Results of a prospective phase II trial evaluating interim positron emission tomography-guided high dose therapy for...

Patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with a poor prognosis based upon advanced stage and elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase achieve a 3-4-year progression-free survival (PFS) of only 55%. The role of interim fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) to guide use of upfront high dose chemotherapy (HDCT) and autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) for patients with poor prognosis DLBCL is unproven. A prospective phase II clinical trial was designed to evaluate the outcomes of HDCT/ASCT for patients with poor prognosis DLBCL aged 18-65 years who had unfavorable interim restaging PET scans. Of the 70 eligible patients, 36 had unfavorable and 34 favorable interim PET responses, with 3-year PFS rates of 65.2% and 52.7%, respectively. In conclusion, favorable interim PET response as defined in this study is not associated with improved PFS rates for patients with poor prognosis DLBCL treated with RCHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone). A phase III trial evaluating this PET-guided approach is not warranted.