title: Phase 2 study of alemtuzumab (anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody) in patients with advanced mycosis fungoides/Sezary syndrome.
abstract: This phase 2 study evaluated the safety and efficacy of alemtuzumab in 22 patients with advanced mycosis fungoides/Sézary syndrome (MF/SS). Most patients had stage III or IV disease, reduced performance status, and severe itching. The overall response (OR) rate was 55%, with 32% of patients in complete remission (CR) and 23% in partial remission (PR). Sézary cells were cleared from the blood in 6 of 7 (86%) patients, and CR in lymph nodes was observed in 6 of 11 (55%) patients. The effect was better on erythroderma (OR, 69%) than on plaque or skin tumors (OR, 40%) and in patients who had received 1 to 2 previous regimens (OR, 80%) than in those who had received 3 or more prior regimens (OR, 33%). Itching, self-assessed on a 0 to 10 visual analog scale, was reduced from a median of 8 before treatment to 2 at end of therapy. Median time to treatment failure was 12 months (range, 5-32+ months). Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation (causing fever without pneumonitis and responding to ganciclovir) occurred in 4 (18%) patients. Six additional patients had suspect or manifest infection (fever of unknown origin, 3; generalized herpes simplex, 1; fatal aspergillosis, 1). One patient had fatal Mycobacterium pneumonia at 10+ months. All serious infectious adverse events (except CMV) occurred in patients who had received 3 or more prior regimens. Progression of squamous cell skin carcinoma was noted in 1 patient. Alemtuzumab shows promising clinical activity and an acceptable safety profile in patients with advanced MF/SS, particularly in patients with erythroderma and severe itching and those who were not heavily pretreated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology/Oncology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jeanette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lundin
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hagberg
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Repp
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cavallin-Ståhl
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fredén
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Juliusson
authors.forename: Eija
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rosenblad
authors.forename: Geir
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tjønnfjord
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wiklund
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Osterborg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000074323:Alemtuzumab; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000139:chemically induced; D011537:Pruritus / Q000188:drug therapy; D012074:Remission Induction; D012751:Sezary Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000074323:Alemtuzumab