Results of a Prospective Multicenter Phase II Study of Initial Treatment with Methotrexate In LGL Leukemia (ECOG Protocol E5998)

Large granular lymphocyte (LGL) leukemia is characterized by clonal expansion of cytotoxic T cells. Prominent clinical features include neutropenia, anemia, and rheumatoid arthritis. The terminal effector memory phenotype (CD3+/CD8+/CD57+/CD45RA+/CD62L-) of leukemic LGL suggest a pivotal chronic antigen driven immune response. LGL survival is then promoted by PDGF and IL-15 (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105:16308, 2008), resulting in global dysregulation of apoptosis and resistance to normal pathways of activation-induced death (Blood 112:770, 2008). These pathogenic features explain why treatment of LGL leukemia is based on immunosuppression therapy. However, no standard therapy has been established due to the absence of large prospective trials.

Eligibility criteria included increased number of LGL (CD3+CD57+ cells > 400/ul or CD8+ cells >650/ul) plus evidence of clonal rearrangement of T cell receptor gene. Treatment indications included the following categories: a) severe neutropenia (ANC < 500/ul); b) neutropenia associated with recurrent infections; c) symptomatic anemia; and, d) transfusion-dependent anemia.

(Step 1) consisted of methotrexate (MTX) at 10 mg/m² po in divided doses once weekly. Prednisone was given at 1 mg/kg po × 30 days and then tapered off in the subsequent 24 days. Patients not responding to MTX received cyclophosphamide (CY) at 100 mg po daily with the same prednisone schedule (Step 2). Treatment response was assessed after four months of therapy as: complete remission (CR): normal CBC (ANC ≥ 1,500/ul, lymphocyte count <4,000/ul, hemoglobin ≥ 11 g/dl, and platelet count > 100,000/ul. In addition, LGL counts needed to be within normal range. Partial response (PR) was defined as improvement in hematologic parameters in the absence of CR: 1) ANC > 500, as long as this represented 50% increase (category a); 2) improvement in ANC ≥ 50% over baseline (category b); 3) increase in hemoglobin by ≥ 1 g/dl for at least four months duration (category c); and, 4) decrease in monthly transfusion requirement of > 50% for at least four months (category d). Progressive disease (PD) was defined as worsening of hematologic parameters in patients previously achieving PR/CR. No response (NR) was defined as lack of CR/PR.

Response data are shown for Step 1 (Table 1) and for Step 2 (Table 2). Overall response rate (CR/PR) for MTX was 37%. In patients failing MTX, the overall response to CY was 64%. There were two infectious deaths during Step 1 therapy.

Data documenting efficacy of immunosuppressive therapies commonly utilized in LGL leukemia (MTX, CY, Cyclosporine) are limited to 300 patients published primarily as small retrospective studies. Such data show an overall response rate to MTX of 58% (56/96 patients). Here in the only large prospective trial we observed an overall response rate of 37%. Overall response rate of 64% for CY was not statistically different than MTX. However, given that CY response rate was observed in MTX failures, future studies should consider evaluation of CY as initial therapy.

Off Label Use: Immunosuppressive therapies for LGL leukemia including Methotrexate and Cyclophosphamide.