ASH 2020 | Hyper-CVAD with NEL and PEG in T-ALL/LBL

Farhad Ravandi, MD, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, shares the results of a Phase II trial (NCT00501826) investigating hyper-CVAD combined with nelarabine (NEL) and PEG-asparaginase (PEG) in T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and T-lymphoblastic leukemia (T-LBL). NEL, a chemotherapy drug which has shown activity in relapsed/refractory T-ALL, and PEG, which has previously demonstrated benefits in pediatric leukemia, were combined with hyper-CVAD with the goal of improving the suboptimal overall survival seen in this population with hyper-CVAD monotherapy. The results showed a complete remission rate of 95% with a median of 1 cycle to response. Grade 3/4 non-hematological adverse events were common, most notably neutropenic infections, but the treatment was mostly well managed. This trial supports the combination of hyper-CVAD with NEL and PEG as an effective frontline therapy for newly diagnosed T-ALL/LBL. This interview took place during the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition, 2020.