Concurrent Chemo-Radiotherapy Followed by VIDL (Etoposide, Ifosfamide, Dexamethasone, L-asparaginase) Chemotherapy In Stage I/II Extranodal NK/T-Cell Lymphoma of Nasal Cavity/Nasopharynx

Localized extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL) mainly occurs in nasal and/or nasopharynx. Thus, ENKTL shows a poor response to anthracycline-based chemotherapy because of the frequent expression of a multidrug-resistant p-glycoprotein, radiotherapy for localized disease produces a higher complete response rate than chemotherapy. However, when ENKTL is treated with radiation alone, local and systemic failures are frequently observed. Therefore, our group previously reported the improved outcome of concurrent chemo-radiotherapy (CCRT) with weekly administration of cisplatin followed by systemic chemotherapy VIPD (etoposide, ifosfamide, cisplatin and dexamethasone). However, the grade 3/4 hematologic toxicity was the major toxicity of VIPD. Thus, in consideration of the risk of toxicity of VIPD, we designed VIDL (etoposide, ifosfamide, dexamethasone, and L-asparaginase) as adjuvant to CCRT. Because etoposide and ifosfamide are less affected by p-glycoprotein, and NK lymphoma cells are known as being sensitive to L-asparaginase, we expected VIDL regimen could be more effective and less toxic than VIPD.

Thirty-one newly diagnosed stage IE/IIE nasal/nasopharynx ENKTL patients received CCRT (radiation 40–50.4 Gy and cisplatin 30 mg/m² weekly). Two cycles of VIDL (etoposide 100 mg/m² D1–D3, ifosfamide 1200 mg/m² D1–D3, dexamethasone 40 mg D1–D3, and L-asparaginase 4000IU/m²) were scheduled after CCRT. All patients provided informed written consents and this trial was registered at www.ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01007526).

The median age was 46.5 years (range, 22–71 years); 78.1% of all patients were younger than 60 years of age, and male (n = 21) to female (n = 11) was 2:1. Twenty-two patients were stage IE and nine were IIE. The majority of patients were in the low (n = 24) or low–intermediate (n = 6) risk categories of the International Prognostic Index. However, when we grouped patients based on the NK/T cell lymphoma prognostic index (NKPI) proposed previously for ENKTL, which includes the presence of B cell symptoms, lesions at stage III or IV, elevated serum LDH concentration, and lymph node involvement, 25 patients belonged to group I or II and 7 patients were group III or IV (those with more than two risk factors). All patients completed CCRT, which resulted in 90.3% overall response rate including 22 complete response (CR) and 6 partial response (PR). Twenty-seven patients completed the planned two cycles of VIDL while four patients did not because three patients progressed during or after CCRT, and one patient is ongoing. The overall response rate of 27 patients completed VIDL was 92.6%, and two patients relapsed after the completion of VIDL chemotherapy. The major toxicity of VIDL was grade 3/4 leucopenia (85.1%), but there was no treatment-related mortality. The non-hematologic toxicity was tolerable, and the hepatic toxicity-associated with the use of L-asparaginase was frequent (55.5%). However, the majority of the hepatic toxicities were grade 1 or 2.

Concurrent chemo-radiotherapy followed by VIDL chemotherapy can be an effective treatment strategy with acceptable toxicity in stage I/II extranodal NK/T-Cell lymphoma of nasal cavity/nasopharynx.

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.