Effective second-line chemotherapy for extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma consisting of etoposide, ifosfamide, methotrexate, and prednisolone.
BACKGROUND
Many patients with extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (NTCL) fail to the front-line therapy and need an effective second-line chemotherapy.


METHODS
This was single-institutional, phase II study. The primary end point was response rate and secondary end points were toxicity, time to treatment failure (TTF), and overall survival (OS). Patients with relapsed or refractory NTCL were eligible. They received the chemotherapy consisting of ifosfamide, methotrexate, etoposide, and prednisolone and it was repeated every 3 weeks.


RESULTS
Thirty-two patients were enrolled and 15 patients had achieved partial remission (PR) or complete remission (CR) after the front-line chemotherapy. The International Prognostic Index scores were 0-1 in thirteen, 2 in five, 3 in five, and 4-5 in nine patients. Twelve and two patients achieved CR and PR, respectively. Median OS and TTF of all patients were 8.2 and 3.7 months, respectively. Non-hematologic toxic effects were well tolerated, but grade 3/4 leukopenia occurred in 11.7% of all cycles. Four patients developed febrile neutropenia and one patient died due to pneumonia.


CONCLUSIONS
This chemotherapy regimen was moderately effective for relapsed/refractory extranodal NTCL, nasal type. Toxic effects were moderate, but caution should be exercised to prevent severe infection.
Kim
B-S
BS
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul Municipal Boramae Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
Kim
D-W
DW
Im
S-A
SA
Kim
C W
CW
Kim
T-Y
TY
Yoon
S-S
SS
Heo
D S
DS
Bang
Y-J
YJ
Park
S
S
Kim
B K
BK
Kim
N K
NK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007069:Ifosfamide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D054391:Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D012008:Recurrence; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D005047:Etoposide; D011239:Prednisolone; D007069:Ifosfamide; D008727:Methotrexate