title: Pilot study of pegylated interferon alpha-2a treatment during chemo- and radiotherapy and post-remission maintenance in patients with EBV-positive extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma.
abstract: The role of the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) in the pathogenesis of extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTCL), and its resistance to chemotherapy raises the possibility of antiviral therapeutic strategies. The aim of this prospective pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of antiviral treatment using pegylated interferon alpha-2a (pIFN α-2a) as an adjunct to induction and maintenance therapy in patients with ENKTCL. A total of seven patients with newly diagnosed EBV-positive ENKTCL were enrolled. Pegylated IFN α-2a was administered during induction chemoradiotherapy. If patients achieved a partial or complete response (PR or CR, respectively), high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (HDT/SCT) was given. After transplantation, maintenance therapy included pIFN α-2a for 3 years. Of the patients available for evaluation, all achieved a CR or PR after induction therapy but one patient relapsed before HDT/SCT. The event free survival and overall survival at 3 years were 50.0 ± 20.4% and 66.7 ± 19.2%, respectively. The 3-year disease-free survival after transplantation of the patients that received maintenance therapy was 80.0 ± 17.9%. The results of this pilot study indicated that pIFN α-2a containing induction and maintenance therapy was feasible and effective for ENKTCL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology/Oncology, KonKuk University Medical Center, KonKuk University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seok-Goo
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Sung-Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Byung-Ok
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Kyung-Sin
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jihyang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Chang-Ki
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Yong-Goo
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong-Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Woo-Sung
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Min
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D054391:Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012074:Remission Induction / Q000379:methods; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a