Lymphoma
Mantle cell lymphoma: optimizing responses in treatment-naïve and difficult-to-treat patients
The three-arm, randomized, phase III TRIANGLE trial has set a new first-line standard in younger patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), showing that the addition of ibrutinib to standard immunochemotherapy improves efficacy [1]. Previously untreated patients aged 18-65 years who were eligible for autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) were randomized to either induction treatment with R-CHOP and R-DHAP followed by ASCT (group A; n = 288) or one of two experimental arms: In group A+I (n = 292), ibrutinib was added to R-CHOP and was administered as fixed-duration maintenance for two years after ASCT.
Advancing care in Waldenström macroglobulinemia: Clinical and real-world perspectives
Recent advances have transformed the management of Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM), particularly with the advent of targeted therapies such as Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors. These innovations have addressed longstanding challenges including resistance, intolerance, and the need for personalized approaches (enabling therapy also for those deemed unfit for chemotherapy).
Follicular lymphoma: Efficacy and safety updates
In the context of follicular lymphoma treatment, there is a clear unmet need for patients who have experienced early progression (progression within 24 months of front-line therapy, POD24), as well as those who are refractory to treatment and present with other high-risk features. At ASH 2024, promising efficacy and safety data were reported for the five molecules nemtabrutinib, zanubrutinib, BGB-16673, epcoritamab, and mosunetuzumab [1-6].
Pushing the boundaries further in the management of CLL
In patients with treatment-naïve chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the multicenter, open-label, randomized, phase III AMPLIFY trial was initiated to evaluate fixed-duration treatment with acalabrutinib plus venetoclax ± obinutuzumab compared to investigator’s choice of chemoimmunotherapy (CIT).
Editorial – ASH 2024
The 66th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), held as a hybrid event from December 7th to 10th, 2024, in San Diego, California, USA, set a new benchmark with over 7,950 abstracts accepted for presentation.
Economic analysis of zanubrutinib vs. acalabrutinib in B-cell malignancies
A recent meta-analysis by Hwang et al. provided a comprehensive comparison of adverse event (AE) profiles of zanubrutinib with acalabrutinib in patients with B-cell malignancies. Specific AEs seen more commonly with acalabrutinib than zanubrutinib included infections, atrial fibrillation, diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, headaches, cough, fatigue and pyrexia. On the other hand, hematuria, neutropenia, and hypertension were observed more frequently with zanubrutinib than with acalabrutinib [1].
Relative efficacy of several treatment options in marginal zone lymphoma
Chemoimmunotherapy (CIT), immunotherapy and chemotherapy regimens are commonly used for the treatment of patients with marginal zone lymphoma. Moreover, the BTK inhibitor zanubrutinib has shown activity in the relapsed/refractory setting based on the phase II, single-arm MAGNOLIA and BGB-3111-AU-003 trials [1, 2]. Walewska et al. conducted a matching-adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC) to estimate the comparative efficacy of these treatment strategies in relapsed/refractory marginal zone lymphoma [3].
Follicular lymphoma: news on bispecific antibody treatment
In the setting of relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma (FL), progression-free survival (PFS) deteriorates with successive relapses, which implies a high unmet need for therapies that can improve disease control and extend survival after relapse [1]. The Fc-silenced CD20 x CD3 bispecific antibody odronextamab is being investigated in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell malignancies in the multicohort, multicenter, phase II ELM-2 study.
