L-asparaginase-based treatment of 15 western patients with extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma and leukemia and a review of the literature.
BACKGROUND
Extranodal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type, and aggressive NK-cell leukemia are highly aggressive diseases with a poor outcome.


METHODS
We report a multicentric French retrospective study of 15 patients with relapsed, refractory, or disseminated disease, treated with L-asparaginase-containing regimens in seven French centers. Thirteen patients were in relapse and/or refractory and 10 patients were at stage IV.


RESULTS
All but two of the patients had an objective response to L-asparaginase-based treatment. Seven patients reached complete remission and only two relapsed.


CONCLUSIONS
These data, although retrospective, confirm the excellent activity of L-asparaginase-containing regimens in refractory extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma and aggressive NK-cell leukemia. Therefore, L-asparaginase-based regimen should be considered as a salvage treatment, especially for patients with disseminated disease. First-line L-asparaginase combination therapy for extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma and aggressive NK-cell leukemia should be tested in prospective trials.
Jaccard
A
A
Department of Hematology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Limoges, France. arnaud.jaccard@chu-limoges.fr
Petit
B
B
Girault
S
S
Suarez
F
F
Gressin
R
R
Zini
J-M
JM
Coiteux
V
V
Larroche
C
C
Devidas
A
A
Thiéblemont
C
C
Gaulard
P
P
Marin
B
B
Gachard
N
N
Bordessoule
D
D
Hermine
O
O
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001215:Asparaginase / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D054391:Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019366:Western World
D001215:Asparaginase