A Real World Experience of Combined Treatment with Romidepsin and Azacitidine in Patients with Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma

BACKGROUND

Patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) lack good treatment options, particularly in the relapsed and refractory setting (Mak V et al. J Clin Oncol 2013). The development of the targeted therapies in PTCL has been lagging behind those developed for B cell lymphomas. Our work suggested that combinations of epigenetic therapies can be a safe and effective approach for patients with PTCL, particularly those with T-cell lymphomas with a follicular helper phenotype (Marchi E et al. Br. J Haematol 2015; O'Connor O.A. et al; Blood 2019; Falchi L et al. Blood 2020). While the reason for this is not clear, it is thought recurrent mutations in epigenetic factors, including Ten-Eleven Translocation-2 (TET2), DNA methyl transferase-3A (DNMT3A) and isocitrate dehydrogenase-2 (IDH2) may contribute for their increased vulnerability (Couronné L. et al. N Eng J Med 2012; Lemonnier F et al. Blood 2012). Despite these presumptions, a direct explanation for the sensitivity to epigenetic based treatment remains to be established.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the merits of romidepsin plus subcutaneous azacitidine in patients with PTCL when administered in a 'real-world' scenario.

METHODS

We retrospectively identified PTCL patients that were treated with azacitidine and romidepsin outside of a clinical trial based upon queries regarding off study use. The study was reviewed and approved by each Medical Center Institutional Review Board. We have identified 13 patients world-wide whose pretreatment characteristics are shown in Table 1. These patients were treated using 3 different schedules: Schedule A: azacitidine 75mg/m2 s.c. on days 1-7, romidepsin 14 mg/m2 on day 1, 8 and 15 of a 28 day cycle (total of 6 patients); Schedule B: azacitidine 75mg/m2 s.c. on days 1-5, romidepsin 14 mg/m2 on day 8, 15 and 22 of a 35 day cycle; and Schedule C (total of 2 patients): azacitidine 75mg/m2 s.c. on days 1-7, romidepsin 12-14 mg/m2 on day 8, 15 and 22 of a 28 day cycle (total of 5 patients).

RESULTS

We retrospectively identified 13 patients that were treated with romidepsin and azacitidine off study. Ten patients had angioimmunoblastic lymphoma (AITL), 2 had adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) and 1 had PTCL-NOS. Eight of the 13 patients had next generation sequencing performed. Most common mutations found were those of TET2 (5 pts), RHOA (4pts), IDH2 (3pts) and DNMT3A (1 pt). One ATLL patient had mutations in TRAF3, FAT1 and MED12. Among these 13 patients, overall response rate (ORR) was 84% and the complete response rate (CR) was 61%. Median number of cycles was 3 (range 1-12). Treatment was well tolerated but notable adverse effects included nausea, fatigue, rash, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. One patient experienced febrile neutropenia while another had pulmonary infiltrates (differential diagnosis included drug toxicity versus infection). Thrombocytopenia was the most common reason for dose reduction of romidepsin (to 12mg/m2) or its omission on day 8, 15 or 22. In 3 patients, azacitidine and romidepsin were used to achieve remission prior to allogeneic transplant (range of cycles 1-3), with all 3 patients were in CR at their last disease assessment. One patient died of transplant related mortality 8 months after his allogeneic stem cell transplant. There was 1 patient with AITL (treatment naïve) noted to have progression of disease at first imaging following 2 cycles of romidepsin and azacitidine. On the day of her PET/CT, she was however diagnosed with symptomatic Covid19 infection and was hospitalized. A repeat PET/CT 6 weeks later (without any additional lymphoma treatment) revealed PR.

CONCLUSIONS

Subcutaneous azacitidine and romidepsin administered in a 'real-world' situation is highly effective in patients with relapsed PTCL with tolerable toxicity, and can be used to successfully bridge patients to stem cell transplant. Notably, the efficacy was similar to the one reported on a clinical study with oral azacitidine and romidepsin.

Figure 1

View largeDownload slide

Figure 1

View largeDownload slide

Close modal