Frontiers in Oncology (Dec 2021)

Venetoclax Shows Low Therapeutic Activity in BCL2-Positive Relapsed/Refractory Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma: A Phase 2 Study of the Fondazione Italiana Linfomi

  • Laura Ballotta,
  • Laura Ballotta,
  • Pier Luigi Zinzani,
  • Pier Luigi Zinzani,
  • Stefano Pileri,
  • Riccardo Bruna,
  • Monica Tani,
  • Beatrice Casadei,
  • Beatrice Casadei,
  • Valentina Tabanelli,
  • Stefano Volpetti,
  • Stefano Luminari,
  • Stefano Luminari,
  • Paolo Corradini,
  • Elisa Lucchini,
  • Maria Chiara Tisi,
  • Michele Merli,
  • Alessandro Re,
  • Marzia Varettoni,
  • Emanuela Anna Pesce,
  • Francesco Zaja,
  • Francesco Zaja

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2021.789891
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11

Abstract

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Patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) have a poor prognosis, with an expected survival of less than 1 year using standard salvage therapies. Recent advances in our understanding of the biology of PTCL have led to identifying B-Cell Lymphoma 2 (BCL2) protein as a potential therapeutic target. BLC2 inhibitor venetoclax was investigated in a prospective phase II trial in patients with BCL2-positive R/R PTCL after at least one previous standard line of treatment (NCT03552692). Venetoclax given alone at a dosage of 800 mg/day resulted in one complete response (CR) and two stable diseases (SDs) among 17 enrolled patients. The majority of patients (88.2%) interrupted the treatment due to disease progression. No relationship with BCL2 expression was documented. At a median follow-up of 8 months, two patients are currently still on treatment (one CR and one SD). No case of tumor lysis syndrome was registered. Therefore, venetoclax monotherapy shows activity in a minority of patients whose biological characteristics have not yet been identified.Clinical Trial Registrationwww.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03552692, EudraCT number 2017-004630-29).

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