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In 2 randomized phase 3 trials BR resulted in longer progression-free survival (PFS) than frontline R-CHOP in patients with indolent and mantle cell lymphoma. However, in subset analyses of follicular lymphoma (FL), the results were incongruent. We conducted a retrospective matched-pair analysis to compare the outcome of patients with advanced stage FL, receiving frontline BR (N = 73) or R-CHOP (N = 73), matched by age, gender, stage, and FL International Prognostic Index score. On multivariable analysis, baseline maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) >13 was associated with use of R-CHOP (p =.001). After a median follow-up of 69 months for the BR arm and 126 months for the R-CHOP arm, 5-year PFS was 80% and 70%, respectively (p =.07). After adjusting for SUVmax >13, the trend for better PFS in BR was not maintained. Prospective studies are needed to validate the role of pretreatment SUVmax as a stratification factor in future randomized therapeutic trials in FL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This phase 2 study evaluated the activity and safety of ibrutinib, a Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor, plus rituximab in adults with previously untreated follicular lymphoma. Patients received once‐daily ibrutinib 560 mg continuously plus once‐weekly rituximab 375 mg/m2 for 4 weeks beginning Week 1 (Arm 1, n = 60) or Week 9 (following an 8‐week ibrutinib lead‐in) to explore biomarkers (Arm 2, n = 20). The primary endpoint was the best overall response rate (ORR). The median age was 58 years; most had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status of 0 (74%) and Stage III/IV disease (84%). At a median study follow‐up of 34 months in Arm 1 and 29 months in Arm 2, ORRs were 85% [95% confidence interval (CI) 73–93] and 75% (95% CI 51–91), respectively, with complete responses in 40% and 50%. The median duration of response was not reached in either arm; 30‐month progression‐free and overall survival rates were 67% and 97% (Arm 1) and 65% and 100% (Arm 2). The most common adverse events were fatigue, diarrhoea and nausea. Higher grade (Grade 3/4) haematological, haemorrhagic and cardiac events occurred infrequently. Ibrutinib plus rituximab was active and tolerable in first‐line follicular lymphoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with early-stage nodal follicular lymphoma (FL) may be rendered free of detectable disease by a diagnostic excisional biopsy. We reviewed the management and outcomes of 48 patients with FL, diagnosed from 2003–2013, treated at a single institution. The primary endpoints were local control (LC) and progression-free survival (PFS). Median age at diagnosis was 54.5 years (range 15–74 years). Forty-seven patients were stage I (97.9%); 15 patients (31.3%) had grade 3 disease. Initial management consisted of observation (12 patients; 25.0%), radiation therapy (RT) alone (12 patients; 25.0%), systemic therapy alone (9 cases; 18.8%), or both (15 patients; 31.3%). Median follow-up was 4.92 years (range 0.5–13.83 years). 4-year PFS and OS were 80.9% and 97.1%, respectively. Patients treated with additional therapy experienced significantly better 4-year LC (100% vs. 81.8%; p =.012) and 4-year PFS (86.7% vs. 63.6%; p =.006). Patients with completely resected limited-stage FL would benefit from therapy beyond excisional biopsy alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controversy exists regarding the optimal management of limited stage grade 3 follicular lymphoma (FL3). We assessed the treatment outcomes of 190 consecutive patients with stage I-II FL. Fifty two patients had FL3 disease, in whom the median age was 55 years. At a median follow-up of 65 months, 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 76.6% and 87.6%, respectively. Patients receiving systemic therapy followed by radiation therapy (RT) had a significantly better PFS (p=.003) than those treated with RT alone, but similar OS (p =.476). Patients treated with RT had 100% local control. Compared to 132 patients with grade 1–2 FL, those with FL3 had similar PFS (p =.493) and OS (p =.330). Patients with FL3 can experience favorable outcomes when treated with a combination of systemic therapy and RT, comparable to low grade FL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Lack of consensus for first‐line marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) treatment and toxicities associated with currently available systemic therapies have inspired evaluation of immunotherapeutic agents yielding robust outcomes with improved tolerability. We previously reported durable efficacy with first‐line lenalidomide and rituximab (R2) in follicular lymphoma, MZL and small lymphocytic lymphoma with a subsequent long‐term follow‐up shown here in MZL patients. This phase 2 investigator‐initiated study included previously untreated, stage III/IV MZL patients treated with lenalidomide 20 mg/day on days 1–21 and rituximab 375 mg/m2 on day 1 of each 28‐day cycle, continuing in responders for ≥6–12 cycles. The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR); secondary endpoints were complete and partial response (CR, PR), safety, and progression‐free survival (PFS). The ORR was 93% with 70% attaining CR/CR unconfirmed. At median follow‐up of 75·1 months, median PFS was 59·8 months and 5‐year OS was 96%. Most non‐haematological adverse events (AE) were grade 1/2. Grade 3 haematological AEs were neutropenia (33%) and leucopenia (7%), and grade 4 were leucopenia (3%) and thrombocytopenia (3%). Two patients died of secondary malignancies; no treatment‐related fatalities occurred. With extended follow‐up, outcomes for MZL patients receiving R2 were robust with no unexpected late or delayed toxicities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 120 Stage I–IV testicular diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients treated from 1964 to 2015, we assessed the benefits of prophylactic contralateral testicular radiation (RT) and prophylactic central nervous system (CNS) therapy on overall, progression free, testicular relapse free, and CNS relapse free survival (OS, PFS, TRFS, and CRFS, respectively). Seventy percent of patients received RT, 53% received anthracyclines and rituximab (modern therapy), and 61% received CNS prophylaxis. On univariate analysis RT was associated with improved TRFS, PFS, and trended toward improved OS. On multivariate analysis (MVA), RT was significantly associated with improved OS and PFS; the PFS benefit persisted among patients receiving modern therapy. CNS prophylaxis was associated with improved OS, PFS, and TRFS, but not CRFS on univariate analysis, and was not significant on MVA. RT is associated with improved survival, and should be considered for all testicular DLBCL patients, but additional strategies are needed to prevent CNS relapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]