The emerging role of histone deacetylase inhibitors in treating T-cell lymphomas

T-cell lymphomas are an uncommon and heterogeneous group of non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Historically, therapies for these diseases have been borrowed from treatments for other lymphomas. More recently, efforts have be made to identify novel agents for their activity specifically in T-cell lymphomas. A primary example of new agents with specific activity in T-cell lymphomas is the novel class of drug, histone deacetylase inhibitors. The potential activity of histone deacetylase inhibitors was discovered somewhat serendipitously, but these early discoveries were followed by some larger and more rigorous studies in T-cell lymphomas. Two compounds, vorinostat and romidepsin, are currently approved and are in clinical use for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. Other drugs are in development, and a large study of romidepsin in peripheral T-cell lymphoma has recently been completed. This review covers data on the use of histone deacetylase inhibitors in T-cell lymphomas, as well as early attempts, just beginning, to combine these agents with other novel therapies.