Current management of peripheral T-cell lymphomas

Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) are an uncommon group of lymphoproliferative disorders accounting for approximately 10-15 % of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) in Western countries. Although PTCLs are associated with poor prognosis, outcomes vary with disease subtype. The standard of care has been anthracycline-based induction combination chemotherapy, however, with the exception of low-risk ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma, relapse rates are high. Therefore, consolidation with autologous stem cell transplantation is usually recommended for patients deemed candidates, and with aggressive subtypes. In recent years, a number of novel agents including pralatrexate, histone deacetylase inhibitors, immunotoxins, proteasome inhibitors, aurora kinase inhibitors and the CD30 antibody-drug conjugate brentuximab vedotin, have shown promise in the treatment of PTCLs. Studies are underway to explore the activity of these newer agents used in the frontline setting.