.


Blood ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 124 (21) ◽  
pp. 1752-1752 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Hoster ◽  
Michael Unterhalt ◽  
Michael Pfreundschuh ◽  
Michael Hallek ◽  
Roswitha Forstpointner ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction: Immunochemotherapy has become the standard of care for patients with mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL) (Dreyling et al., ESMO recommendation for MCL, 2013). Previously, the German Low-Grade Lymphoma Study Group (GLSG) has shown in a randomized trial (GLSG2000) that the addition of rituximab to CHOP improves response rates in untreated advanced stage MCL patients (Lenz et al., JCO 2005). However, the trial was not powered to detect survival differences. Since 1996, patients with MCL have been included in the two consecutive randomized trials GLSG1996 (CHOP vs. MCP, Nickenig et al., Cancer 2006) and GLSG2000. Based on the mature pooled data of these trials we now aimed to compare the long-term clinical outcome of MCL patients treated with CHOP with or without rituximab. Methods: Induction treatment consisted of 4-6 cycles of MCP, CHOP, or R-CHOP. Patients younger than 66 years were subsequently randomized to either myeloablative consolidation and autologous stem cell transplantation, or interferon-alpha maintenance in the first European MCL Trial (Dreyling et al., Blood 2005), whereas older patients were designated to interferon-alpha maintenance. In 1998, randomization between CHOP and MCP (GLSG1996) was stopped due to superior response rates and more effective stem cell mobilization after CHOP, and all subsequently recruited patients were assigned to CHOP. Similarly, in 2002, randomization between CHOP and R-CHOP (GLSG2000) was stopped because of superior response rates after R-CHOP, and all subsequently recruited patients were assigned to R-CHOP. For the current evaluation, we included MCL patients prospectively assigned to either CHOP (GLSG1996 or GLSG2000) or R-CHOP (GLSG2000). We performed an intention-to-treat analysis comparing failure-free (failure: stable disease, progression, or death from any cause) and overall survival (OS) of patients prospectively assigned to R-CHOP versus CHOP, adjusting for potential imbalances in clinical risk profile based on the MIPI score (Hoster et al., JCO 2014). Results: From 1996 to 2004, 386 MCL patients have been prospectively assigned to R-CHOP (185) or CHOP (201). Clinical characteristics were comparable with median age 62 vs. 61 years for R-CHOP vs. CHOP groups, and 40% vs. 42% low risk, 38% vs. 36% intermediate risk, and 22% vs. 21% high risk MIPI. The R-CHOP group showed higher overall response (91% vs. 80%) and complete remission rates (25% vs. 15%). Median failure-free survival was 2.1 compared to 1.4 years (Figure 1, left panel) with adjusted hazard ratio 0.62 (95% CI 0.50-0.78, p<0.0001). After a median follow-up of 9.6 years, median OS was 5.9 vs. 4.8 years with adjusted hazard ratio 0.73 (95% CI 0.57-0.94, p=0.0166) and 5-year OS rates of 57% vs. 48% (Figure 1, right panel), confirming the randomized comparison (5-year OS rates, 59% vs. 47%, adjusted hazard ratio 0.74, 95% CI 0.50-1.09). OS curves of CHOP patients in GLSG1996 or GLSG2000 were overlapping as well as OS curves of patients with randomization or fixed assignment to R-CHOP in GLSG2000. Conclusions: After longer follow-up, pooled data of prospective GLSG trials showed prolonged survival by the addition of rituximab to CHOP induction in previously untreated MCL patients. Our results confirm the recommendation for immunochemotherapy as standard treatment for MCL. Compared to previous observations, clinical outcome for MCL patients has improved; however, further improvement by the introduction of more potent chemotherapy (e.g. high-dose cytarabine) or new targeted approaches is urgently warranted. Figure 1: Failure-free (left) and overall survival (right) of patients prospectively assigned to R-CHOP or CHOP in GLSG1996 or GLSG2000 trials Figure 1:. Failure-free (left) and overall survival (right) of patients prospectively assigned to R-CHOP or CHOP in GLSG1996 or GLSG2000 trials Figure 2 Figure 2. Disclosures Hoster: Roche: Travel Support Other. Off Label Use: Rituximab in mantle-cell lymphoma. Unterhalt:Roche: Travel Support Other. Hallek:Roche: Consultancy, Research Funding. Klapper:Roche: Research Funding. Dreyling:Roche: Honoraria, Research Funding. Hiddemann:Roche: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding.


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