Fractionated cyclophosphamide, vincristine, liposomal daunorubicin, and dexamethasone plus rituximab and granulocyte-macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) alternating with methotrexate and cytarabine plus rituximab and GM-CSF in patients with Richter syndrome or fludarabine-refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Apostolia M. Tsimberidou, Hagop M. Kantarjian, Jorge Cortes, Deborah A. Thomas, Stefan Faderl, Guillermo Garcia-Manero, Srdan Verstovsek, Alessandra Ferrajoli, William Wierda, Yesid Alvarado, Susan M. O'Brien, Maher Albitar, Michael J. Keating, Francis J. Giles

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

103 Scopus citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND. Therapy for patients with Richter syndrome (RS) or fludarabine-refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is unsatisfactory. A Phase II study was conducted to evaluate an alternating combination cytotoxic regimen given with rituximab and granulocyte-macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in these patients. METHODS. Fludarabine-refractory CLL was defined as failure to respond to most recent prior fludarabine-containing regimen. Patients received up to six cycles of fractionated cyclophosphamide, vincristine, liposomal daunorubicin, and dexamethasone (hyper-CVXD) plus rituximab and GM-CSF alternating with methotrexate and cytarabine plus rituximab and GM-CSF. Response, toxicity, and survival data were compared with data from prior therapy with hyper-CVXD alone in this patient group. RESULTS. Forty-nine patients with RS (n = 30 patients) or refractory CLL (n = 19 patients) were treated on study. Nine patients (18%) achieved a complete remission, and 11 patients achieved a partial remission (22%), for an overall objective response (OR) rate of 41%. With a median follow-up of 7.5 months and a maximum follow-up of 15.2 months, the 12-month failure free survival (FFS) rate was 27%, and the overall survival (OS) rate was 39%. Nine patients (18%) died during the first cycle of therapy, and two patients (4%) died during the second cycle. There were no significant differences between the rates of OR, OS, and FFS in the current study and those obtained with hyper-CVXD alone on a prior study. CONCLUSIONS. The study regimen had activity and significant toxicity in patients with RS or fludarabine-refractory CLL. It was not clearly better compared with hyper-CVXD alone in this patient population.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1711-1720
Number of pages10
JournalCancer
Volume97
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1 2003
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
  • Prognosis
  • Richter syndrome
  • Therapy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research

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