Primary refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma: outcome after high-dose chemotherapy and autologous SCT and impact of various prognostic factors on overall and event-free survival. A single institution result of 66 patients

Impact of risk factors and long term survival analysis of patients with primary refractory Hodgkin lymphoma who underwent high dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant

BACKGROUND

Patients with primary refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (ref-HL) can still be salvaged with high dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous stem cell transplantation (auto-SCT). Outcome of patients with ref-HL is poorer than those with relapsed HL, but most studies have included patients with both relapsed and refractory diseases, and separate analyses or studies on patients with ref-HL are limited.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of HDC auto-SCT and impact of various prognostic factors on patients with ref-HL both at the time of primary treatment failure and also on subsequent survival at the time of failure post HDC auto-SCT.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a retrospective, single-institution, cohort analysis using HDC and auto-SCT database, approved by the Institutional Research Advisory Counsel and Ethics Committee for identifying patients. We used Fine and Gray competing risk analysis method, regression model for outcome analysis and Kaplan-Meier method (KM) for survival.

RESULTS

Two hundred consecutive ref-HL patients underwent HDC auto-SCT between 1996 to 2019. Median age was 22.75 years, median follow-up 106 months. Post auto-SCT, disease status was complete remission (CR), partial remission, and progressive disease in 122 (61%), 22 (11%), and 47 (23.5%) patients, respectively. KM median progression-free survival (PFS) after auto-SCT was 43.9 months (5:10 years, 49.3%:45.5%). Median overall survival (OS) was 168.6 months (5:10 years, 61.2%:56.2%). Eighty-five patients (44.5%) died - 69 (34.5%) due to disease. For both PFS and OS, multivariate analysis identified similar adverse factors. For PFS, stage III-IV at relapse (HR=1.65, P=0.045), mediastinal involvement (HR=2.01, P=0.009), and no CR after salvage chemotherapy (HR=2.2, P=0.001) as adverse factors. PFS with 0-1 (not reached), 2 (40.8), 3 adverse factors (5.4 months) were significant (p<0.001). For OS, stage III-IV at relapse (HR=1.68, P=0.045), mediastinal involvement (HR=2.52, P=0.007), and no CR after salvage chemotherapy (HR=2.15, P=0.004) were significant. OS with 0-1 (not reached), 2 (148.5) 3 adverse factors (34.4 months) were significant (p<0.001). Median OS after auto-SCT failure was 23.6 months; patients received post auto-SCT brentuximab/second SCT (not reached), other treatments (22.5 months), and supportive care (8.4) (p<0.001). OS with five risk factors, present at HDC auto-SCT failure, (stage III-IV, failure <12 months, tumor >5 cm, B-symptoms, low albumin) showed that 0-1:2:3-5 risk factors had 152:30.9:9.45 months OS (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Ref-HL patients have encouraging survival after HDC auto-SCT and can even be salvaged after auto-SCT failure. Based on prognostic factors, survival prediction is possible. Patients who fail to respond to HDC auto-SCT may benefit from newer treatments strategies and may qualify for enrollment in clinical trials.

Outcome analysis of high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation in adolescent and young adults with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma

High-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous stem cell transplantation (auto-SCT) can salvage many patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). We are reporting the outcome of HDC auto-SCT and the impact of 21 prognostic factors in relapsed and refractory adolescent (14-21 years) and young adult (>21-30 years) (AYA) HL patients. We used Fine and Gray's competing risk analysis method and regression model for outcome analysis. From 1996 to 2013, 290 consecutive patients with biopsy-proven HL underwent HDC auto-SCT for relapsed/refractory HL; 216 patients (74.5 %) were AYA at the time of auto-SCT. Male/female were equal, median age at auto-SCT was 22.4 years, and there were 94 adolescent (43.5 %) and 122 young adults (56.5 %). There was refractory disease in 121 (56 %) patients, relapsed in 95 (44 %). Median follow-up was 72.6 months. The Kaplan-Meier method estimated that 5-year overall survival is 62.7 % (adolescents (63.5 %), young adults (62 %)) and event-free survival was 51.3 %. Five-year cumulative incidence of disease-specific death (DS-death) is 33 % and that of DS-event is 45 %. For DS-death, the multivariate analysis identified complete remission (CR) duration of <12 months (hazard ratio (HR) 3.61, P = 0.0009), no CR after salvage (HR: 3.93, P = 0.0002), and nodular sclerosis pathology (HR 3.3, P = 0.016) and positive B symptoms (HR 2, P = 0.028) as negative factors. For DS-event, CR duration of <12 months (HR 1.88, P = 0.02), no CR after salvage (HR 3.47, P = 0.000005) and nodular sclerosis pathology (HR 1.88, P = 0.02) were found significant. The Kaplan-Meier method estimated overall survival (OS) at 36 months with 0-2:3:4 factors being 93.6:54:21 %, respectively (P value <0.001). Kaplan-Meier estimated event-free survival (EFS) at 36 months with 0-1:2:3 factors being 84.6:65:31 %, respectively (P value <0.001). Clinically, adolescents have similar outcomes as young adults.

Current role of autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation for relapsed and refractory hodgkin lymphoma

Classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) is a relatively rare disease, with approximately 9,200 estimated new cases and 1,200 estimated deaths per year in the United States. First-line chemo-radiotherapy leads to cure rates approaching 80% in patients with advanced-stage disease. However, 25 to 30% of these patients are not cured with chemotherapy alone (i.e., the ABVD regimen) and show either primary refractoriness to chemotherapy, early disease relapse or late disease relapse. Second-line salvage high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT) have an established role in the management of refractory/relapsed cHL, leading to durable responses in approximately 50% of relapsed patients and a minority of refractory patients. However, due to the poor responses to second-line salvage chemotherapy and dismal long-term disease control of primary refractory and early relapsed patients, their treatment represents an unmet medical need. Allogeneic SCT represents, by far, the only strategy with a curative potential for these patients; however, as discussed in this review, it’s role in cHL remains controversial. Despite a general consensus that early relapsed and primary refractory patients represent a clinical challenge requiring effective treatments to achieve long-term disease control, there has been no consensus on the optimal therapy that should be offered to these patients. This review will briefly discuss the clinical results and the main issues regarding autologous SCT as well as the current role of allogeneic SCT.

Stem cell transplantation in Hodgkin lymphoma

Patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) who relapse following effective front-line therapy are offered salvage second-line chemotherapy regimens followed by high-dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (HDT/ASCT). Randomized studies comparing HDT/ASCT with conventional chemotherapy in patients with relapsed refractory HL have shown significant improvement in progression-free survival and freedom from treatment failure but were not powered to show improvements in overall survival. For patients who relapse after salvage HDT/ASCT, novel therapies exist as a bridge to allogeneic SCT. In this article, we review indications and results of autologous and allogeneic SCT in HL.

Treatment outcome in children and adolescents with relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma--results of the UK HD3 relapse treatment strategy

The purpose of this national retrospective study was to evaluate the outcome in children with relapsed or primary refractory Hodgkin lymphoma [HL] after a primary chemotherapy alone treatment strategy. Between 2000 and 2005, 80 children with relapsed [n = 69] or primary refractory [n = 11] HL were treated on a standardized treatment protocol of 4-6 cycles of EPIC [etoposide, prednisolone, ifosfamide and cisplatin] chemotherapy. Radiotherapy was recommended to all relapsed sites. High dose therapy with stem cell rescue [SCT] was recommended for patients with poor response. The 5-year overall survival [OS] and progression-free survival from relapse was 75·8% [64·8-83·9] and 59·9% [48·3-69·7] respectively. Duration of first remission was strongly associated with OS; risk of death was decreased by 53% [Hazard ratio (HR): 0·47, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0·19-1·18] for those with a time from end of treatment to relapse of 3-12 months (compared to <3 months) and reduced by 80% (HR 0·20, 95% CI: 0·04-0·90) for those >12 months after end of treatment. Other poor prognostic factors included advanced stage disease at relapse and B symptoms at first diagnosis. The most important factor associated with salvage failure was time to relapse. Survival outcome in children with primary refractory HL is poor.

How I treat relapsed and refractory Hodgkin lymphoma

Relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma is a challenging problem for clinicians who treat hematologic malignancies. The standard management of these patients should include the use of salvage chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) in patients who are chemotherapy sensitive. Open issues in this area include the role of functional imaging, the specific chemotherapy regimen to be used before ASCT, and the role of consolidative radiotherapy. Some patients will not be eligible for ASCT, and alternative approaches with conventional chemotherapy alone or with salvage radiotherapy should be considered. Prognostic factors for relapsed/refractory disease have been identified but generally are not used as a part of risk-adapted therapy. Allogeneic transplantation may offer the potential of a graft-versus-lymphoma effect, but this therapy has significant toxicity and results in few long-term disease-free survivors; hence, it should only be offered in the context of disease-specific clinical trials. An expanding list of novel drugs has exhibited promising single-agent activity. Patients have effective options beyond primary therapy, and continued progress through controlled trials remains a tangible goal in the treatment of relapsed and refractory disease.

Different response to salvage chemotherapy but similar post-transplant outcomes in patients with relapsed and refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma

BACKGROUND

The use of high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem-cell transplantation in patients with relapsed Hodgkin's lymphoma is supported by two randomized clinical trials but its benefit in patients with primary refractory disease is less clear. Aiming to shed light on this issue, we analyzed and compared the outcomes of patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma treated with second-line chemotherapy and planned autologous stem-cell transplantation.

DESIGN AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed data on 157 consecutive patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma referred to our institution for consideration of autologous stem-cell transplantation between 1999 and 2006. Of those, 73 met the definition of having primary refractory disease, ie. progressive disease during first line chemotherapy or within 3 months of completion of the treatment. Those patients achieving complete remission, partial remission and stable disease with symptomatic improvement after two or three cycles of salvage chemotherapy proceeded to stem cell mobilization and autologous transplantation.

RESULTS

From first relapse/progression, the 3-year overall survival was 76% (95% CI: 66%-89%) for the refractory cohort and 91% (95% CI: 84%-98%) for the relapsed cohort (P=0.034); the overall response rate to second-line chemotherapy was 51% and 83% (P<0.0001), respectively. Three-year progression-free survival post-transplant was 49% in refractory patients and 67% in relapsed patients (P=0.21); overall survival was 75% and 91% (P=0.097), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Using the group with relapsed disease as a reference, we can conclude that the subset of patients with chemosensitive primary refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma do benefit from autologous stem-cell transplantation.

The serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor alpha and lactate dehydrogenase but not of B2-microglobulin correlate with selected clinico-pathological prognostic factors and response to therapy in childhood soft tissue sarcomas

PURPOSE

To establish the clinical utility of serum soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R alpha), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) [corrected] and B2-microglobulin [corrected] (B2-M) as markers for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment monitoring in childhood soft tissue sarcomas (STS).

METHODS

The markers[corrected] were measured prospectively before treatment, in complete remission (CR) during and after therapy and at relapse [corrected] in 35 children with STS and in 50 healthy children [corrected] (once).

RESULTS

Serum sIL-2R alpha and LDH [corrected] correlated with age thus they were [corrected] presented as multiplications [corrected] of the upper normal ranges [corrected] for age. Pre-treatment levels [corrected] of sIL-2R alpha and LDH [corrected] but not of B2-M exceeded significantly those of controls. [corrected] Elevated [corrected] sIL-2R alpha levels correlated with more [corrected] advanced stages, poor-risk histology and poor response to chemotherapy, higher LDH with incomplete primary tumour [corrected] resection and increased B2-M with poor-risk histology. [corrected] Patients' age >10 years, male gender and unfavourable tumour localisation were not accompanied by the markers' elevation. [corrected] None of the markers predicted EFS and OS. [corrected] Good response to chemotherapy was paralleled by significant decline of sIL-2R alpha and LDH pre-treatment levels while relapse--by sIL-2R alpha and LDH increase to values similar to those at diagnosis. [corrected] Monitoring of B2-M did not reflect the disease course. [corrected]

CONCLUSIONS

sIL-2R alpha and LDH were [corrected] proven to be promising markers [corrected] for diagnosis and treatment monitoring in children with STS. The markers [corrected] correlated also with some [corrected] important prognostic clinico-pathological factors for childhood [corrected] STS; however, they [corrected] failed to predict EFS and OS. Measurements of serum [corrected] B2-M were shown [corrected] to have no clinical value in the diagnostics, prognostics and treatment monitoring in paediatric STS.

Intermediate dose gemcitabine-cisplatin combination chemotherapy without treatment delay for cytopenia followed by autografting--a new standard of care in relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma?

Ten percent to 20% of patients with Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) are refractory to first-line therapy or relapse. Existing salvage regimens have response rates of 60-85%, considerable toxicity and frequent treatment delay or dose reduction. We report a gemcitabine, cisplatin, and dexamethasone regimen (GemCis) with intensive growth factor and platelet support and no treatment delay. Seventeen patients with relapsed or refractory biopsy proven HL were treated. Toxicity, transfusion requirement, stem cell harvesting and engraftment data were collected. Response assessment was by computed tomography and positron emission tomography. Overall and complete response rates were high (94% and 65%, respectively). There were no episodes of febrile neutropenia, treatment delays or hospital admissions. All 15 patients intended for autograft were successfully harvested. All engrafted successfully with a median time for the entire group to neutrophil engraftment of 14 days. With a median follow-up of 22 months, the median survival has not yet been reached, and the estimated 2-year survival is 88%. GemCis is a well-tolerated outpatient regimen for relapsed/ refractory Hodgkin lymphoma which does not inhibit stem cell mobilisation, gives excellent response rates and compares favourably with previously published salvage regimens using these or other chemotherapy agents.

High-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation for Hodgkin's lymphoma in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia: King Faisal specialist hospital and research center experience

We report our experience with high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous SCT (ASCT) in 66 patients out of 113 (113 patients out of 153 had complete analysis) with primary refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma (PR-HL) who received salvage chemotherapy followed by BEAM as HDC. Median age at ASCT was 23 years. Before salvage chemotherapy, stages I:II:III:IV were 2:21:14:29, bulky disease 27%, involvement of mediastinum 79%, spleen 26% and extranodal site 47%; 92% had ESHAP (etoposide, methylprednisolone, high-dose cytarabine, cisplatin) as salvage. Post-ASCT evaluation showed response in 50 patients (76%), complete response (CR) in 37 (56%), partial response in 14 (21%), no response or stable disease in three (5%) and progressive disease in 10 (15%) patients. Six patients achieved CR after XRT (5) or surgery (1), making a total with CR of 43 (65%). From diagnosis and HDC, median follow-up is 38.5 and 22.8 months and median overall survival 78 and 57 months, respectively. EFS and overall survival (OS) are 36 and 64%, respectively. In all 47% patients are in CR. Twenty-two (33%) patients died of the disease. Multivariate analysis showed elevated lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) for EFS (P=0.041) and mediastinal involvement for OS (P=0.038) as negative prognostic factors. In conclusion, EFS and OS are only 36 and 64%, respectively. Elevated LDH and mediastinal involvement are poor prognostic factors.

Allogeneic transplantation for Hodgkin lymphoma

The majority of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) can now expect to be cured with conventional chemo- and/or radio-therapy. However, a subgroup still exists that have poor outcomes, even following dose escalation and autologous stem cell transplantation. Furthermore, patients relapsing after autografting have limited therapeutic options available. Whilst the application of allogeneic transplantation strategies has historically been limited by prohibitive transplant-related mortality, the exploration of reduced intensity approaches has demonstrated the feasibility of delivering allogeneic immunotherapies with more acceptable mortality rates. Although its role remains controversial, we are beginning to re-evaluate the use of allogeneic transplantation in the management of patients with HL and to address a number of critical questions. These include whether a clinically relevant graft-versus-tumour response occurs in HL, and whether subgroups of patients who might benefit from allogeneic approaches can be identified in order to inform development of rational clinical studies. This review focuses on evaluating recent experience with reduced intensity allogeneic approaches in HL in order to inform opinion on its current role and to highlight areas for future investigation.