Medicine (St Vincent's) - Research Publications
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ItemDiagnosis, management and follow up of peripheral T-cell lymphomas: a consensus practice statement from the Australasian Lymphoma Alliance(WILEY, 2022-10)Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCL) represent a heterogeneous disease group accounting for 10% of non-Hodgkin lymphomas. PTCL patients have typically poorer outcomes compared with aggressive B-cell lymphomas. However, such outcomes are heavily dependent on subtype. Although anthracycline-based regimens such as cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone remain the standard first-line treatment for most aggressive PTCL, there are important variations including incorporation of novel agents, use of radiotherapy and judicious consideration of stem cell transplantation. Relapsed or refractory disease represents a significant area of unmet need where chemotherapy intensification has limited efficacy and novel agents such as brentuximab vedotin and pralatrexate provide additional opportunities for attainment of remission and potential stem cell transplant. In the future, pre-therapy prognostic biomarkers including genomic characterisation, may aid in risk stratification and help guide initial patient management to improve survival. There is an urgent need to understand better the pathogenesis of PTCL to facilitate novel drug combinatorial approaches to improve survival. This position statement represents an evidence-based synthesis of the literature for application in Australian and New Zealand practice.
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ItemIsatuximab Plus Pomalidomide/Low-Dose Dexamethasone Versus Pomalidomide/Low-Dose Dexamethasone in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma (ICARIA-MM): Characterization of Subsequent Antimyeloma Therapies(American Society of Hematology, 2022-11-15)Introduction: Based on the primary analysis of the Phase 3 ICARIA-MM study (NCT02990338), isatuximab (Isa), an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, is approved in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone (Pd) in several countries for patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) who have received at least 2 prior treatments, including lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor. Here, we describe updated, longer-term efficacy data following subsequent therapy. Methods: Patients were randomized 1:1 to Isa-Pd (n=154) or Pd (n=153), with stratification by age (<75 vs ≥75) and number of prior lines (2-3 versus more than >3). Isa 10 mg/kg was administered weekly for the first 4-week cycle and every 2 weeks thereafter. In each cycle, both treatment arms received pomalidomide 4 mg (days 1-21) and weekly dexamethasone 40 mg (days 1, 8, 15, and 22). Treatment was given until progressive disease, unacceptable adverse events, or patient choice. The final overall survival analysis was planned when 220 death events occurred. Results: As of March 14, 2022, 16 (10.4%) patients receiving Isa-Pd and 3 (2.0%) patients receiving Pd were still on treatment; 101 (65.6%) and 117 (76.5%) patients, respectively, discontinued treatment due to progressive disease. Median treatment duration was longer with Isa-Pd vs Pd (47.6 vs 24.0 weeks). After a median 52.4 months of follow-up, a clinically meaningful overall survival (OS) benefit was observed in favor of Isa-Pd vs Pd after 220 events (Jan 27, 2022; median: 24.6 vs 17.7 months; hazard ratio 0.776 [95% CI: 0.594-1.1015]; one-sided P=0.0319; significance level: P=0.02). Further antimyeloma treatment was given to 102 (66.2%) patients receiving Isa-Pd and 119 (77.8%) patients receiving Pd (regardless of the reason for treatment discontinuation in both arms), with a median of 2 and 1 further regimens, respectively. Of the patients receiving subsequent therapy, 22.5% (23/102) in the Isa-Pd arm and 59.7% (71/119) in the Pd arm received daratumumab. The most common further antimyeloma treatments for patients in the Isa-Pd arm were corticosteroids (n=88/102; 86.3%), alkylating agents (n=71/102; 69.6%), and proteasome inhibitors (n=70/102; 68.6%); the most common treatment received in the first subsequent line was a proteasome inhibitor (n=54/102; 52.9%). The most common further antimyeloma treatments for patients in the Pd arm were corticosteroids (n=94/119; 79.0%), monoclonal antibodies (n=75/119; 63.0%), and proteasome inhibitors (n=69/119; 58.0%); the most common treatment received in the first subsequent line was daratumumab (n=52/119; 43.7%). The overall response rate (ORR) for the first subsequent line of therapy was 28.8% (23/80) for the Isa-Pd arm and 35.3% (30/85) for the Pd arm. The ORR for patients receiving daratumumab-based regimens as the first subsequent line was 25.0% (2/8) for the Isa-Pd arm and 40.5% (17/42) for the Pd arm. The ORR for patients receiving daratumumab as monotherapy or with steroids in any subsequent line was 12.5% (1/8) for the Isa-Pd arm and 36.7% (11/30) for the Pd arm. The ORR for patients receiving daratumumab in combination with immunomodulatory agents, alkylating agents, or proteasome inhibitors in any subsequent line was 28.6% (4/14) for the Isa-Pd arm and 44.8% (13/29) for the Pd arm. Progression-free survival (PFS) on first subsequent line for patients receiving daratumumab was 2.2 months for the Isa-Pd arm and 5.7 months for the Pd arm. PFS on first subsequent line for patients receiving treatment excluding daratumumab was 4.6 months for the Isa-Pd arm and 5.2 months for the Pd arm. Conclusions: This analysis demonstrates that the majority of patients with RRMM require multiple lines of subsequent therapy, even after receiving a triplet combination that includes a monoclonal antibody. The immediate use of an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody with currently available combinations appears to be less effective in the Isa-Pd arm. The more frequent use of subsequent daratumumab in Pd (59.7%) compared with Isa-Pd (22.5%) may have affected the power to detect statistically significant OS given the sample size, as well as reflecting the efficacy of this approach in the management of RRMM.
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ItemImproving outcomes for patients with lymphoma: design and development of the Australian and New Zealand Lymphoma and Related Diseases Registry(BMC, 2022-10-10)BACKGROUND: Lymphoma is a malignancy of lymphocytes and lymphoid tissues comprising a heterogeneous group of diseases, with up to 80 entities now described. Lymphoma is the 6th most common cancer in Australia, affecting patients of all ages, with rising incidence rates. With the proliferation of efficacious novel agents, therapeutic strategies are increasingly diverse and survival is improving. There is a clear need for contemporary robust and detailed data on diagnostic, investigational and management strategies for this disease in Australia, New Zealand and worldwide, to inform and benchmark local and international standards of care. Clinical quality registries can provide these data, and support development of strategies to address variations in management, including serving as platforms for clinical trials and other research activities. The Lymphoma and Related Diseases Registry (LaRDR) was developed to capture details of patient demographics, disease characteristics, and management throughout their disease course and therapy and to develop outcome benchmarks nationally and internationally for lymphoma. This report describes the aims, development and implementation of the LaRDR, as well as challenges addressed in the process. METHODS: The LaRDR was established in 2016 as a multicentre, collaborative project at sites across Australia with a secure online database which collects prospective data on patients with a new diagnosis of lymphoma or chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). LaRDR development required multidisciplinary participation including specialist haematology, information technology, and biostatistical support, as well as secure funding. Here we describe the database development, data entry, ethics approval process, registry governance and support for participating sites and the coordinating centre. RESULTS: To date more than 5,300 patients have been enrolled from 28 sites in Australia and New Zealand. Multiple challenges arose during the development, which we describe, along with approaches used to overcome them. Several confirmed international collaborations are now in place, and the registry is providing valuable data for clinicians, researchers, industry and government, including through presentations of results at major national and international conferences. CONCLUSION: Challenges in establishing the LaRDR have been successfully overcome and the registry is now a valuable resource for lymphoma clinicians, researchers, health economists and others in Australia, New Zealand and globally.
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ItemEpigenetic Modifications in Lymphoma and Their Role in the Classification of Lymphomas(MDPI, 2022-03)The characterisation of the lymphoma epigenome has provided insight into mechanisms involved in lymphomagenesis. Multiple lymphoma subtypes demonstrate recurrent mutations in key epigenetic regulators that have been utilised to define clinicogenetic groups that can predict clinical behaviour in these heterogenous entities. The high frequency of mutations in epigenetic regulators provides rationale to incorporate these in the classification of some subtypes of lymphoma. In addition, their recurrent nature provides a rationale to target such mutations, or the relevant pathway, for treatment. In this review, we summarised the available literature on epigenetic dysregulation in lymphoma and how it has been utilised in diagnosis and classification.
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ItemAssociations between Smoking and Alcohol and Follicular Lymphoma Incidence and Survival: A Family-Based Case-Control Study in Australia(MDPI, 2022-06)The association between smoking and alcohol consumption and follicular lymphoma (FL) incidence and clinical outcome is uncertain. We conducted a population-based family case-control study (709 cases: 490 controls) in Australia. We assessed lifetime history of smoking and recent alcohol consumption and followed-up cases (median = 83 months). We examined associations with FL risk using unconditional logistic regression and with all-cause and FL-specific mortality of cases using Cox regression. FL risk was associated with ever smoking (OR = 1.38, 95%CI = 1.08−1.74), former smoking (OR = 1.36, 95%CI = 1.05−1.77), smoking initiation before age 17 (OR = 1.47, 95%CI = 1.06−2.05), the highest categories of cigarettes smoked per day (OR = 1.44, 95%CI = 1.04−2.01), smoking duration (OR = 1.53, 95%CI = 1.07−2.18) and pack-years (OR = 1.56, 95%CI = 1.10−2.22). For never smokers, FL risk increased for those exposed indoors to >2 smokers during childhood (OR = 1.84, 95%CI = 1.11−3.04). For cases, current smoking and the highest categories of smoking duration and lifetime cigarette exposure were associated with elevated all-cause mortality. The hazard ratio for current smoking and FL-specific mortality was 2.97 (95%CI = 0.91−9.72). We found no association between recent alcohol consumption and FL risk, all-cause or FL-specific mortality. Our study showed consistent evidence of an association between smoking and increased FL risk and possibly also FL-specific mortality. Strengthening anti-smoking policies and interventions may reduce the population burden of FL.
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ItemThe gamma delta lymphomas: an Australian multi-centre case series(AME Publishing Company, 2022-03-01)
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ItemNo Preview AvailableASTCT Clinical Practice Recommendations for Transplantation and Cellular Therapies in Multiple Myeloma(ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC, 2022-06)Over the past decade, therapeutic options in multiple myeloma (MM) have changed dramatically. Given the unprecedented efficacy of novel agents, the role of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) in MM remains under scrutiny. Rapid advances in myeloma immunotherapy including the recent approval of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy will impact the MM therapeutic landscape. The American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy convened an expert panel to formulate clinical practice recommendations for role, timing, and sequencing of autologous (auto-HCT), allogeneic (allo-HCT) and CAR T-cell therapy for patients with newly diagnosed (NDMM) and relapsed/refractory MM (RRMM). The RAND-modified Delphi method was used to generate consensus statements. Twenty consensus statements were generated. The panel endorsed continued use of auto-HCT consolidation for patients with NDMM as a standard-of-care option, whereas in the front line allo-HCT and CAR-T were not recommended outside the setting of clinical trial. For patients not undergoing auto-HCT upfront, the panel recommended its use in first relapse. Lenalidomide as a single agent was recommended for maintenance especially for standard risk patients. In the RRMM setting, the panel recommended the use of CAR-T in patients with 4 or more prior lines of therapy. The panel encouraged allo-HCT in RRMM setting only in the context of clinical trial. The panel found RAND-modified Delphi methodology effective in providing a formal framework for developing consensus recommendations for the timing and sequence of cellular therapies for MM.
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ItemAlcohol and tobacco use and risk of multiple myeloma: A case‐control study(Wiley, 2022-02)Abstract Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematological cancer and causes significant mortality and morbidity. Knowledge regarding modifiable risk factors for MM remains limited. This analysis of an Australian population‐based case–control family study investigates whether smoking or alcohol consumption is associated with risk of MM and related diseases. Incident cases (n = 789) of MM were recruited via cancer registries in Victoria and New South Wales. Controls (n = 1,113) were either family members of cases (n = 696) or controls recruited for a similarly designed study of renal cancers (n = 417). Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using unconditional multivariable logistic regression. Heavy intake (>20 g ethanol/day) of alcohol had a lower risk of MM compared with nondrinkers (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.50–0.93), and there was an inverse dose–response relationship for average daily alcohol intake (OR per 10 g ethanol per day = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.86–0.99); there was no evidence of an interaction with sex. There was no evidence of an association with MM risk for smoking‐related exposures (p > 0.18). The associations between smoking and alcohol with MM are similar to those with non‐Hodgkin lymphoma. Further research into potential underlying mechanisms is warranted.
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ItemRandomized phase 3 ALCANZA study of brentuximab vedotin vs physician's choice in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: final data(ELSEVIER, 2021-12-14)The primary analysis of the phase 3 ALCANZA trial showed significantly improved objective responses lasting ≥4 months (ORR4; primary endpoint) and progression-free survival (PFS) with brentuximab vedotin vs physician's choice (methotrexate or bexarotene) in CD30-expressing mycosis fungoides (MF) or primary cutaneous anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (C-ALCL). Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas often cause pruritus and pain; brentuximab vedotin improved skin symptom burden with no negative effects on quality of life. We report final data from ALCANZA (median follow-up, 45.9 months). Adults with previously treated CD30-expressing MF/C-ALCL were randomly assigned to brentuximab vedotin (n = 64) or physician's choice (n = 64). Final data demonstrated improved responses per independent review facility with brentuximab vedotin vs physician's choice: ORR4; 54.7% vs 12.5% (P < .001); complete response, 17.2% vs 1.6% (P = .002). Median PFS with brentuximab vedotin vs physician's choice was 16.7 months vs 3.5 months (P < .001). Median time to the next treatment was significantly longer with brentuximab vedotin than with physician's choice (14.2 vs 5.6 months; hazard ratio, 0.27; 95% confidence interval, 0.17-0.42; P < .001). Of 44 patients in the brentuximab vedotin arm who experienced any-grade peripheral neuropathy, (grade 3, n = 6; grade 4, n = 0), 86% (38 of 44) had complete resolution (26 of 44) or improvement to grades 1 and 2 (12 of 44). Peripheral neuropathy was ongoing in 18 patients (all grades 1-2). These final analyses confirm improved, clinically meaningful, durable responses and longer PFS with brentuximab vedotin vs physician's choice in CD30-expressing MF or C-ALCL. This trial was registered at https://www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01578499.
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ItemTreatment of early-stage mycosis fungoides: results from the PROspective Cutaneous Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (PROCLIPI) study(WILEY, 2021-04)BACKGROUND: The PROspective Cutaneous Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (PROCLIPI) study is a prospective analysis of an international database. Here we examine front-line treatments and quality of life (QoL) in patients with newly diagnosed mycosis fungoides (MF). OBJECTIVES: To identify (i) differences in first-line approaches according to tumour-nodes-metastasis-blood (TNMB) staging; (ii) parameters related to a first-line systemic approach and (iii) response rates and QoL measures. METHODS: In total, 395 newly diagnosed patients with early-stage MF (stage IA-IIA) were recruited from 41 centres in 17 countries between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2018 following central clinicopathological review. RESULTS: The most common first-line therapy was skin-directed therapy (SDT) (322 cases, 81·5%), while a smaller percentage (44 cases, 11·1%) received systemic therapy. Expectant observation was used in 7·3%. In univariate analysis, the use of systemic therapy was significantly associated with higher clinical stage (IA, 6%; IB, 14%; IIA, 20%; IA-IB vs. IIA, P < 0·001), presence of plaques (T1a/T2a, 5%; T1b/T2b, 17%; P < 0·001), higher modified Severity Weighted Assessment Tool (> 10, 15%; ≤ 10, 7%; P = 0·01) and folliculotropic MF (FMF) (24% vs. 12%, P = 0·001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated significant associations with the presence of plaques (T1b/T2b vs. T1a/T2a, odds ratio 3·07) and FMF (odds ratio 2·83). The overall response rate (ORR) to first-line SDT was 73%, while the ORR to first-line systemic treatments was lower (57%) (P = 0·027). Health-related QoL improved significantly both in patients with responsive disease and in those with stable disease. CONCLUSIONS: Disease characteristics such as presence of plaques and FMF influence physician treatment choices, and SDT was superior to systemic therapy even in patients with such disease characteristics. Consequently, future treatment guidelines for early-stage MF need to address these issues.