Published in:
Open Access
01-12-2016 | Letter to the Editor
l-asparaginase-based regimens followed by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation improve outcomes in aggressive natural killer cell leukemia
Authors:
Ki Sun Jung, Su-Hee Cho, Seok Jin Kim, Young Hyeh Ko, Eun-Suk Kang, Won Seog Kim
Published in:
Journal of Hematology & Oncology
|
Issue 1/2016
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Abstract
Aggressive nature killer cell leukemia (ANKL) is a mature NK-T cell lymphoma with worse prognosis, but optimal treatment is unclear. Therefore, we analyzed the efficacy of l-asparaginase-based regimens for ANKL patients. Twenty-one patients who received dexamethasone, methotrexate, ifosfamide, l-asparaginase, and etoposide (SMILE) or etoposide, ifosfamide, dexamethasone, and l-asparaginase (VIDL) chemotherapy at Samsung Medical Center were selected. The overall response rate for all patients was 33 % (7/21); 38 % (5/13) in SMILE and 40 % (2/5) in VIDL, respectively. The median progression-free survival was 3.9 months (95 % CI 0.0–8.1 months) and median overall survival was 7.0 months (95 % CI 2.3–11.7 months). Treatment response (P = 0.001), hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) (P = 0.007) and negative conversion of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA titer after treatment (P = 0.004) were significantly associated with survival. Thus, l-asparaginase-based regimens followed by allogeneic HSCT seem to improve the outcome for ANKL patients.