AUTHOR=Ballotta Laura , Zinzani Pier Luigi , Pileri Stefano , Bruna Riccardo , Tani Monica , Casadei Beatrice , Tabanelli Valentina , Volpetti Stefano , Luminari Stefano , Corradini Paolo , Lucchini Elisa , Tisi Maria Chiara , Merli Michele , Re Alessandro , Varettoni Marzia , Pesce Emanuela Anna , Zaja Francesco TITLE=Venetoclax Shows Low Therapeutic Activity in BCL2-Positive Relapsed/Refractory Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma: A Phase 2 Study of the Fondazione Italiana Linfomi JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology VOLUME=11 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2021.789891 DOI=10.3389/fonc.2021.789891 ISSN=2234-943X ABSTRACT=

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 Registration

www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03552692, EudraCT number 2017-004630-29).