scholarly journals Randomized Phase II Study of First-Line Cladribine With Concurrent or Delayed Rituximab in Patients With Hairy Cell Leukemia

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (14) ◽  
pp. 1527-1538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dai Chihara ◽  
Evgeny Arons ◽  
Maryalice Stetler-Stevenson ◽  
Constance M. Yuan ◽  
Hao-Wei Wang ◽  
...  

PURPOSE Single-agent purine analog, usually cladribine, has been the standard first-line therapy of hairy cell leukemia (HCL) for 30 years. High complete remission (CR) rates often include minimal residual disease (MRD), leading to relapse and repeated treatments. Rituximab can clear MRD, but long-term results are unknown and optimal timing of rituximab undefined. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients were randomly assigned to first-line cladribine 0.15 mg/kg intravenously days 1-5 with 8 weekly doses of rituximab 375 mg/m2 begun either day 1 (concurrent, CDAR) or ≥ 6 months later (delayed) after detection of MRD in blood. MRD tests included blood and bone marrow (BM) flow cytometry, and BM immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Sixty-eight patients with purine analog-naïve classic HCL were randomly assigned 1:1 to concurrent versus delayed arms. At 6 months after CDAR versus cladribine monotherapy, CR rates were 100% versus 88% ( P = .11), MRD-free CR rates 97% versus 24% ( P < .0001, primary end point), and blood MRD-free rates 100% versus 50% ( P < .0001), respectively. At 96 months median follow-up, 94% versus 12% remained MRD free. Compared with CDAR, delayed rituximab after cladribine achieved lower rate (67% of 21 evaluable patients; P = .0034) and durability ( P = .0081, hazard radio favoring CDAR, 0.094) of MRD-free CR. Nevertheless, 12 patients in the delayed arm remained MRD free when restaged 6-104 (median, 78) months after last delayed rituximab treatment. Compared with cladribine monotherapy, CDAR led to brief grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia (59% v 9%; P < .0001) and platelet transfusions without bleeding (35% v 0%; P = .0002), but higher neutrophil ( P = .017) and platelet ( P = .0015) counts at 4 weeks. CONCLUSION Achieving MRD-free CR of HCL after first-line cladribine is greatly enhanced by concurrent rituximab and less so by delayed rituximab. Longer follow-up will determine if MRD-free survival leads to less need for additional therapy or cure of HCL.

Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 119 (9) ◽  
pp. 1988-1991 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alina S. Gerrie ◽  
Leslie N. Zypchen ◽  
Joseph M. Connors

Abstract The purine analogs, pentostatin and cladribine, induce high remission rates when used as first-line monotherapy for hairy cell leukemia (HCL); however, patients continue to relapse. Re-treatment with the same or alternate purine analog produces lower response rates and a shorter duration of response. Fludarabine is another purine analog widely used in indolent lymphoid cancers, often in combination with rituximab, but there are few reports of its use in HCL. We identified 15 patients treated in British Columbia with fludarabine and rituximab (FR) from 2004 to 2010 for relapsed/refractory HCL after first-line cladribine (n = 3) or after multiple lines of therapy (n = 12). All patients with available response data responded to FR. With median follow-up of 35 months, 14 patients remain progression-free, whereas 1 patient has developed progressive leukemia and died. Five-year progression-free and overall survivals are 89% and 83%, respectively. FR is a safe and effective therapeutic option for relapsed/refractory HCL.


Hematology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 (1) ◽  
pp. 660-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Kreitman

Abstract Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a B-cell malignancy that in its classic form is exquisitely sensitive to single-agent purine analog therapy, but that is associated in many patients with late relapse and eventual purine analog resistance. Minimal residual disease, which is present in most patients achieving complete remission with purine analogs, retains Ags that are ideal for targeted therapy. Rituximab, which targets CD20, is active as a single agent, particularly if combined with purine analogs. Recombinant immunotoxins targeting either CD25 or CD22 and containing truncated Pseudomonas exotoxin have achieved major responses in relapsed/refractory HCL. Moxetumomab pasudotox in phase 1 testing achieved responses in 86% of such patients (complete in 46%) without dose limiting toxicity and often without MRD. Soluble CD22 has been used for improved detection and monitoring of HCL, particularly the poor-prognosis variant that lacks CD25. Ig rearrangements unique for each HCL patient have been cloned, sequenced, and followed by real-time quantitative PCR using sequence-specific reagents. Analysis of these rearrangements has identified an unmutated IGVH4-34–expressing poor-prognosis variant with immunophenotypic characteristics of either classic or variant HCL. The BRAF V600E mutation, reported in 50% of melanomas, is present in > 85% of HCL cases that are both classic and express rearrangements other than IGVH4-34, making HCL a potential target for specific inhibitors of BRAF V600E. Additional targets are being defined in both classic and variant HCL, which should improve both detection and therapy.


Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 2101-2101
Author(s):  
Monica Else ◽  
Claire E. Dearden ◽  
Estella Matutes ◽  
Ama Z S Rohatiner ◽  
Steve A N Johnson ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: In a previous review of hairy cell leukemia (HCL) patients we found no difference in efficacy between cladribine and pentostatin [Else et al, Cancer 104:2442- 8; 2005]. With longer follow-up (median 15.4 years since diagnosis) we aimed to find whether efficacy remained equivalent and whether factors associated with relapse could be identified retrospectively. Methods: We reviewed data retrospectively from 228 HCL patients, treated between 1986–2005 with either single-agent pentostatin (n=187) or cladribine (n=41), at a median of 15.4 (range 1–38) years from diagnosis. Results: Patient demographics were similar for both treatment groups, apart from a male:female ratio of 4.5:1 (pentostatin) versus 2:1 (cladribine) (p=0.02). No statistically significant differences were found between treatment groups after first-line therapy. Complete response (CR) rates were 82% (pentostatin) and 76% (cladribine). After a median followup since treatment of 13 years (pentostatin) and 9 years (cladribine), 43% of pentostatin and 37% of cladribine patients had relapsed. Relapse rates at 5, 10 and 15 years were 25%, 42% and 47% (pentostatin) and 35%, 44% and 44% (cladribine). Overall, patients who reached 5 years remission had only a 30% risk of relapsing by 15 years. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 10 years. After relapse (n=75) or non-response (n=5), 24 patients received single-agent pentostatin and 56 cladribine, with CR rates of 63% and 75% respectively (not significant). Eleven patients subsequently relapsed after pentostatin and 18 after cladribine. Ten years after second-line treatment the rate of relapse was 53% and 39% for the two agents respectively (not significant) and second-line PFS was marginally shorter after pentostatin than after cladribine (p=0.04). Relapse rates and PFS were no different between those switching treatment (n=51) and those re-treated with the same agent (n=29). There were 45 deaths altogether, of which only 8 were HCL-related. With non-HCL-related deaths censored, overall survival from first treatment was 95% (pentostatin) and 100% (cladribine) at both 10 and 15 years (not significant). Compared with all others, the 95 patients (42%) whose disease progressed (who failed to respond to treatment, relapsed, or died of HCL-related causes) were more likely to have haemoglobin &lt;10g/dl (p=0.01) and platelets &lt;100x109/l (p=0.002). The median first-line PFS of patients with haemoglobin &lt;10g/dl and/or platelets &lt;100x109/l was 8 years versus 16 years for all others (p&lt;0.001). Conclusions and Recommendations: The long-term outcome for HCL patients was similar, whether treated with pentostatin or cladribine. The risk of dying of HCL-related causes was less than 5% and, among those surviving 15 years after treatment, 52% had still not relapsed. As in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia Binet stage C, patients with a low haemoglobin and/or platelet count appeared to fare worse. Further research will elucidate the factors underlying this difference in long-term prognosis. The outcome for relapsed patients may improve with the combination of either pentostatin or cladribine with the monoclonal antibody rituximab (Else et al, Cancer 110:2240–7; 2007).


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 7003-7003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dai Chihara ◽  
Evgeny Arons ◽  
Maryalice Stetler-Stevenson ◽  
Constance Yuan ◽  
Hong Zhou ◽  
...  

7003 Background: Single-agent purine analog therapy, usually cladribine, has been the standard 1st-line therapy of hairy cell leukemia (HCL) for ~30 years. Relapse is attributed to minimal residual disease (MRD) persisting despite complete remission (CR). Rituximab can clear MRD, but there are no long-term data for how frequently and for how long this happens, or even how frequently MRD remains after cladribine. We therefore conducted a randomized phase II trial of 1st-line cladribine with concurrent vs delayed rituximab. Methods: The primary endpoint was to determine if 8 weekly doses of rituximab (375 mg/m2 iv) begun the same day as 5 daily doses of cladribine (0.15 mg/kg iv) reduce HCL MRD 6 months later compared to cladribine alone. Secondary endpoints included testing delayed rituximab, 8 weekly doses beginning if/when MRD is detected in blood (or if HCL-related cytopenias persist preventing consideration of CR) ≥ 6 months after cladribine. Both groups could receive a 2nd course of rituximab if the same situation recurred ≥ 6 months after starting the 1st course of rituximab. MRD was assessed in blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) using flow cytometry (FC), consensus PCR, and immunohistochemistry. Results: Sixty-eight patients were randomized 1:1 to concurrent vs delayed arms. At 6 months after cladribine, 97% concurrent vs 24% delayed (p < 0.0001) patients were MRD-free by all tests. 100% concurrent vs 41% delayed patients were MRD-free by all tests except BMA FC (p < 0.0001). At a median follow-up of 87.3 months, delayed rituximab was required by 1 concurrent patient vs 27 courses in 21 delayed patients. MRD-free survival after 1st rituximab was not reached for 34 patients after concurrent rituximab, with 32 still MRD-free after a median of 72 months (94% MRD-free survival), compared to median MRD-free survival 60.1 months after delayed rituximab, with 10 (48%) of 21 remaining MRD-free (p < 0.0001, hazard ratio for concurrent rituximab 0.09). Conclusions: Achievement of MRD-free CR after 1st line cladribine for HCL is greatly enhanced by concurrent rituximab. Use of delayed rather than concurrent rituximab could achieve MRD-free CR but durability was clearly inferior to concurrent rituximab. Longer follow-up will determine if MRD-free survival leads to cures of HCL, increased CR duration, and/or less need for additional therapy. Clinical trial information: NCT00923013.


Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 1536-1536
Author(s):  
Dai Chihara ◽  
Evgeny Arons ◽  
Maryalice Stetler-Stevenson ◽  
Constance M. Yuan ◽  
Hao-Wei Wang ◽  
...  

Background Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) variant (HCLv) is considered a separate, more aggressive entity compared to classic HCL. HCLv responds poorly to single-agent purine analog with complete response (CR) rates below 10% and overall response rates under 50%. Rituximab combined with purine-analog can improve response rate and duration, but long-term data have not been reported for HCLv, particularly regarding minimal residual disease (MRD). We therefore update the results of a phase II trial with cladribine and concurrent rituximab in patients with HCLv, previously reported for 10 of the 20 patients enrolled. Methods Patients with HCLv with 0 to 1 prior courses of cladribine, and/or 0-1 prior courses of rituximab, received cladribine (0.15 mg/kg days 1-5), with 8 weekly doses of rituximab (375 mg/m2) beginning day 1. The primary endpoint was to determine CR rate and secondary endpoints included evaluating minimal residual disease (MRD) by blood and bone marrow aspirate flow cytometry, and bone marrow biopsy immunohistochemistry. Patients were able to receive a 2nd course of rituximab ≥ 6 months after the first, if and when MRD was detected in blood. Results Twenty patients were enrolled. Median age was 67 (range: 42-86) years. No patients had prior concurrent cladribine-rituximab. Eight were previously untreated, 1 had only splenectomy, 6 had prior cladribine, 1 had prior cladribine and splenectomy, 1 had prior rituximab, 1 had prior rituximab and splenectomy, 1 had cladribine, rituximab, and splenectomy, and 1 had combination rituximab-containing chemotherapy followed by cladribine. Out of 20 patients receiving concurrent cladribine-rituximab (CDAR), the CR rate was 95% (95% CI: 75-100%). This CR rate was superior to a historical control group of 3 of 39 HCLv patients who achieved CR to cladribine alone (p&lt;0.0001). Sixteen (80%, 95% CI: 56-94%) of 20 patients became MRD-free at 6 months; median duration of MRD-free CR was 72.0 months, with 9 of 16 still MRD-free at 5-108 (median 29.1) months. With median potential follow up of 88 months (range: 7-123 months), 10 patients received delayed rituximab and 4 re-achieved MRD-free CR. Six patients required alternative treatment and 6 patients died, 5 with HCLv including 1 with HCLv limiting treatment for lung cancer, and 1 with Parkinson's disease but still MRD-free. Time from progression of HCLv to death was 5.9-30.0 (median 28.1) months. Achieving MRD-free CR by 6 months after CDAR (16 vs 4 patients) was important for median progression free survival [PFS, unreached vs 17.4 mo, hazard ratio (HR) 0.031, 95% CI 0.003-0.29, p&lt;0.0001] and overall survival (OS, unreached vs 38.2 months, HR infinite since all 4 MRD+ deaths were prior to deaths of 2 patients who achieved MRD-free CR, p&lt;0.0001). A significant relationship between prior purine analog therapy or unmutated IGHV4-34 (n=7) status and either PFS or OS has not yet been observed. Conclusion Concurrent cladribine with rituximab is highly effective in HCLv irrespective of prior purine-analog treatment or IGHV4-34 status and should replace purine analog monotherapy as treatment. Patients with long-term MRD-free CR are being followed to determine whether concurrent cladribine-rituximab as 1st-3rd line systemic therapy can permanently eradicate HCLv. Patients who progress have limited OS. This provides a rationale for the testing of higher intensity approaches up front and the identification of additional treatment options for HCLv. Disclosures Kreitman: Genentech: Research Funding. OffLabel Disclosure: Rituximab for hairy cell leukemia


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Kreitman ◽  
◽  
Claire Dearden ◽  
Pier Luigi Zinzani ◽  
Julio Delgado ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Moxetumomab pasudotox is a recombinant CD22-targeting immunotoxin. Here, we present the long-term follow-up analysis of the pivotal, multicenter, open-label trial (NCT01829711) of moxetumomab pasudotox in patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) hairy cell leukemia (HCL). Methods Eligible patients had received ≥ 2 prior systemic therapies, including ≥ 2 purine nucleoside analogs (PNAs), or ≥ 1 PNA followed by rituximab or a BRAF inhibitor. Patients received 40 µg/kg moxetumomab pasudotox intravenously on Days 1, 3, and 5 of each 28-day cycle for up to six cycles. Disease response and minimal residual disease (MRD) status were determined by blinded independent central review. The primary endpoint was durable complete response (CR), defined as achieving CR with hematologic remission (HR, blood counts for CR) lasting > 180 days. Results Eighty adult patients were treated with moxetumomab pasudotox and 63% completed six cycles. Patients had received a median of three lines of prior systemic therapy; 49% were PNA-refractory, and 38% were unfit for PNA retreatment. At a median follow-up of 24.6 months, the durable CR rate (CR with HR > 180 days) was 36% (29 patients; 95% confidence interval: 26–48%); CR with HR ≥ 360 days was 33%, and overall CR was 41%. Twenty-seven complete responders (82%) were MRD-negative (34% of all patients). CR lasting ≥ 60 months was 61%, and the median progression-free survival without the loss of HR was 71.7 months. Hemolytic uremic and capillary leak syndromes were each reported in ≤ 10% of patients, and ≤ 5% had grade 3–4 events; these events were generally reversible. No treatment-related deaths were reported. Conclusions Moxetumomab pasudotox resulted in a high rate of durable responses and MRD negativity in heavily pre-treated patients with HCL, with a manageable safety profile. Thus, it represents a new and viable treatment option for patients with R/R HCL, who currently lack adequate therapy. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01829711; first submitted: April 9, 2013. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01829711


Blood ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 87 (4) ◽  
pp. 1556-1560 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Wheaton ◽  
MS Tallman ◽  
D Hakimian ◽  
L Peterson

Minimal residual disease (MRD) can be detected in bone marrow core biopsies of patients with hairy cell leukemia (HCL) after treatment with 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CdA) using immunohistochemical (IHC) techniques. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the presence of MRD predicts bone marrow relapse. We studied paraffin- embedded bone marrow core biopsies from 39 patients with HCL in complete remission (CR) 3 months after a single cycle of 2-CdA. Biopsies performed 3 months posttherapy and annually thereafter were examined by routine hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and IHC using the monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) anti-CD45RO, anti-CD20, and DBA.44. At 3 months after therapy, 5 of 39 (13%) patients had MRD detectable by IHC that was not evident by routine H&E staining. Two of the five patients (40%) with MRD at 3 months have relapsed, whereas only 2 of 27 (7%) patients with no MRD and at least 1 year of follow up relapsed (P = .11). Over the 3-year follow-up period, two additional patients developed MRD. Overall, three of six (50%) patients with MRD detected at any time after therapy have relapsed, whereas only 1 of 25 (4%) patients without MRD has relapsed (P = .016). These data suggest that the presence of MRD after treatment with 2-CdA may predict relapse.


Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (21) ◽  
pp. 3909-3909
Author(s):  
Robert J. Kreitman ◽  
Maryalice Stetler-Stevenson ◽  
Wyndham H. Wilson ◽  
Sapolsky Jeffrey ◽  
Laura Roth ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 3909 Background: Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is highly sensitive to purine analogs cladribine (CdA) and pentostatin (DCF), but patients who relapse have decreasing remission rates with each course and can eventually become purine analog-refractory. Bendamustine and rituximab (BR) have been reported as effective with acceptable toxicity in several B-cell malignancies, particularly B-cell lymphomas and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The structure of bendamustine contains an alkylating group and also part of cladribine, suggesting it might be useful in HCL. In one case report, bendamustine achieved a transient partial response in a patient with relapsed/refractory HCL, but its activity in other patients with this disease is not reported. The combination of DCF and rituximab (DCFR) is reported to achieve high complete remission (CR) rates in HCL in retrospective series, but prospective phase II trials of this combination have not been reported. Methods: To determine the activity of BR relative to DCFR in HCL, a randomized trial was undertaken in multiply relapsed HCL comparing the 2 regimens in which each arm could constitute a prospective phase II trial, with 2-way crossover for lack of response to or relapse from the originally assigned regimen. The primary endpoint is an overall response rate of 65% for each arm and the 2 arms will be compared with respect to response and other secondary endpoints including toxicity, response duration, and eradication of minimal residual disease (MRD). Patients received 6 cycles at 4-week intervals of rituximab 375 mg/m2 days 1 and 15 with either pentostatin at 4 mg/m2 days 1 and 15, or bendamustine days 1 and 2. To test the tolerability of bendamustine prior to randomizing 56 patients between the 2 arms, 12 non-randomized patients received BR using 70 (n=6) or 90 (n=6) mg/m2/dose of bendamustine. Doses of all agents could be delayed but not reduced. Results: A total of 20 patients are so far enrolled and the 12 patients receiving the 2 dose levels of BR are evaluable for response and toxicity. Patients had 1–6 (median 3) prior courses of purine analog and 8 (67%) had prior rituximab. All toxicity was reversible and only 1 patient at 90 mg/m2 required >2-week delay due to prolonged neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. However, this delay was only between cycles 1 and 2 and not between subsequent cycles after responding to BR. Of the 36 cycles of BR administered to each group of 6 patients on the 2 dose levels of bendamustine, 90 vs 70 mg/m2/dose, common grade 3–4 toxicities included lymphopenia (28 vs 22%), leukopenia (19 vs 17%), and thrombocytopenia (14 vs 17%). Febrile neutropenia requiring hospitalization occurred just once in 3 patients at 90 vs 0 patients at 70 mg/m2/dose. Major response was achieved in 10 (83%) of 12 patients. CR was achieved in 3 (50%) of 6 patients at each dose level, while 2 (33%) at 70 and 3 (50%) at 90 mg/m2 achieved clearance of MRD at all sites including bone marrow aspirate by flow cytometry. No patient in CR has relapsed after 8–14 (median 11) months of follow-up. Of 4 patients evaluable by clone-specific real-time PCR, previously reported sensitive to 1 HCL cell in 106 normal, 3 patients at 90 mg/m2/dose were negative. Conclusions: BR can achieve responses including CRs in multiply relapsed HCL, and its safety profile permits comparison of BR with DCFR using the more common dose level of bendamustine, 90 mg/m2 days 1 and 2. Additional patients and follow-up will be required to access durability of response and long-term eradication of MRD, and to compare BR with DCFR (Supported in part by NCI, intramural research program, NIH, Genentech, Inc, and Cephalon, Inc). Disclosures: Kreitman: Cephalon: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding. Off Label Use: Use of bendamustine and rituximab for HCL. Arons:Genentech: Research Funding.


2006 ◽  
Vol 130 (3) ◽  
pp. 374-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulette Mhawech-Fauceglia ◽  
Martin Oberholzer ◽  
Senait Aschenafi ◽  
Audrey Baur ◽  
Michael Kurrer ◽  
...  

Abstract Context.—Minimal residual disease (MRD) in patients treated for hairy cell (HC) leukemia as assessed by immunohistochemistry has not been included routinely in evaluation of treatment results. Objective.—To assess the presence of persistent HCs after treatment, as detected by immunohistochemistry, and to evaluate the correlation between the level of MRD and clinical outcome. Design.—Percentages of DBA.44-positive HCs were assessed on 116 biopsy specimens from 17 patients. The patients had a median follow-up of 55.4 months. Results.—Minimal residual disease was seen in 3 patterns. Group 1 (7 patients) had MRD levels ranging from “rare scattered suspicious HCs” to less than 1%. The MRD levels were stable throughout follow-up, and all patients remained in complete remission. Group 2 (6 patients) had MRD levels ranging from 1% to 5%, and 3 patients were in complete remission at 77.9, 63.8, and 108.0 months. Another patient showed evidence of disease activity (partial remission) at 47.6 months. Two other patients relapsed at 12.3 months and at 25.7 months, respectively, with greater than 1% HCs. Group 3 (4 patients) had MRD levels greater than 5%. Three patients relapsed at 11.3, 12.1, and 29.6 months, respectively, with greater than 5% HCs. The fourth patient had MRD levels of 5% at 14.6 months and 2% at 20.0 months but was subsequently lost to follow-up. Conclusions.—Quantitative assessment of MRD may be of value in identifying patients at risk for relapse of hairy cell leukemia.


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