Disease Perception Is Correlated with Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients Suffering from Myelodysplastic Syndromes: Results of the Belgian Be-QUALMS Study.

Patients with myelodysplastic syndromes suffer from an impaired quality of life that is only partially explained by physical symptoms. In an observational study, we aimed to investigate the impact of current MDS treatments and the influence of disease perception on quality of life. Serial measurement of health-related quality of life was performed by 'the QUALMS', a validated MDS-specific patient reported outcome tool.

Long-term survival of patients with mantle cell lymphoma after autologous haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation in first remission: a post-hoc analysis of an open-label, multicentre, randomised, phase 3 trial.

Background: Autologous haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) in first remission is the current standard treatment in fit patients with mantle cell lymphoma. In this long-term follow-up study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of autologous HSCT versus interferon alfa maintenance after chemotherapy without or with rituximab in patients with primary advanced-stage mantle cell lymphoma.

Methods: We did a post-hoc, long-term analysis of an open-label, multicentre, randomised, phase 3 trial done in 121 participating hospitals or practices across six European countries.

Lenalidomide Maintenance Compared With Placebo in Responding Elderly Patients With Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Treated With First-Line Rituximab Plus Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin, Vincristine, and Prednisone.

Purpose The standard treatment of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is rituximab in combination with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP). Lenalidomide, an immunomodulatory agent, has shown activity in DLBCL. This randomized phase III trial compared lenalidomide as maintenance therapy with placebo in elderly patients with DLBCL who achieved a complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) to R-CHOP induction.

Results from the Belgian mantle cell lymphoma registry.

Introduction: Mantle cell lymphoma is a B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma characterized by a t(11;14), resulting in overexpression of cyclin D1. Conventional chemotherapy obtains frequent (but short) remissions, leading to a poor median overall survival (OS) of 3-5 years. To obtain more information about the prevalence and current treatment of Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) in Belgium, we collected data in a Belgian registry of MCL.

Belinostat in Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma: Results of the Pivotal Phase II BELIEF (CLN-19) Study.

Purpose: Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) represent a diverse group of non-Hodgkin lymphomas with a poor prognosis and no accepted standard of care for patients with relapsed or refractory disease. This study evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of belinostat, a novel histone deacetylase inhibitor, as a single agent in relapsed or refractory PTCL.

Patients And Methods: Patients with confirmed PTCL who experienced progression after ≥ one prior therapy received belinostat 1,000 mg/m(2) as daily 30-minute infusions on days 1 to 5 every 21 days.

Longer-term follow-up and outcome by tumour cell proliferation rate (Ki-67) in patients with relapsed/refractory mantle cell lymphoma treated with lenalidomide on MCL-001(EMERGE) pivotal trial.

Patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) generally respond to first-line immunochemotherapy, but often show chemoresistance upon subsequent relapses, with poor outcome. Several studies of the immunomodulator, lenalidomide, have demonstrated its activity in MCL including the MCL-001 study in relapsed/refractory patients who had failed defined prior therapies of anthracyclines or mitoxantrone, cyclophosphamide, rituximab and also bortezomib. We present here the long-term efficacy follow-up of the prospective phase II MCL-001 study (N = 134), including new exploratory analyses with baseline Ki-67 (MIB1), a biological marker of tumour proliferation.

An unusual cervical tumor as presentation of a non-hodgkin lymphoma.

Rare cervical cancers are responsible for a minority of cases encountered by a clinician. However, behavioral patterns, management, and prognosis of certain rare cervical cancers differ from either squamous carcinomas or adenocarcinomas. Here we present a case of a locally advanced cervical tumor as a presentation of an extranodal cervical non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), with a review of the current literature.

Confirmation of the mantle-cell lymphoma International Prognostic Index in randomized trials of the European Mantle-Cell Lymphoma Network.

Purpose: Mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL) is a distinct B-cell lymphoma associated with poor outcome. In 2008, the MCL International Prognostic Index (MIPI) was developed as the first prognostic stratification tool specifically directed to patients with MCL. External validation was planned to be performed on the cohort of the two recently completed randomized trials of the European MCL Network.

Dose-dense rituximab-CHOP compared with standard rituximab-CHOP in elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (the LNH03-6B study): a randomised phase 3 trial.

Background: Immunochemotherapy with rituximab and cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) has become the standard of care for elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. We aimed to ascertain if a dose-dense R-CHOP regimen administered every 2 weeks (R-CHOP14) was superior to the standard 3-week schedule (R-CHOP21).

Methods: We did a randomised phase 3 trial at 83 centres in four countries.

90Yttrium-ibritumomab tiuxetan consolidation of first remission in advanced-stage follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma: updated results after a median follow-up of 7.3 years from the International, Randomized, Phase III First-LineIndolent trial.

Purpose: Updated results are presented after a median follow-up of 7.3 years from the phase III First-Line Indolent Trial of yttrium-90 ((90)Y) -ibritumomab tiuxetan in advanced-stage follicular lymphoma (FL) in first remission.

Patients And Methods: Patients with CD20(+) stage III or IV FL with complete response (CR), unconfirmed CR (CRu), or partial response (PR) after first-line induction treatment were randomly assigned to (90)Y-ibritumomab consolidation therapy (rituximab 250 mg/m(2) days -7 and 0, then (90)Y-ibritumomab 14.

Bortezomib plus rituximab versus rituximab in patients with high-risk, relapsed, rituximab-naïve or rituximab-sensitive follicular lymphoma: subgroup analysis of a randomized phase 3 trial.

Background: The randomized phase 3 LYM3001 trial in relapsed follicular lymphoma (FL) demonstrated higher overall (ORR) and complete response (CR) rates and prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) with bortezomib-rituximab versus rituximab. We report findings in high-risk patients (FL International Prognostic Index [FLIPI] score ≥3, and high tumor burden by modified Groupe d'Etude des Lymphomas Folliculaires [GELF] criteria).

Methods: Patients aged ≥18 years with grade 1/2 FL, ≥1 measurable lesion, and documented relapse or progression following prior therapy, rituximab-naïve or rituximab-sensitive, were enrolled at 164 centers in 29 countries across Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific.

CHOP and DHAP plus rituximab followed by autologous stem cell transplantation in mantle cell lymphoma: a phase 2 study from the Groupe d'Etude des Lymphomes de l'Adulte.

Treatment of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) in younger patients remains a challenge. We report results of a phase 2 trial using cytarabine and rituximab as induction regimen before autologous stem cell transplantation. Patients younger than 66 years with stage 3 or 4 MCL were included.

Premature ovarian failure and fertility in long-term survivors of Hodgkin's lymphoma: a European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Lymphoma Group and Groupe d'Etude des Lymphomes de l'Adulte Cohort Study.

Purpose: In this large cohort of Hodgkin's lymphoma survivors with long follow-up, we estimated the impact of treatment regimens on premature ovarian failure (POF) occurrence and motherhood, including safety of nonalkylating chemotherapy and dose-response relationships for alkylating chemotherapy and age at treatment.

Patients And Methods: The Life Situation Questionnaire was sent to 1,700 women treated in European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer and Groupe d'Étude des Lymphomes de l'Adulte trials between 1964 and 2004. Women treated between ages 15 and 40 years and currently not using hormonal contraceptives (n = 460) were selected to assess occurrence of POF.

Impact of the use of autologous stem cell transplantation at first relapse both in naive and previously rituximab exposed follicular lymphoma patients treated in the GELA/GOELAMS FL2000 study.

Background: We analyzed detailed characteristics and salvage treatment in 175 follicular lymphoma patients from the FL2000 study who were in progression after first-line therapy with or without addition of rituximab to chemotherapy and interferon.

Design And Methods: The impact of using autologous stem cell transplantation and/or rituximab administration at first progression was investigated, taking into account initial therapy. With a median follow up of 31 months, 3-year event free and overall survival rates after progression were 50% (95%CI 42-58%) and 72% (95%CI 64-78%), respectively.

Molecular remission is an independent predictor of clinical outcome in patients with mantle cell lymphoma after combined immunochemotherapy: a European MCL intergroup study.

The prognostic impact of minimal residual disease (MRD) was analyzed in 259 patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) treated within 2 randomized trials of the European MCL Network (MCL Younger and MCL Elderly trial). After rituximab-based induction treatment, 106 of 190 evaluable patients (56%) achieved a molecular remission (MR) based on blood and/or bone marrow (BM) analysis. MR resulted in a significantly improved response duration (RD; 87% vs 61% patients in remission at 2 years, P = .

Phase III trial of consolidation therapy with yttrium-90-ibritumomab tiuxetan compared with no additional therapy after first remission in advanced follicular lymphoma.

Purpose: We conducted an international, randomized, phase III trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of consolidation with yttrium-90 ((90)Y)-ibritumomab tiuxetan in patients with advanced-stage follicular lymphoma in first remission.

Patients And Methods: Patients with CD20(+) stage III or IV follicular lymphoma, who achieved a complete response (CR)/unconfirmed CR (CRu) or partial response (PR) after first-line induction treatment, were randomly assigned to receive (90)Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan (rituximab 250 mg/m(2) on day -7 and day 0 followed on day 0 by (90)Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan 14.8 MBq/kg; maximum of 1,184 MBq) or no further treatment (control).

Consensus conference: implementing treatment recommendations on yttrium-90 immunotherapy in clinical practice - report of a European workshop.

Radiolabelled immunotherapy is a significant step forward in the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), with preliminary data suggesting long remissions in some patients. 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan is the only therapy approved for use after rituximab failure and is currently indicated in the EU for the treatment of adults with rituximab-relapsed or refractory CD20-positive follicular B-cell NHL. However, retrospective analyses confirm better responses when 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan is used earlier in the disease course.

A new prognostic index (MIPI) for patients with advanced-stage mantle cell lymphoma.

There is no generally established prognostic index for patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), because the International Prognostic Index (IPI) and Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) have been developed for diffuse large cell and follicular lymphoma patients, respectively. Using data of 455 advanced stage MCL patients treated within 3 clinical trials, we examined the prognostic relevance of IPI and FLIPI and derived a new prognostic index (MCL international prognostic index, MIPI) of overall survival (OS). Statistical methods included Kaplan-Meier estimates and the log-rank test for evaluating IPI and FLIPI and multiple Cox regression for developing the MIPI.

Characteristics and outcome of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in hepatitis C virus-positive patients in LNH 93 and LNH 98 Groupe d'Etude des Lymphomes de l'Adulte programs.

Purpose: Epidemiologic studies show an association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) and B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Treatment and outcome of patients with diffuse large-cell lymphoma (DLCL) and HCV infection are still a matter of debate.

Patients And Methods: We studied the HCV-positive patients with B-cell DLCL included in the Groupe d'Etude des Lymphomes de l'Adulte (GELA) programs LNH 93 and LNH 98.

Early consolidation by myeloablative radiochemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation in first remission significantly prolongs progression-free survival in mantle-cell lymphoma: results of a prospective randomized trial of the European MCL Network.

Mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL) is characterized by poor prognosis with a median survival of only 3 to 4 years. To improve clinical outcome, the European MCL Network initiated a randomized trial comparing consolidation with myeloablative radiochemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) to alpha-interferon maintenance (IFN alpha) in first remission. Patients 65 years of age or younger with advanced-stage MCL were assigned to ASCT or IFN alpha after achievement of complete or partial remission by a cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP)-like induction therapy.