Search

PURPOSE The AHL2011 study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01358747 ) demonstrated that a positron emission tomography (PET)-driven de-escalation strategy after two cycles of bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone (BEACOPP) provides similar progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) and reduces early toxicity compared with a nonmonitored standard treatment. Here, we report, with a prolonged follow-up, the final study results. METHODS Patients with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma (stage III, IV, or IIB with mediastinum/thorax ratio > 0.33 or extranodal involvement) age 16-60 years were prospectively randomly assigned between 6 × BEACOPP and a PET-driven arm after 2 × BEACOPP delivering 4 × ABVD (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine) in PET2– and 4 × BEACOPP in PET2+ patients. PET performed after four cycles of chemotherapy had to be negative to complete the planned treatment. RESULTS In total, 823 patients were enrolled including 413 in the standard arm and 410 in the PET-driven arm. With a 67.2-month median follow-up, 5-year PFS (87.5% v 86.7%; hazard ratio [HR] = 1.07; 95% CI, 0.74 to 1.57; P = .67) and OS (97.7% in both arms; HR = 1.012; 95% CI, 0.50 to 2.10; P = .53) were similar in both randomization arms. In the whole cohort, full interim PET assessment predicted patients' 5-year PFS (92.3% in PET2–/PET4–, 75.4% [HR = 3.26; 95% CI, 18.3 to 5.77] in PET2+/PET4– and 46.5% [HR = 12.4; 95% CI, 7.31 to 19.51] in PET4+ patients, respectively; P < .0001) independent of international prognosis score. Five-year OS was also affected by interim PET results, and PET2+/PET4– patients (93.5%; HR = 3.3; 95% CI, 1.07 to 10.1; P = .036) and PET4+ patients (91.9%; HR = 3.756; 95% CI, 1.07 to 13.18; P = .038) had a significant lower OS than PET2–/PET4– patients (98.2%). Twenty-two patients (2.7%) developed a second primary malignancy, 13 (3.2%) and 9 (2.2%) in the standard and experimental arms, respectively. CONCLUSION The extended follow-up confirms the continued efficacy and favorable safety of AHL2011 PET-driven strategy, which is noninferior to standard six cycles of BEACOPP. PET4 provides additional prognostic information to PET2 and allows identifying patients with particularly poor prognosis.

Introduction: Whereas numerous studies on several cancers describe the link between social conditions and disease severity, little is known about the social and demographic characteristics of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients. At diagnosis, 10–15% of the patients in the advanced stages have a well-known poor outcome owing to their chemoresistance, but the determinants of the more advanced stages remain elusive. The objective of the present study was to decipher the potential impact of social disparities on the disease features at diagnosis and analyze how the sociodemographic patient features could impact the HL outcome of patients with advanced-stage HL enrolled in the AHL2011 trial. Methods: This ancillary study was conducted on a cohort of patients from French centers that had recruited more than five patients in the phase III AHL2011 study (NCT0135874). Patients had to be alive at the time of the ancillary study and had to have given their consent to answer the questionnaire. Pre-treatment data (age, gender, stage, B symptoms, IPS), the treatment received, the responses to PET-CT, and the presence of serious adverse events (serious adverse events—SAEs) were all extracted from the AHL2011 trial database. Sociodemographic data—marital status, living area, level of education, socio-professional category, and professional situation—were extracted from the questionnaires. The population density at the point of diagnosis was determined based on ZIP Code, and the distance from the reference medical center was then calculated by the road network. Baseline PET acquisition was performed before any treatment. PET images at baseline were centrally reviewed. The total metabolic tumor volume (TMTV) at the baseline was calculated using a 41% SUVmax cutoff for each lesion. Progression-free survival was defined as the time from randomization to the first progression, relapse, or death from any cause or the last follow-up. The data cutoff for the analyses presented here was 31 October 2017. The progression-free survival was analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis. Results: Among the 823 patients enrolled in the AHL2011 study, the questionnaire was sent to 394 patients, of whom 232 (58.9%) responded. At the time of HL diagnosis, 61.9% (N = 143) of patients declared that they were not socially isolated, 38.1% (N = 88) that they were single, 163 (71.2%) had a professional activity, and 66 (28.8%) were inactive owing to unemployment, retirement, or sick leave. Of the patients, 31.1% (N = 71) lived in a rural region, compared to 68.9% (N = 157) that lived in an urban region. The residence ZIP Code at the time of HL diagnosis was available for 163 (70%). Sociodemographic characteristics did not influence the presence of usual prognostic factors (ECOG, B symptoms, bulky mass, IPS) except for professional activity, which was associated with more frequent low IPS (0–2) (79 (48.5%) active versus 20 (30.3%) inactive patients; p = 0.012). Likewise, no correlation was observed between TMTV and sociodemographic characteristics. However, the TMTV quartile distribution was different according to the living area, with the two upper quartiles being enriched with patients living in a rural area (p = 0.008). Moreover, a negative correlation between the average number of the living area’s inhabitants and TMTV (R Pearson = −0.29, p = 0.0004) was observed. Conclusion: This study focused on sociodemographic parameters in advanced-stage HL patients and shows that professional activity is associated with more favorable disease features (low IPS), while patients living in rural or low-populated areas are more likely to have an unfavorable HL presentation with a high tumor burden (high TMTV). These data suggest that some patient sociodemographic characteristics might impact either access to medical care or environmental exposure, leading to a higher frequency of unfavorable presentations. Further prospective sociodemographic studies are necessary to confirm these preliminary results.

In this retrospective study, we report 70 cases of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)+ diffuse large B-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified (DLBCL-NOS) among 1696 DLBCL-NOS cases diagnosed between 2006 and 2019 (prevalence of 4.1%). At diagnosis, median age was 68.5 years; 79% of the cases presented with an advanced-stage disease (III-IV), 48% with extranodal lesions, and 14% with an hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) (8 at diagnosis and 1 on therapy). A total of 46 cases presented a polymorphic pattern, and 21 were monomorphic. All had a non-germinal center B phenotype, with the majority of tumor cells expressing CD30 and programmed death ligand 1 (98% and 95%, respectively). Type II and III EBV latency was seen in 88% and 12% of the cases, respectively. Patients were treated with immunochemotherapy (59%) or chemotherapy (22%), and 19% received palliative care due to advanced age and altered performance status. After a median follow-up of 48 months, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) at 5 years were 52.7% and 54.8%, respectively. Older age (>50 years) and HLH were associated with shorter PFS and OS in multivariate analysis (PFS: hazard ratio [HR], 14.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.34-83.97; and HR, 5.78; 95% CI, 2.35-14.23; OS: HR, 12.41; 95% CI, 1.65-93.53; and HR, 6.09; 95% CI, 2.42-15.30, respectively). Finally, using a control cohort of 425 EBV− DLBCL-NOS, EBV positivity was associated with a shorter OS outcome within patients >50 years (5-year OS, 53% [95% CI, 38.2-74] vs 60.8% [95% CI, 55.4-69.3], P = .038), but not in younger patients.

Despite the success of standard front-line chemotherapy, 20% of classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) patients still relapse or have refractory disease (r/r), and a subset of them die due to disease progression. There is a critical lack of predictive factors for early identification of those r/r patients who may benefit from new therapeutic strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the dynamic expression of 586 immune-related genes in a cohort of 42 cHL patients including 30 r/r cHL after first-line chemotherapy. Gene expression profiling (GEP) using NanoString technology identified a 19-gene immune signature at diagnosis predictive of cHL relapse, but dependent on histological subtypes. Genes related to tumor survival were found upregulated while genes related to B-lineage were downregulated at diagnosis in r/r nodular sclerosis cHL. In contrast to the mixed-cellularity subtype, comparative GEP analyses between paired diagnosis/relapse biopsies of nodular sclerosis cHL showed 118 differentially expressed genes, supporting an immune contexture switch at relapse with upregulation of immunosuppressive cytokines, such as LGALS1 and TGFB1, and downregulation of the T-cell co-stimulatory receptor ICOS. These results indicate that the predictive value of immune signature in cHL is strongly influenced by histological subtype which should be considered when assessing new immunotherapy target strategies.

International audience; Prolonged Covid-19 is an emerging issue for patients with lymphoma or immune deficiency. We aimed to examine prolonged length of in-hospital stay (LOS) due to Covid-19 among patients with lymphoma and assess its determinants and outcomes. Adult patients with lymphoma admitted for Covid-19 to 16 French hospitals in March and April, 2020 were included. Length of in-hospital stay was analyzed as a competitor vs death. The study included 111 patients. The median age was 65 years (range, 19–92). Ninety-four patients (85%) had B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Within the 12 months prior to hospitalization for Covid-19, 79 patients (71%) were treated for their lymphoma. Among them, 63 (57%) received an anti-CD20 therapy. Fourteen patients (12%) had relapsed/refractory disease. The median LOS was 14 days (range, 1–235). After a median follow-up of 191 days (3–260), the 6-month overall survival was 69%. In multivariable analyses, recent administration of anti-CD20 therapy was associated with prolonged LOS (subdistribution hazard ratio 2.26, 95% confidence interval 1.42–3.6, p < 0.001) and higher risk of death (hazard ratio 2.17, 95% confidence interval 1.04–4.52, p = 0.039). An age ≥ 70 years and relapsed/refractory lymphoma were also associated with prolonged LOS and decreased overall survival. In conclusion, an age ≥ 70 years, a relapsed/refractory lymphoma and recent administration of anti-CD20 therapy are risk factors for prolonged LOS and death for lymphoma patients hospitalized for Covid-19. These findings may contribute to guide the management of lymphoma during the pandemic, support evaluating specific therapeutic approaches, and raise questions on the efficacy and timing of vaccination of this particular population.

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is the most common indolent lymphoma. Despite the clear benefit of CD20-based therapy, a subset of FL patients still progress to aggressive lymphoma. Thus, identifying early biomarkers that incorporate positron emission tomography metrics could be helpful to identify patients with a high risk of treatment failure with rituximab. We retrospectively included a total of 132 untreated FL patients separated into training and validation cohorts. Optimal threshold of baseline whole-body maximum standardized uptake (SUVmax) was first determined in the training cohort (n=48) to predict progression-free survival (PFS). The PET results were investigated along with the tumor and immune microenvironment, which were determined by immunochemistry and transcriptome studies involving gene set enrichment analyses and immune cell deconvolution, together with the tumor mutation profile. We report that baseline SUVmax>14.5 was associated with poorer PFS than baseline SUVmax≤14.5 (hazard ratio =0.28; P=0.00046). Neither immune T-cell infiltration nor immune checkpoint expression were associated with baseline PET metrics. By contrast, FL samples with Ki-67 staining ≥10% showed enrichment of cell cycle/DNA genes (P=0.013) and significantly higher SUVmax values (P=0.007). Despite similar oncogenic pathway alterations in both SUVmax groups of FL samples, four out of five cases harboring the infrequent FOXO1 transcription factor mutation were seen in FL patients with SUVmax>14.5. Thus, high baseline SUVmax reflects FL tumor proliferation and, together with Ki-67 proliferative index, can be used to identify patients at risk of early relapse with rituximab chemotherapy.

Objectives: The UMACOACH Lymphoma is a multidisciplinary monitoring program for patients initiating a first highly haematotoxic treatment for Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Patient follow-up is based on consultation with a pharmacist and planed phone calls by nurses supervised by a clinical haematologist. Our objective was to assess effectiveness and cost of the UMACOACH Lymphoma Program (ULP) and to investigate patient satisfaction and quality of life (QoL). Methods: This French monocentric case-control study included all patients enrolled in the ULP over a one-year period (cases) matched with retrospective patients receiving usual care (controls). Numbers of adverse events (AEs), re-hospitalisations, average relative dose intensity (ARDI), treatment response and survival were compared between the two groups. Among cases, patient satisfaction and QoL using the EORTC-QLQC30 questionnaire before and after treatment were evaluated. Results: Seventy-eight cases were matched to 78 controls. Twenty-six percent grade 3–4 AEs were observed in cases versus 38% in controls (p = 0.001). There were 76 and 88 re-hospitalisations in the case and control groups, respectively (p = 0.217). ARDI > 85% was observed in 92% and 82% of cases and controls, respectively (p = 0.138). No differences were observed in terms of treatment responses and survival. Estimated cost savings were of EUR 81,782 in favour of the case group. An improvement of 5.1 points was observed in the total QoL score before and after treatment in cases. Conclusions: A nurse–pharmacist–haematologist collaboration seems to be promising to reduce grade 3–4 AEs in HL and NHL patients receiving highly haematotoxic chemotherapy regimens. Cost savings from hospitalisation being avoided were also shown.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has emerged as an option for relapsed/refractory aggressive B-cell lymphomas that have failed 2 lines of therapy. Failures usually occur early after infusion. The purpose of our study was to identify factors that may predict failure, particularly early progression (EP), within the first month after infusion. Characteristics of 116 patients were analyzed at the time of decision (TD) to use commercial CAR (axicabtagene ciloleucel, n = 49; tisagenlecleucel n = 67) and at the time of treatment (TT), together with total metabolic tumor volume (TMTV) at TT. With a median follow-up of 8.2 months, 55 patients failed treatment; 27 (49%) were early progressors. The estimated 12-month progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 47.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 38.0-58.6) and 67.0% (95% CI, 57-79), respectively. Univariate analyses for PFS and OS identified Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) ≥2, stage III/IV disease, extranodal (EN) sites ≥2, elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), increased C-reactive protein (CRP), high International Prognostic Index at TD and at TT, as well as increased CRP, bulky mass, and high TMTV at TT, as risk factors. Multivariate analyses for PFS, EP, and OS identified elevated LDH and EN sites ≥2 at TD and the same predictors at TT (ie, increased CRP, EN sites ≥2, and TMTV >80 mL). In summary, risk factors identified for early progression at TD and at TT were EN involvement (≥2 sites) and lymphoma burden (LDH, TMTV).

Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBL) is a rare type of aggressive lymphoma typically affecting young female patients. The first-line standard of care remains debated. We performed a large multicenter retrospective study in 25 centers in France and Belgium to describe PMBL patient outcomes after first-line treatment in real-life settings. A total of 313 patients were enrolled and received rituximab (R) plus ACVBP (doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vindesine, bleomycin, and prednisone) (n = 180) or CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) delivered every 14 days (R-CHOP14, n = 76) or 21 days (R-CHOP21, n = 57) and consolidation strategies in modalities that varied according to time and institution, mainly guided by positron emission tomography. Consolidation autologous stem cell transplantation was performed for 46 (25.6%), 24 (31.6%), and 1 (1.8%) patient in the R-ACVBP, R-CHOP14, and R-CHOP21 groups, respectively (P < .001); only 17 (5.4%) patients received mediastinal radiotherapy. The end-of-treatment complete metabolic response rates were 86.3%, 86.8%, and 76.6% (P = .23) in the R-ACVBP, R-CHOP14, and R-CHOP21 groups. The median follow-up was 44 months, and the R-ACVBP, R-CHOP14, and R-CHOP21 three-year progression-free survival probabilities were 89.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 84.8-94.2), 89.4% (95% CI, 82.7-96.6), and 74.7% (95% CI, 64-87.1) (P = .018). A baseline total metabolic tumor volume (TMTV) ≥360 cm3 was associated with a lower progression-free survival (hazard ratio, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.05-4.53). Excess febrile neutropenia (24.4% vs 5.3% vs 5.3%; P < .001) and mucositis (22.8% vs 3.9% vs 1.8%; P < .001) were observed with R-ACVBP compared with the R-CHOP regimens. Patients with PMBL treated with dose-dense immunochemotherapy without radiotherapy have excellent outcomes. R-ACVBP acute toxicity was higher than that of R-CHOP14. Our data confirmed the prognostic importance of baseline TMTV.

Conventional therapies for patients with T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL), such as cytotoxic chemotherapy and alemtuzumab, have limited efficacy and considerable toxicity. Several novel agent classes have demonstrated preclinical activity in T-PLL, including inhibitors of the JAK/STAT and T-cell receptor pathways, as well as histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors. Recently, the BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax also showed some clinical activity in T-PLL. We sought to characterize functional apoptotic dependencies in T-PLL to identify a novel combination therapy in this disease. Twenty-four samples from patients with primary T-PLL were studied by using BH3 profiling, a functional assay to assess the propensity of a cell to undergo apoptosis (priming) and the relative dependence of a cell on different antiapoptotic proteins. Primary T-PLL cells had a relatively low level of priming for apoptosis and predominantly depended on BCL-2 and MCL-1 proteins for survival. Selective pharmacologic inhibition of BCL-2 or MCL-1 induced cell death in primary T-PLL cells. Targeting the JAK/STAT pathway with the JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib or HDAC with belinostat both independently increased dependence on BCL-2 but not MCL-1, thereby sensitizing T-PLL cells to venetoclax. Based on these results, we treated 2 patients with refractory T-PLL with a combination of venetoclax and ruxolitinib. We observed a deep response in JAK3-mutated T-PLL and a stabilization of the nonmutated disease. Our functional, precision-medicine–based approach identified inhibitors of HDAC and the JAK/STAT pathway as promising combination partners for venetoclax, warranting a clinical exploration of such combinations in T-PLL.

Simple Summary Follicular lymphoma is an indolent B cell lymphoproliferative disorder of transformed follicular center B cells, which accounts for 20–30 percent of all non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) cases. Although huge efforts have been made in the last 10 years, this pathology is still considered as incurable, leaving open the discovery and testing of new therapeutic targets requiring relevant preclinical models. Here, we report a realistic 3D model of t (14;18)-positive B-NHL cell culture (ultra-low attachment (ULA)-multicellular aggregates of lymphoma cells (MALC)), which monitored by state-of-the-art 2D and 3D imaging, allows more robust drug testing. Abstract Follicular lymphoma (FL) is an indolent B cell lymphoproliferative disorder of transformed follicular center B cells, which accounts for 20–30 percent of all non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) cases. Great advances have been made to identify the most relevant targets for precision therapy. However, no relevant models for in vitro studies have been developed or characterized in depth. To this purpose, we generated a 3D cell model from t(14;18)-positive B-NHL cell lines cultured in ultra-low attachment 96-well plates. Morphological features and cell growth behavior were evaluated by classical microscopy (2D imaging) and response to treatment with different drugs was evaluated by a high-content analysis system to determine the robustness of the model. We show that the ultra-low attachment (ULA) method allows the development of regular, spherical and viable ULA-multicellular aggregates of lymphoma cells (MALC). However, discrepancies in the results obtained after 2D imaging analyses on drug-treated ULA-MALC prompted us to develop 3D imaging and specific analyses. We show by using light sheet microscopy and specifically developed 3D imaging algorithms that 3D imaging and dedicated analyses are necessary to characterize morphological properties of 3D models and drug effects. This study proposes a new method, but also imaging tools and informatic solutions, developed for FL necessary for future preclinical studies.

Diagnosis of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) is usually straightforward, involving clinical, immunophenotypic (Matutes score), and (immuno)genetic analyses (to refine patient prognosis for treatment). CLL cases with atypical presentation (e.g., Matutes ≤ 3) are also encountered, and for these diseases, biology and prognostic impact are less clear. Here we report the genomic characterization of a case of atypical B-CLL in a 70-yr-old male patient; B-CLL cells showed a Matutes score of 3, chromosomal translocation t(14;18)(q32;q21) (BCL2/IGH), mutated IGHV, deletion 17p, and mutations in BCL2, NOTCH1 (subclonal), and TP53 (subclonal). Quite strikingly, a novel PAX5 mutation that was predicted to be loss of function was also seen. Exome sequencing identified, in addition, a potentially actionable BRAF mutation, together with novel somatic mutations affecting the homeobox transcription factor NKX2-3, known to control B-lymphocyte development and homing, and the epigenetic regulator LRIF1, which is implicated in chromatin compaction and gene silencing. Neither NKX2-3 nor LRIF1 mutations, predicted to be loss of function, have previously been reported in B-CLL. Sequencing confirmed the presence of these mutations together with BCL2, NOTCH1, and BRAF mutations, with the t(14;18)(q32;q21) translocation, in the initial diagnostic sample obtained 12 yr prior. This is suggestive of a role for these novel mutations in B-CLL initiation and stable clonal evolution, including upon treatment withdrawal. This case extends the spectrum of atypical B-CLL with t(14;18)(q32;q21) and highlights the value of more global precision genomics for patient follow-up and treatment in these patients.

International audience; Historically, double or triple hit lymphoma (DHL and THL) have poor outcomes with conventional chemotherapy, but there is currently no guideline. We report the French experience in managing DHL and THL in first line using collective data on both survival and tolerance. All consecutive patients with newly diagnosis of large B-cell lymphoma with MYC, BCL2, and/or BCL6 rearrangements, as determined by FISH between January 2013 and April 2019 were included. Based on the eligibility criteria, 160 patients were selected among the 184 patients identified. With a median follow-up of 32 months, 2- and 4-year progression free survival (PFS) rates were 40% and 28% with R-CHOP compared with 57% and 52% with intensive chemotherapy (P = .063). There was no difference in overall survival (OS). For advanced stages, PFS was significantly longer with intensive chemotherapy than with R-CHOP (P = .029). There was no impact of autologous stem cell transplantation among patient in remission. For patients with central nervous system (CNS) involvement, the 2-year PFS and OS rate was 21% and 39%, vs 57% and 75% without CNS disease (P = .007 and P < .001). By multivariate analysis, elevated IPI score and CNS disease were strongly and independently associated with a poorer survival, whereas treatment was not significantly associated with OS. This is the largest series reporting the treatment of DHL and THL in Europe. The PFS was significantly longer with an intensive regimen for advanced stage, but no difference in OS, supporting the need for a prospective randomized trial.

CANOMAD (chronic ataxic neuropathy, ophthalmoplegia, immunoglobulin M [IgM] paraprotein, cold agglutinins, and disialosyl antibodies) is a rare syndrome characterized by chronic neuropathy with sensory ataxia, ocular, and/or bulbar motor weakness in the presence of a monoclonal IgM reacting against gangliosides containing disialosyl epitopes. Data regarding associated hematologic malignancies and effective therapies in CANOMAD are scarce. We conducted a French multicenter retrospective study that included 45 patients with serum IgM antibodies reacting against disialosyl epitopes in the context of evocating neurologic symptoms. The main clinical features were sensitive symptoms (ataxia, paresthesia, hypoesthesia; n = 45, 100%), motor weakness (n = 18, 40%), ophthalmoplegia (n = 20, 45%), and bulbar symptoms (n = 6, 13%). Forty-five percent of the cohort had moderate to severe disability (modified Rankin score, 3-5). Cold agglutinins were identified in 15 (34%) patients. Electrophysiologic studies showed a demyelinating or axonal pattern in, respectively, 60% and 27% of cases. All patients had serum monoclonal IgM gammopathy (median, 2.6 g/L; range, 0.1-40 g/L). Overt hematologic malignancies were diagnosed in 16 patients (36%), with the most frequent being Waldenström macroglobulinemia (n = 9, 20%). Forty-one patients (91%) required treatment of CANOMAD. Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg) and rituximab-based regimens were the most effective therapies with, respectively, 53% and 52% of partial or better clinical responses. Corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs were largely ineffective. Although more studies are warranted to better define the optimal therapeutic sequence, IVIg should be proposed as the standard of care for first-line treatment and rituximab-based regimens for second-line treatment. These compiled data argue for CANOMAD to be included in neurologic monoclonal gammopathy of clinical significance.

Background: Patients with lymphoma are immunocompromised because of the disease per se and its treatments. We aimed to describe the characteristics of patients with lymphoma hospitalized for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) and to analyze pre-Covid-19 determinants of mortality. Methods: This retrospective multicentric cohort study used the Programme de Médicalisation des Systèmes d'Information database to identify all adult patients with lymphoma, hospitalized for Covid-19 in March and April 2020, in 12 hospitals of three French regions with pandemic outbreaks. The characteristics of lymphoma and Covid-19 were collected from medical charts. Findings: Eighty-nine patients were included. The median age was 67 years (range, 19–92), 66% were male and 72% had a comorbidity. Most patients had B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (86%) and had received a lymphoma treatment within one year (70%). With a median follow-up of 33 days from admission, 30-day overall survival was 71%, (95% confidence interval, 62–81%). In multivariable analysis, having an age ≥ 70 years (hazard ratio 2·87, 1·20–6·85, p = 0·02) and relapsed/refractory lymphoma (hazard ratio 2·54, 1·14–5·66, p = 0·02) were associated with mortality. Recent bendamustine treatment (n = 9) was also pejorative (hazard ratio 3·20, 1·33–7·72, p = 0·01), but was strongly associated with relapsed/refractory lymphoma. Remarkably, 30-day overall survival for patients

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare CD4+/CD56+ hematological malignancy with aggressive clinical course and poor prognosis. Histologically, BPDCN is characterized by a diffuse, monomorphous infiltration of cutaneous, subcutaneous, and sometimes other tissues such as lymph nodes and bone marrow, by medium-sized neoplastic cells with blastoid morphology. Typically, there is absence of lymphocytic infiltrate. Diagnosis relies on immunophenotypic expression of CD4, CD56, and the more specific markers of plasmacytoid dendritic cells CD123, CD303/BDCA2, and TCL1. We report a case of a 57-year-old man who presented a 4 cm-long solitary, erythemateous lesion on the right cheek, corresponding to a BPDCN but initially misdiagnosed as T-cell lymphoma. The case was characterized by conservation of skin appendages and a diffuse T-cell infiltrate, which strongly expressed PD1. ETV6 and MYC fluorescent in situ hydridization and next-generation sequencing were performed on this tumor. The main difficulties to diagnose BPDCN were the atypical cytology of tumor cells and their CD4 and CD43 expression, as can be seen in T-cell lymphomas. The diffuse T-cell infiltrate was also challenging. The patient is still alive 29 months after diagnosis, suggesting a potential prognostic impact of T-cell infiltration and the absence of MYC translocation. The presence of TET2 and ASXL1 mutations supporting BPDCN and reinforcing the hypothesis of a myeloid origin.

Ibrutinib, obinutuzumab, and venetoclax demonstrate synergy in preclinical models of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). OAsIs (NCT02558816), a single-arm multicenter prospective phase 1/2 trial, aimed to determine the maximum tolerated dose of venetoclax in combination with fixed doses of ibrutinib and obinutuzumab, in relapsed MCL patients. At the venetoclax MTD, extension cohorts were opened for relapsed and untreated patients. Safety and efficacy were secondary objectives. Minimal residual disease (MRD) was assessed by allele-specific oligonucleotide quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Between 14 October 2015 and 29 May 2018, 48 patients were enrolled. No dose-limiting toxicity was reported, and venetoclax at 400 mg per day was chosen for extension. Eighteen (75%) relapsed and 8 (53%) untreated patients experienced grade 3/4 adverse events. The complete response rate assessed by positron emission tomography at the end of cycle 6 was 67% in relapsed and 86.6% in untreated patients. MRD clearance for evaluable patients was seen in 71.5% of relapsed (10/14 patients) and 100% of untreated MRD-evaluable patients (n = 12) at the end of 3 cycles. The median follow-up for relapsed patients was 17 months (range, 10-35 months). The 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 69.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 52.9%-91.4%) and 68.6% (95% CI, 49.5%-95.1%) for overall survival. The median follow-up was 14 months (range, 5-19) for untreated patients, the 1-year PFS was 93.3% (95% CI, 81.5%-100%). The combination of obinutuzumab, ibrutinib, and venetoclax is well tolerated and provides high response rates, including at the molecular level, in relapsed and untreated MCL patients. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02558816.

Purpose Small-scale dosimetry studies generally consider an artificial environment where the tumors are spherical and the radionuclides are homogeneously biodistributed. However, tumor shapes are irregular and radiopharmaceutical biodistributions are heterogeneous, impacting the energy deposition in targeted radionuclide therapy. To bring realism, we developed a dosimetric methodology based on a three-dimensional in vitro model of follicular lymphoma incubated with rituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody used in the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphomas, which might be combined with a radionuclide. The effects of the realistic geometry and biodistribution on the absorbed dose were highlighted by comparison with literature data. Additionally, to illustrate the possibilities of this methodology, the effect of different radionuclides on the absorbed dose distribution delivered to the in vitro tumor were compared. Methods The starting point was a model named multicellular aggregates of lymphoma cells (MALC). Three MALCs of different dimensions and their rituximab biodistribution were considered. Geometry, antibody location and concentration were extracted from selective plane illumination microscopy. Assuming antibody radiolabeling with Auger electron (125 I and 111 In) and β- particle emitters (177 Lu, 131 I and 90 Y), we simulated energy deposition in MALCs using two Monte Carlo codes: Geant4-DNA with "CPA100" physics models for Auger electron emitters and Geant4 with "Livermore" physics models for β- particle emitters. Results MALCs had ellipsoid-like shapes with major radii, r, of ~0.25, ~0.5 and ~1.3 mm. Rituximab was concentrated in the periphery of the MALCs. The absorbed doses delivered by 177 Lu, 131 I and 90 Y in MALCs were compared with literature data for spheres with two types of homogeneous biodistributions (on the surface or throughout the volume). Compared to the MALCs, the mean absorbed doses delivered in spheres with surface biodistributions were between 18% and 38% lower, while with volume biodistribution they were between 15% and 29% higher. Regarding the radionuclides comparison, the relationship between MALC dimensions, rituximab biodistribution and energy released per decay impacted the absorbed doses. Despite releasing less energy, 125 I delivered a greater absorbed dose per decay than 111 In in the r ~ 0.25 mm MALC (6.78·10-2 vs 6.26·10-2 µGy·Bq-1 ·s-1 ). Similarly, the absorbed doses per decay in the r ~ 0.5 mm MALC for 177 Lu (2.41·10-2 µGy·Bq-1 ·s-1 ) and 131 I (2.46·10-2 µGy·Bq-1 ·s-1 ) are higher than for 90 Y (1.98·10-2 µGy·Bq-1 ·s-1 ). Furthermore, radionuclides releasing more energy per decay delivered absorbed dose more uniformly through the MALCs. Finally, when considering the radiopharmaceutical effective half-life, due to the biological half-life of rituximab being best matched by the physical half-life of 177 Lu and 131 I compared to 90 Y, the first two radionuclides delivered higher absorbed doses. Conclusion In the simulated configurations, β- emitters delivered higher and more uniform absorbed dose than Auger electron emitters. When considering radiopharmaceutical half-lives, 177 Lu and 131 I delivered absorbed doses higher than 90 Y. In view of real irradiation of MALCs, such a work may be useful to select suited radionuclides and to help explain the biological effects.

IF 3.877; International audience; Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are an emerging class of therapeutic agents that bring new opportunities for the treatment of hematological malignancies by meeting unmet medical needs. These drugs consist of a cytotoxic agent connected by a linker to a human, humanized, or chimeric antibody targeting a surface antigen specifically expressed by tumor cells. These ADCs are being developed to specifically deliver the cytotoxic agent into tumor cells. The cytotoxic payload is released from the ADC after internalization and cleavage of the linker, ultimately triggering the death of the cancer cell. Second- and even third-generation ADCs are currently being developed and have more stable linkers and more potent payloads, which should improve ADC efficacy even further. In this review, we analyze the results for the main ADCs currently developed and discuss the advantages and drawbacks of this therapeutic option.

Resume Les lymphomes lymphoplasmocytaires (LPL) sont des formes rares de lymphome non hodgkinien a cellules B dont le plus connu est la maladie de Waldenstrom. Cette entite est caracterisee par une infiltration medullaire par de petits lymphocytes matures a differenciation lymphoplasmocytaire generalement associee a une immunoglobuline M (IgM) monoclonale. Cependant une faible proportion des LPL est associee a la secretion d’une IgG ou d’une IgA monoclonale. Nous rapportons ici le cas d’un LPL a IgG associe a un depot amyloide medullaire.

Background: The AHL2011 study demonstrated that a PET-driven strategy allows to deescalate treatment to 4 x ABVD in PET negative patients after 2 cycles of escalated BEACOPP (BEACOPPesc) without loss of tumor control in patients with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) compared to a non PET-monitored treatment delivering 6 x BEACOPPesc (Casasnovas RO et al, Lancet Oncol 2019). The interim PET results after 2 (PET2) and 4 (PET4) cycles of chemotherapy were found to influence patients PFS and OS independently of IPS. To further refine the patients outcome prediction we evaluate the prognostic value of baseline Total Metabolic Tumor Volume (TMTV) and tumor dissemination (SDmax) in Ann Arbor stage III-IV patients included in the AHL2011 trial. Patients and methods: 634 patients enrolled in the AHL2011 trial with stage Ann Arbor III or IV were included in the study. According to the AHL2011 trial, patients were randomized in a standard arm (6 x BEACOPPesc) or a PET-driven arm (2 x BEACOPPesc and 4 x ABVD in negative PET2 patients or 4 x BEACOPPesc in positive PET2 patients). For each patient, a semi automatic tumor segmentation was retrospectively performed in baseline PET to calculate TMTV using the 41% of SUVmax threshold and compute the maximum distance between the delineated lesions normalized by body surface area (SDmax). Optimal thresholds for TMTV and SDmax were calculated using X-Tile and ROC curve approaches in a randomly assigned training (n=317) and validation sets (n=317). The per protocol PET2 and PET4 responses were analyzed using the modified Deauville criteria (positive if residual uptake >140% background liver). Multivariate analysis included treatment arm, TMTV, SDmax, international prognosis score (IPS), PET2, and PET4 as covariates. The median follow-up was 5.6y. Results : Median TMTV and SDmax were 215 ml and 0.221 m-1 in the whole population and similar in both randomized arms and in the training and validation sets. Optimal cutoffs were 220ml for TMTV (312 patients [49%] had High TMTV) and 0.330 m-1 for SDmax (149 patients [24%] had High SDmax) and similar in the training and validation sets. 5-year PFS for patients with TMTV>220ml was 84.1% vs 90.2% in low TMTV patients (p=0.02) in the whole population (in the training set: 83% vs 89%, p=0.088 ; in the validation set : 86% vs 92% p=0.11). 5-year PFS was significantly lower in patients with SDmax>0.333 m-1 (78.8% vs 89.7%; HR=2.15 [95%CI: 1.38-3.35], p=0.0005) in the whole population (in the training set: 77% vs 89%; p=0.0037); in the validation set: 81% vs 91; p=0.046). The combination of TMTV and SDmax allows to identify two subgroups of patients, those having both low TMTV and low SDmax (n= 281; 44%) and those having high TMTV and/or SDmax (5-year PFS: 92% vs 83.4%; HR=2.24 [95%CI: 1.39-3.62], p=0.0007) (figure 1). In multivariate analysis, high TMTV (p=0.034), high SDmax (p=0.0002), PET2 (p=0.02) and PET4 (p Conclusion: Tumor burden (TMTV) and dissemination (SDmax) assessed on baseline 18FDG PET allow to predict, independently of early reponse to treatment, the outcome of patients with advanced HL. These two parameters overcome the prognosis value of IPS and could be included into new prognostic scores to tailor personalized therapy in advanced Hodgkin Lymphoma. Figure 1 : PFS according to TMTV and SDmax in stage III-IV HL patients enrolled in the AHL2011 study Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Brice: Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; BMS: Honoraria; MSD: Honoraria. Ghesquieres: Janssen: Honoraria; Mundipharma: Consultancy, Honoraria; Roche: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Gilead Science: Consultancy, Honoraria. Stamatoullas-Bastard: Takeda: Consultancy. André: AbbVie: Other: Travel/accomodation/expenses; Roche: Other: Travel/accomodation/expenses, Research Funding; Johnson & Johnson: Research Funding; Incyte: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy, Other: Travel/Accommodations/Expenses; Karyopharm: Consultancy; Bristol-Myers-Squibb: Consultancy, Other: Travel/Accommodations/Expenses; Celgene: Other: Travel/accomodation/expenses; Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding. Rossi: ROCHE: Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria; JANSSEN: Honoraria; ABBVIE: Honoraria. Casasnovas: Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Gilead Kite: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; MSD: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria.

Classical Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a curable disease in 80% of advanced and 90% of localized stages. An improvement of the HL curability is still possible with the emergence of first-line therapy with a better balance between efficacy and toxicity and early identification patients with high risk of failure requiring specific treatment. 18FDG PET-CT gained a major role in the baseline staging and response assessment to HL treatment. The prognostic value of early PET-CT allowed to develop PET-CT guided therapies able to optimize the balance between efficacy and toxicity including the modulation of the chemotherapy intensity or the omission of radiotherapy for some localized diseases. New drugs emerged in the treatment of relapse or refractory HL (brentuximab vedotine [BV], immunological checkpoint inhibitor anti-PD1). Although their place in the strategies of salvage therapy is still debated several trials have reported relevant efficacy in some unmet medical need: refractory patients or relapses after auto/allograft. This review addresses the questions of PET-CT-based therapeutic strategies in first-line and the impact of new drugs targeting the micro-environment (anti-PD1) or the Hodgkin Reed Sternberg cells (BV).

Introduction: Primary mediastinal B cell lymphoma (PMBL) is clinically and biologically distinct from the other subtypes of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), typically affecting young female patients (pts) with a bulky mediastinal mass. Standard treatment (TRT) is a combination of anti-CD20 antibody (Ab) and anthracycline-based chemotherapy. We aimed to compare patients' outcomes after CHOP delivered every 21 days (CHOP21) or 14 days (CHOP14) or ACVBP combined with anti-CD20 Ab in real life. Methods: All Pts treated in LYSA centers were eligible in this retrospective analysis. Inclusion criteria were as follow: age ≥18 years (yrs), newly diagnosed PMBL, TRT with CHOP or ACVBP plus anti-CD20 Ab between 2006 and 2017, and patient non-opposition statement. Primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS), secondary endpoints were: overall survival (OS), response rate (Lugano 2014) and total metabolic tumor volume (TMTV). Results: 313 pts were enrolled from 25 LYSA centers in France and Belgium. In all, median age at diagnosis was 32 (18-88) yrs. Majority of pts were female pts (60.7%) and presented at diagnosis with a good performance status (0-1: 81.8%), stage I-II (57.5%), elevated LDH (85%), Bulk>10cm (58.5%) and low/low-intermediate aaIPI 0-1 (56.7%). Pts in the CHOP21 (n=57) group were older (median 40 yrs, vs 33 vs 29.5, p Complete metabolic response rates at end of TRT were comparable between CHOP21, CHOP14 and ACVBP groups: 81.1%, 90.9%, and 85.5%, respectively (p=0.46). 37 (11.8%) pts progressed including 32 (10.2%) who displayed primary refractory disease and 6 (16.2%) pts who relapsed after consolidation ASCT. CNS relapse occurred in 9 (2.9%) pts. Median time between ASCT and relapse was 3 (2-58) months. Patients received the following salvage TRTs: high dose chemotherapy (HDC: R-ICE/R-DHAOX-like) (n=30) followed by second-line consolidation ASCT (n=11/30) and post-ASCT mediastinal RT (n=5/11); salvage RT without chemotherapy (n=1); other regimens (R-CHOP, R-GEMOX) (n=3); none (n=3). 2-yrs second PFS (PFS2) rates in pts who had previously received CHOP21, CHOP14 and ACVBP were: 20.5% vs 62.5% vs 18.8% (p=0.43). Only HDC + ASCT strategy granted disease control (2-yrs PFS2: 32.3%). Median follow up was 44 (1-153) months and the CHOP21, CHOP14, ACVBP 5-yrs PFS and 5-yrs OS were: 74.7% (95%CI: 64-97.1%), 89.4% (82.7-96.6%), 89.4% (84.8-94.2%) (p=0.018, Figure A); and 81% (70-94.4%), 100% (100-100%), 92.4% (88.4-96.7%) (p=0.0036, Figure B), respectively. In a multivariate model including TRT group, consolidation ASCT and/or RT, aaIPI, Bulk>10cm and TMTV≥360cm3, CHOP14 was not associated with better PFS as compared to ACVBP and CHOP21 (p=0.1548). Baseline higher TMTV (≥ 360 cm3) was associated with lower PFS in multivariate analysis, independently of TRT (HR=0.41 [0.2-0.85], p=0.02). All grades TRT-related adverse events were similar between the groups, except for an excess of febrile neutropenia (5.3% vs 5.3% vs 24.4%, p Conclusion These results confirm the favorable outcome of PMBL pts treated with CHOP14 and ACVBP plus anti CD20 Ab. The toxicity of ACVBP was more pronounced and CHOP14 was associated with a better OS. Baseline TMTV≥360cm3 is a highly predictive factor of unfavorable outcome in PMBL pts, independently of TRT. We recommend R-CHOP14 as standard of care in PMBL. Figure Disclosures Camus: ROCHE: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATIONS, EXPENSES (paid by any for-profit health care company); PFIZER: Other: TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATIONS, EXPENSES (paid by any for-profit health care company); AMGEN: Honoraria; JANSSEN: Honoraria. Decazes:Bayer: Other: travel, accomodations, expenses. Bernard:Janssen: Other: Travel and accommodation . Gandhi Laurent:Abbevie, Pfizer, Takeda, Roche: Other: Travel; Roche, Takeda, Iqone, Accord: Consultancy; Roche, Takeda, Accord: Honoraria. Laribi:amgen: Research Funding; novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; takeda: Research Funding; abbvie: Honoraria, Research Funding. Houot:Gilead: Honoraria; Kite: Honoraria; Roche: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria; MSD: Honoraria. Tilly:BMS: Honoraria.

International audience; Follicular lymphoma (FL) is a common non Hodgkin's lymphoma subtype in which immune escape mechanisms are implicated in resistance to chemo-immunotherapy. Although molecular studies point to qualitative and quantitative deregulation of immune checkpoints, in depth cellular analysis of FL immune escape is lacking. Here, by functional assays and in silico analyses we show that a subset of FL patients displays a 'high' immune escape phenotype. These FL cases are characterized by abundant infiltration of PD1+ CD16+ TCRVγ9Vδ2 γδ T lymphocytes. In a 3D co-culture assay (MALC), γδ T cells mediate both direct and indirect (ADCC in the presence of anti-CD20 mAbs) cytolytic activity against FL cell aggregates. Importantly, PD-1, which is expressed by most FL-infiltrating γδ T lymphocytes with ADCC capacity, impairs these functions. In conclusion, we identify a PD1-regulated γδ T cell cytolytic immune component in FL. Our data provide a treatment rational by PD-1 blockade aimed at boosting γδ T cell anti-tumor functions in FL.

Introduction Treatment of B-lineage lymphoma with B-cell depleting immunotherapy causes B-cell aplasia and impairs immune response. Case studies have reported patients treated with anti-CD20 therapy who suffered from persistent Covid-19. We aimed to assess the incidence, risk factors and long-term outcomes of persistent Covid-19 in patients with lymphoma. Patients and methods This retrospective multicentric study was conducted in 16 French hospitals. All adult patients with lymphoma who were admitted for Covid-19 in March and April 2020 were included. Persistent Covid-19 was defined as persisting severe Covid-19 symptoms requiring in-hospital stay for >30 days. Patients who re-experienced severe Covid-19 symptoms after initial improvement, requiring repeated hospitalizations for a total in-hospital length of stay >30 days were added to the persistent Covid-19 cases. Results One hundred eleven patients were included. Thirty days after admission for Covid-19, 24 patients had died, 55 had been definitively discharged from hospital, 31 were still hospitalized and 1 was later rehospitalized for Covid-19 recurrence. The incidence of persistent Covid-19 was 32/111 (29%). Patients with persistent Covid-19 had a median age of 64 years (range, 43-87) and 63% were male. Twenty-two patients (69%) had at least one significant comorbidity. None of the patients with T-cell (n=8) lymphoma or classical Hodgkin’s disease (n=8) experienced persistent Covid-19. In the 32 patients with persistent Covid-19, the median time between first admission and final discharge was 58 days (range, 31-235) and the median duration of Covid-19 symptoms was 83 days (range, 32-237). Eight patients received corticosteroids and 9 convalescent plasma: all patients recovered from their symptoms, except one. Overall, 9 patients with persistent Covid-19 died (27%). After a median follow-up of 191 days (range, 3-260), the 6-month overall survival was 69% (95% CI 60-78%) for the whole cohort. In multivariate analysis, administration of anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody within 12 months before admission to hospital for Covid-19 was both associated with decreased overall survival (HR 2.13, 95% CI 1.03-4.44, p = 0.043) and prolonged in-hospital stay (HR 1.97, 95% CI 1.24-3.13, p = 0.004). The two other significant factors associated with decreased overall survival and prolonged in-hospital stay: age ≥ 70 years and refractory or relapsed lymphoma. Conclusion Patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma hospitalized for Covid-19 have a high incidence of prolonged evolution of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Administration of anti-CD20 therapy within the last 12 months is one of the main risk factors for longer in-hospital stay and death of Covid-19. The risk of persistent Covid-19 was also higher in patients older than 70 years or with refractory or relapsed disease. These findings may contribute to guide the management of lymphoma patients during the Covid-19 pandemic. Citation Format: Sylvain Lamure, Remy Dulery, Marc Delord, Roberta Di Blasi, Adrien Chauchet, Thomas Hueso, Cédric Rossi, Bernard Drenou, Bénédicte Deau-Fischer, Carole Soussain, Pierre Feugier, Nicolas Noel, Sylvain Choquet, Serge Bologna, Bertrand Joly, Laure Philippe, Milena Kohn, Sandra Malak, Guillemette Fouquet, Etienne Daguindau, Sophie Bernard, Yassine Taoufik, Karine Lacombe, Guillaume Cartron, Catherine Thieblemont. High incidence of persistent COVID-19 among patients with lymphoma treated with B-cell depleting immunotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Meeting: COVID-19 and Cancer; 2021 Feb 3-5. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2021;27(6_Suppl):Abstract nr S09-02.

Introduction: Major hyperferritinemia is a rare feature in clinical laboratories associated with a wide variety of disorders, including hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). The diagnosis of HLH is based on clinical and biological criteria, such as those proposed by the Histiocyte Society. However, several of these criteria are not relevant in the specific setting of hematologic malignancies. Materials and methods: A 69-year-old male was treated for an acute myeloid leukaemia. On day 15 after the start of chemotherapy, he developed severe sepsis with high fever, low blood pressure and hepatosplenomegaly. Results: Blood tests were marked by extreme hyperferritinemia (191,000 µg/L, reference range: 26-388 µg/L) with increased C-reactive protein (87.0 mg/L) and procalcitonin (1.94 µg/L) and aspartate aminotransferase (499 U/L 37 °C) in the setting of chemotherapy-induced aplasia. This unusual extreme ferritinemia led to suspect HLH triggered by an invasive infection. Under intensive treatment, the clinical status improved and ferritin levels significantly decreased. Conclusions: The diagnosis of HLH is usually based on clinical and biological criteria, mainly fever, splenomegaly, cytopenias, hypertriglyceridemia, hypofibrinogenemia, hemophagocytosis and hyperferritinemia. In this patient, the diagnosis of HLH was challenging because several criteria, such as hypertriglyceridemia, hemophagocytosis and hypofibrinogenemia, were absent. In addition, some criteria of HLH are not relevant in the setting of hematologic malignancy, in which fever, splenomegaly, cytopenias and elevated lactate dehydrogenase are commonly observed independently of HLH. This unusual case of extremely high ferritinemia emphasizes the important weight of the ferritin level for the diagnosis of HLH in adult patients in the setting of hematologic malignancies.

Introduction: Older patients with an age above 60 years with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) represent a proportion of 20% to 30% of all cHL. Older cHL patients are characterized by unfavorable prognostic factors with an aggressive disease, a poor tolerance to chemotherapy especially with bleomycin-induced lung toxicity resulting to a significant reduced survival as compared to younger patients. PVAG regimen (prednisone, vinblastine, doxorubicin, gemcitabine) was developed by the German Hodgkin Study Group (GHSG) to improve results and reduce toxicities of ABVD regimen. In a prospective phase II study of 55 early unfavorable and advanced-stage elderly HL patients (median age, 68 years), 78% achieved complete response (CR) with a 3-year progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates of 58% and 66%, respectively (Böll et al, Blood 2011) with favorable toxicity profile. To the best of our knowledge, there is no report that described efficacy and toxicity of this protocol in real-life setting. Methods: Between June 2011 and February 2020, 49 elderly patients with cHL received first-line chemotherapy with PVAG (Prednisone 40 mg/m2, Vinblastine 6 mg/m2, Doxorubicin 50 mg/m2, Gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2, or adapted-dose of PVAG) in 6 LYSA centers. All medical records were reviewed for clinical and biological characteristics, modality of treatment, responses and outcome. Comorbidities were evaluated according to the cumulative illness rating scale for geriatrics (CIRS-G) and treatment-related toxicity according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). Results: The median age of the 49 patients was 76 years (range, 61-87) with 44 patients ≥70 years old (69%) and 27 male (55%). Ann Arbor stages were as follows: II (n=16, 33%), III (n=12, 24%), IV (n=21, 43%). Altered performance status (PS 2-4) was presented in 35% of patients and B symptoms in 59%. IPS was ≥3 in 32 (65%) patients. CIRS-G Grade 3 or 4 in two or more categories was observed in 11 patients (22%) and 22 patients (43%) had a cumulative CIRS-G score over 6. Patients received a median of 6 cycles (range 1-8), 21 of them (43%) received adapted dose of PVAG. Seven patients (14%) received radiotherapy after respectively 3, 4, 6, or 8 cycles of PVAG. At the end of PVAG regimen, 26 patients were in CR (53%), 4 PR (8%), 19 patients progressed (39%). For the 46 patients who were evaluated by PET-CT after chemotherapy, the CR and PR rates were 52% and 13% with 35% of patients with stable or progressive diseases. For hematologic toxicity, 6 patients (12%) developed febrile neutropenia, 22 (45 %) had grade III-IV neutropenia; 8 (16 %) a grade 3-4 thrombopenia; 17 (35%) grade 3-4 anemia. Extra-hematologic toxicities were mild with three patients (6%) with grade 3-4 mucositis, 2 (4%) grade 3-4 nausea, 5 (10%) with grade 3-4 neuropathy, 3 (6%) acute heart toxicity. With a median follow up of 33,2 months (range, 14,3 -53,7), 26 (53%) patients progressed or relapsed. The median PFS was 21,6 months with a 3-year PFS rate of 48,6% (95%CI, 36,3-65,1). The median overall survival (OS) was 66,5 months with a 3-year OS rate of 73,7% (95%CI, 61,2-88,8). The cause of death was HL in 8 patients (16%), infection in 2 (4%); one toxic death occurred (sepsis after first cycle of PVAG). In univariate analysis, PFS (HR: 2,36, 95CI, 1,01-5,48, P=0.0,046) and OS (HR: 4,23, 95%CI, 1,15-15,6, P=0.03) were adversely affected by high number of medications (>3). OS was adversely affected by grade 3-4 CIRS-G in ≥2 categories (HR: 3,63, 95%CI, 1,23-10,71, P=0.019). Age, IPS, presence of B symptoms, lymphopenia, anemia, low albumin level, CIRS-G>6 did not affect outcome. Conclusions:Our real-life evaluation of PVAG regimen showed that patients were older than those included in the pivotal clinical trial and 58% of patients received adapted-dose of chemotherapy. We confirmed the favorable safety profile of this protocol. Using TEP-scan evaluation, the CR rate was 52%. Survival analyses supported initial results obtained in clinical trial. Combinations with immunotherapies with clinical activity in cHL should be evaluated to improve results of this regimen. Disclosures Brice: Takeda: Consultancy; Roche: Consultancy. Salles:Epizyme: Honoraria, Other: consultancy or advisory role; Kite, a Gilead Company: Honoraria, Other: consultancy or advisory role ; Janssen: Honoraria, Other: consultancy or advisory role; BMS/Celgene: Honoraria, Other: consultancy or advisory role; Takeda: Honoraria; Karyopharm: Honoraria; Genmab: Honoraria, Other; Debiopharm: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: consultancy or advisory role; MorphoSys: Honoraria, Other: consultancy or advisory role; Novartis: Honoraria, Other: consultancy or advisory role; Roche: Honoraria, Other: consultancy or advisory role; Abbvie: Other: consultancy or advisory role; Autolos: Other: consultancy or advisory role. Deau Fischer:Takeda: Consultancy; Roche: Consultancy.