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.
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.
Tsimberidou
Apostolia M
AM
Department of Leukemia, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
Kantarjian
Hagop M
HM
Cortes
Jorge
J
Thomas
Deborah A
DA
Faderl
Stefan
S
Garcia-Manero
Guillermo
G
Verstovsek
Srdan
S
Ferrajoli
Alessandra
A
Wierda
William
W
Alvarado
Yesid
Y
O'Brien
Susan M
SM
Albitar
Maher
M
Keating
Michael J
MJ
Giles
Francis J
FJ
D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003630:Daunorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D000069283:Rituximab; D014740:Vidarabine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000069283:Rituximab; D014750:Vincristine; D003907:Dexamethasone; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D014740:Vidarabine; C024352:fludarabine; D003630:Daunorubicin