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Temozolomide sensitivity is determined by methylation of the O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter. This study assessed whether the temozolomide dose can be tailored by MGMT promoter status and whether protracted, low-dose temozolomide can “prime” blasts in patients with unmethylated MGMT (unMGMT). Elderly patients with high-risk AML were stratified by MGMT methylation. Patients with methylated MGMT (mMGMT) received temozolomide 200 mg/m2 orally for 7 days every 4 weeks, while patients with unMGMT received temozolomide 100 mg/m2 orally for 14 days followed by 200 mg/m2 orally for 7 days every 6weeks. Of 36 patients (median age, 75 years), 31 (86%) had an unMGMT promoter. Overall response rate for the entire cohort was 36%. Patients with mMGMT and unMGMT had similar response rates (40% vs. 29%). Median duration of response and overall survival (OS) among responders were 29 and 35 weeks, respectively. Induction deaths (ID) occurred in 25% of patients, mostly caused by disease progression. Hematological toxicities were the most common adverse event. Toxicities were similar between patients on conventional versus protracted schedules. High HCT-CI scores were predictive of lower CR rate, higher ID, and shorter OS, while bone marrow blast count

Cyclophosphamide and fludarabine are highly active in treating follicular lymphoma (FL). However, many cyclophosphamide and fludarabine combination regimens, although highly effective, exhibited severe infectious toxicities including toxic death [1-7]. We designed a novel sequential regimen consisting of CVP (cyclophosphamide 400 mg/m 2 PO d1-5, vincristine 2 mg d1, prednisone 100 mg/m 2 d1-5) alternating with fludarabine (25 mg/m 2 IV d1-5) as induction chemotherapy for idiotype vaccination, with a goal of obtaining a higher quality of tumor debulking before vaccination. Herein, we report the safety and efficacy of this regimen. Thirty-four consecutive untreated patients with FL received this regimen. Toxicities were modest with no severe infections or toxic deaths. Complete response/unconfirmed complete response (CR/CRu) was achieved in 18 patients (53%) and PR in 38%. At a median follow-up of 12 years, overall survival (OS), event-free survival (EFS), time to progression (TTP), and disease free survival (DFS) were 85, 37, 38, and 70%, respectively. Among a cohort of historical controls with similar characteristics receiving CVP, the CR rate was 34%, 12-year OS, EFS, TTP, and DFS were 64, 20, 21, and 37%, respectively. Thus, CVP/F exhibited favorable safety profile while maintaining the excellent efficacy of combining cyclophosphamide and fludarabine and warrants further evaluation in combination with rituximab.

The majority of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) will require second-line chemotherapy for either relapsed or refractory disease. Currently, only allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) offers a curative option in this setting and no preferred regimen has been established. The reported efficacy of second-line regimens is widely disparate, thus limiting informed clinical decision making. A retrospective review of 77 patients receiving therapy between 2001 and 2008 with relapsed, 42, and refractory, 35, AML was performed to determine overall response rate and survival following mitoxantrone (8 mg/m(2)/day), etoposide (100 mg/m(2)/day), and cytarabine (1,000 mg/m(2)/day) chemotherapy administered over 5 days. Among 77 patients (median age of 54 years and 64% intermediate risk karyotype) with median follow-up of 153 days, 18% achieved a complete response and 8% a morphologic leukemia-free state. Fifty-seven (74%) experienced treatment failure, 10 of whom achieved a remission after additional therapy. Median overall survival (OS) was 6.8 months. Among patients achieving a response, 50% received consolidation with allogeneic HCT, autologous HCT (5%), or consolidation chemotherapy alone (45%). A nonsignificant trend in overall response (50%, 27%, and 23.8%) and median OS (8.3, 6.8, and 4.7 months) was observed by cytogenetic stratification into favorable, intermediate, and unfavorable risk. Patients with refractory versus relapsed disease had similar overall responses (20% and 31%, P = 0.41) and median OS (5.3 and 7.6 months, P = 0.36). Despite risk stratification by the European Prognostic Index, our series demonstrates inferior rates of response and survival, illustrating the limited activity of this regimen in our cohort.