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Abstract
Patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma may experience extended survival with second-line chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). Since a major determinant of outcome after ASCT is responsiveness to second-line therapy, the development of more effective second-line treatments is desirable. We investigated the addition of bortezomib to rituximab, dexamethasone, ifosfamide, cisplatin and etoposide (VIPER). Fifteen patients were enrolled, of whom seven were refractory to first-line chemotherapy and only three had maintained first response for 1 year. Nine (60%) patients achieved objective responses, of which three (20%) were IWC-PET (International Workshop Criteria positron emission tomography) complete responses. Median progression-free survival was 3 months, and median overall survival was 10 months. At a median follow-up of 26 months, five patients (33%) remained alive. Treatment was well tolerated with no unexpected toxicity. Although response rates did not meet predefined criteria, activity was at least comparable to other second-line approaches despite a poor-prognosis patient population.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported in part by the Ellen and Sandy Levin Fund of the Lymphoma Foundation and the Brian Rooney Fund of the Lymphoma Foundation.
R.L.E. was supported in part by the Charles, Lillian and Betty Neuwirth Clinical Scholar Fund. B.A. was supported in part by the Amgen Oncology Institute Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Grant.
Potential conflict of interest
Disclosure forms provided by the authors are available with the full text of this article at www.informahealthcare.com/lal.