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Pentostatin, Alemtuzumab, and Rituximab in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia or Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma

Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (CLL) With Pentostatin, Alemtuzumab, and Low Dose Rituximab: A Phase II Clinical Trial

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT00669318
Enrollment
41
Registered
2008-04-30
Start date
2008-07-31
Completion date
2014-05-31
Last updated
2014-07-01

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Leukemia, Lymphoma

Keywords

refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia, recurrent small lymphocytic lymphoma, B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Brief summary

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as pentostatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Monoclonal antibodies, such as alemtuzumab and rituximab, can block cancer growth in different ways. Some block the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread. Others find cancer cells and help kill them or carry cancer-killing substances to them. Giving pentostatin together with alemtuzumab and rituximab may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving pentostatin together with alemtuzumab and rituximab works in treating patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma.

Detailed description

OBJECTIVES: Primary * To assess the rate of complete and overall response in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma treated with pentostatin, alemtuzumab, and low-dose rituximab. * To monitor and assess toxicity of this treatment regimen. Secondary * To determine the overall and progression-free survival, duration of response, and time to next treatment. * To assess the correlation between individual prognostic markers (17p-, 11q-, unmutated VH gene, VH3-21, ZAP-70+, CD38+, CD49d, and β2 microglobulin, miRNA profiles, angiogenesis status, and karyotypes of CpG stimulated cells) and clinical outcome. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. * Course 1: Patients receive pentostatin IV on days 8 and 22; alemtuzumab subcutaneously (SC) on days 3-5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, 29, 31, and 33; rituximab IV on days 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, 29, 31, and 33; and sargramostim (GM-CSF) SC on days 10-14 and 24-28. Patients then proceed to course 2. * Courses 2 and 3: Patients receive pentostatin IV on days 1 and 15; alemtuzumab SC and rituximab IV on days 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, and 26; and GM-CSF SC on days 3-7 and 17-21. After completion of course 2, patients with a complete response proceed to observation. Patients with a partial response or stable disease receive another course of therapy (course 3). Treatment continues in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Blood is collected on days 1, 3, 8, and 10 of course 1 for monoclonal antibody studies. Samples are analyzed for serum concentration of alemtuzumab and rituximab by ELISA and PCR; CH50 assay; complement activation and cytokine levels by ELISA; NK cell activation; and NK cell phenotype by immunofluorescent staining and flow cytometry. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up monthly for 6 months, every 3 months for 6 months, and then every 6-12 months for up to 5 years.

Interventions

BIOLOGICALalemtuzumab
BIOLOGICALrituximab
DRUGpentostatin
DRUGsargramostim

Sponsors

National Cancer Institute (NCI)
CollaboratorNIH
Mayo Clinic
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) meeting the following criteria: * Minimum threshold peripheral blood lymphocyte count of 5 x 10\^9/L (CLL variant) OR adenopathy \> 1 cm or palpable splenomegaly (SLL variant) * Immunophenotypic demonstrations of a population of B lymphocytes (as defined by CD19+) that are monoclonal (by light chain exclusion) AND have ≥ 3 of the following characteristics: * CD5+ * CD23+ * Dim surface light chain expression * Dim surface CD20 expression * FISH analysis is negative for IGH/CCND1 and/or immunostaining is negative for cyclin D1 expression * Must have progressive disease as indicated by any of the following characteristics (based on standard criteria for treatment): * Symptomatic CLL characterized by any of the following: * Weight loss \> 10% within the past 6 months * Extreme fatigue * Fevers \> 38.5° C (not due to infection) * Drenching night sweats without evidence of infection * Evidence of progressive bone marrow failure with hemoglobin \< 11 g/dL or platelet count \< 100 x 10\^9/L * Massive and progressive splenomegaly (\> 6 cm below left costal margin) * Massive (\> 10 cm) or rapidly progressive lymphadenopathy PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * ECOG performance status 0-3 * Creatinine ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Total bilirubin ≤ 3.0 times ULN OR direct bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN * AST ≤ 3.0 times ULN (unless due to hemolysis or CLL) * Willing to provide mandatory blood samples for research studies * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for up to 12 months after completion of study treatment * No other active primary malignancy that requires treatment or limits survival to ≤ 2 years * No active autoimmune hemolytic anemia, immune thrombocytopenia, or pure red blood cell aplasia * No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease * No myocardial infarction within the past month * No uncontrolled infection * No HIV infection or AIDS * No active hepatitis B infection (i.e., HBsAg or HBeAg positivity) or hepatitis C infection by serology * No other comorbid condition PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * No more than 3 prior treatment regimens for CLL that included purine analogue drugs (e.g., fludarabine, pentostatin, or cladribine) OR previously untreated CLL in patients with high-risk disease due to 17p13 deletion on FISH analysis * More than 4 weeks since prior major surgery * More than 2 months since prior alemtuzumab * Prior corticosteroids allowed * No concurrent continuous systemic corticosteroids

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Complete Response RateUp to 3 cycles of treatment and 2 cycles of observation (up to 5 months total)A Complete Response (CR) requires the disappearance of all nodes, a non-palpable liver and spleen, no constitutional symptoms, absolute neutrophil counts \>1500/uL, platelets \>100000/uL, Hemoglobin \>11.0 g/dL, and lymphocytes \<4000/uL. In addition, a bone marrow biopsy with evidence of \<30% lymphocytes and no nodules. Here we report the rate of complete response as the number of patients attaining a CR status divided by the total number of evaluable patients. The 95% CI is estimated using the binomial distribution.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Overall Response Rate (Complete and Partial Response)Up to 3 cycles of treatment and 2 cycles of observation (up to 5 months total)A Complete Response (CR) requires the disappearance of all nodes, a non-palpable liver and spleen, no constitutional symptoms, absolute neutrophil counts \>1500/uL, platelets \>100000/uL, Hemoglobin \>11.0 g/dL, and lymphocytes \<4000/uL. A bone marrow biopsy with evidence of \<30% lymphocytes and no nodules. Patients who fulfill all criteria for a CR but have a persistent anemia, thrombocytopenia, or neutropenia related to drug toxicity will be classified as CR with incomplete marrow recovery (CRi). A Partial Response (PR) requires a 50% reduction in nodes and liver/spleen measurements and at least two of the following: absolute neutrophil counts \>1500/uL, platelets \>100000/uL, Hemoglobin \>11.0 g/dL, or a \>50% reduction in lymphocytes. Here we report the rate of overall response as the number of patients attaining a CR, PR, or CRi status divided by the total number of evaluable patients. The 95% CI is estimated using the binomial distribution.
Overall SurvivalFollow-up status and retreatment information will be collected up to 5 years from registrationSurvival time is defined as the time from registration to death due to any cause. The distribution of survival time will be estimated using the method of Kaplan-Meier.
Progression-free SurvivalFollow-up status and retreatment information will be collected up to 5 years from registrationThe progression-free survival (PFS) time is defined as the time from registration to progression or death due to any cause. The distribution of progression-free survival will be estimated using the method of Kaplan-Meier.
Time to RetreatmentFollow-up status and retreatment information will be collected up to 5 years from registrationTime to subsequent therapy is defined to be the time from the registration to the date subsequent therapy is initiated. The distribution of time to subsequent therapy will be estimated using the method of Kaplan-Meier

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Recruitment details

Forty-one patients were enrolled from July 2008 to February 2013 and 39 were evaluable. Two patients did not start treatment. One patient was found to have concomitant Hodgkin lymphoma and the other a serious systemic infection during pre-treatment evaluation. The characteristics of the 39 evaluable patients are summarized

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Treatment (Pentostatin, Alemtuzumab, Rituximab)
Course 1: Patients receive: * 2 mg/m\^2 pentostatin IV on days 8 and 22; * 3 mg alemtuzumab subcutaneously (SC) on day 3; * 10 mg alemtuzumab SC on day 4; * 30 mg alemtuzumab SC on days 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, 29, 31, and 33; * 20 mg/m\^2 rituximab IV on days 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, 29, 31, and 33; * 6 mg Sargramostim (GM-CSF) SC on days 10-14. Patients then proceed to course 2. Courses 2 and 3: Patients receive: * 2 mg/m\^2 pentostatin IV on days 1 and 15; * 30 mg alemtuzumab SC on days 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, and 26; * 20 mg/m\^2 rituximab IV on days 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, and 26; * 6 mg GM-CSF SC on days 3-7. After completion of course 2, patients with a complete response proceed to observation. Patients with a partial response or stable disease receive another course of therapy (course 3).
39
Total39

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject2

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicTreatment (Pentostatin, Alemtuzumab, Rituximab)
Age, Continuous61 years
Region of Enrollment
United States
39 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
9 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
30 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
— / —
other
Total, other adverse events
38 / 39
serious
Total, serious adverse events
4 / 39

Outcome results

Primary

Complete Response Rate

A Complete Response (CR) requires the disappearance of all nodes, a non-palpable liver and spleen, no constitutional symptoms, absolute neutrophil counts \>1500/uL, platelets \>100000/uL, Hemoglobin \>11.0 g/dL, and lymphocytes \<4000/uL. In addition, a bone marrow biopsy with evidence of \<30% lymphocytes and no nodules. Here we report the rate of complete response as the number of patients attaining a CR status divided by the total number of evaluable patients. The 95% CI is estimated using the binomial distribution.

Time frame: Up to 3 cycles of treatment and 2 cycles of observation (up to 5 months total)

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Treatment (Pentostatin, Alemtuzumab, Rituximab)Complete Response Rate10 percentage of participants
Secondary

Overall Response Rate (Complete and Partial Response)

A Complete Response (CR) requires the disappearance of all nodes, a non-palpable liver and spleen, no constitutional symptoms, absolute neutrophil counts \>1500/uL, platelets \>100000/uL, Hemoglobin \>11.0 g/dL, and lymphocytes \<4000/uL. A bone marrow biopsy with evidence of \<30% lymphocytes and no nodules. Patients who fulfill all criteria for a CR but have a persistent anemia, thrombocytopenia, or neutropenia related to drug toxicity will be classified as CR with incomplete marrow recovery (CRi). A Partial Response (PR) requires a 50% reduction in nodes and liver/spleen measurements and at least two of the following: absolute neutrophil counts \>1500/uL, platelets \>100000/uL, Hemoglobin \>11.0 g/dL, or a \>50% reduction in lymphocytes. Here we report the rate of overall response as the number of patients attaining a CR, PR, or CRi status divided by the total number of evaluable patients. The 95% CI is estimated using the binomial distribution.

Time frame: Up to 3 cycles of treatment and 2 cycles of observation (up to 5 months total)

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Treatment (Pentostatin, Alemtuzumab, Rituximab)Overall Response Rate (Complete and Partial Response)56 percentage of patients
Secondary

Overall Survival

Survival time is defined as the time from registration to death due to any cause. The distribution of survival time will be estimated using the method of Kaplan-Meier.

Time frame: Follow-up status and retreatment information will be collected up to 5 years from registration

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
Treatment (Pentostatin, Alemtuzumab, Rituximab)Overall Survival34.1 months
Secondary

Progression-free Survival

The progression-free survival (PFS) time is defined as the time from registration to progression or death due to any cause. The distribution of progression-free survival will be estimated using the method of Kaplan-Meier.

Time frame: Follow-up status and retreatment information will be collected up to 5 years from registration

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
Treatment (Pentostatin, Alemtuzumab, Rituximab)Progression-free Survival7.2 months
Secondary

Time to Retreatment

Time to subsequent therapy is defined to be the time from the registration to the date subsequent therapy is initiated. The distribution of time to subsequent therapy will be estimated using the method of Kaplan-Meier

Time frame: Follow-up status and retreatment information will be collected up to 5 years from registration

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
Treatment (Pentostatin, Alemtuzumab, Rituximab)Time to Retreatment9.1 months

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 10, 2026