ALBERT

Description: Abstract 44 CALGB (now part of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology) performed a non-randomized phase II study testing one year (yr) of investigational maintenance therapy with decitabine for newly diagnosed adult AML patients (pts) 1 × 109/L, platelets 〉75 × 109/L, and be within 90 days after day 1 of the final consolidation. Decitabine 20mg/m2 was given IV over 1 hour for 4–5 days, every 6 weeks, for 8 cycles. 546 pts enrolled with a median age of 48 yrs (range, 17–60) and median presenting white blood count (WBC) of 12.6 × 109/L (range, 0.3–380 × 109/L). 75% achieved CR (412/546). Reasons for CR pts not receiving maintenance were mainly early relapse, alloHCT in 1st CR, inadequate count recovery, and patient refusal (Blum et al. ASH 2011). 33% of CR pts (134/412) received investigational maintenance. Of these, 46 (34%) were favorable risk; among the remaining 88 pts, 73 were consolidated with autoHCT, and 15 received HiDAC-based consolidation. The median time from initial study registration to initiation of maintenance therapy was 6.3 months. Pts receiving decitabine had a median age of 45 yrs (range, 18–60) and presenting WBC of 13.5 × 109/L (range, 0.4–221 × 109/L). Treatment with decitabine maintenance was feasible and reasonably well tolerated; the primary toxicity was myelosuppression. Preplanned dose reduction criteria for neutropenia were met after the first 20 pts had been treated. After this early timepoint, all subsequent pts who had been consolidated with autoHCT received only 4 days of decitabine per cycle (HiDAC consolidated pts continued to receive 5 days per cycle). The median number of cycles of decitabine received was 7 (range, 1–8); 46% of pts (62/134) received all 8 cycles, and 75% completed at least 4 cycles. Reasons for discontinuation of decitabine before completing 8 cycles included relapse (28%, 38/134), pt refusal (13%), adverse events (4%), and others. In this selected cohort of pts who received post-CR maintenance with decitabine, 1-yr and 3-yr overall survival (OS) were 96% and 66%; 1-yr and 3-yr disease-free survival (DFS) were 80% and 53%. 1-yr “failure-free survival” calculated from the time of registration to decitabine was 68% (70% for favorable risk, 68% for others). These results are similar to the outcomes for comparable pts enrolled on our prior CALGB study 19808 who received identical chemotherapy for induction and consolidation and then were randomized to observation or maintenance with interleukin-2 (3-yr OS 61% and 68%, 3-yr DFS 45% and 56%, for observation and IL-2 respectively). Post-consolidation maintenance with decitabine appears to provide only modest, if any, benefit overall. Correlative studies for CALGB 10503 are ongoing, including investigations into the impact of decitabine in unique molecular and cytogenetic subsets of disease, the prognostic/predictive value of aberrant methylation and other molecular markers, and assessment of minimal residual disease. Supported by CA33601 and CA128377. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Description: Patients during cancer treatment and cancer survivors frequently utilize complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies. While the beliefs and knowledge regarding CAM of many cancer-specific patient groups have been well studied such as breast cancer patients and prostate cancer patients, no specific evaluation of lymphoma survivors and their beliefs and knowledge about CAM has been undertaken. Because CAM can yield both risks such as toxicity and displacement of efficacious therapy as well as potential benefits such as improvement in quality of life and mood, we surveyed lymphoma survivors in a pilot study to ascertain their current beliefs, knowledge, and utilization of CAM. Using the Mayo Tumor Registry, we identified eligible patients who were 16 years or older at diagnosis, U.S. residents, first diagnosed with Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma from 1984–1998, diagnosed and/or initially treated at Mayo Clinic Rochester, and survived for 5 to 20 years (N=2,485). In October of 2004, we mailed a 23-page survey to 95 randomly selected patients; 7 were found to be ineligible (deceased or too ill). Of the 88 remaining patients, we were able to find a correct address for 82, and 57 completed a survey for a 70% participation rate. Complete data were available on 54 patients at the time of this analysis. The mean age at completion of the questionnaire was 60.8 years (26.1–86.7). The mean time since diagnosis was 12.0 years (6.3–19.9), and 52% survived more than 11 years. The histologies included 22 (39%) Hodgkin lymphoma, 21 (38%) diffuse large B-cell, 3 (5%) follicular, 1 (1%) high grade, 5 (9%) peripheral T-cell lymphoma, and 4 (7%) other. A majority of patients expressed no knowledge about the use of CAM cancer care, while only 4% of patients responded that CAM could both cure cancer and that it was perfectly safe. Ten to twenty percent of patients felt that CAM could assist other therapeutic interventions, relieve symptoms, assist the body to heal or increase quality of life. Fifteen percent of patients reported that CAM utilization increased the feeling of control, and 24% reported that CAM could have side effects. With respect to CAM utilization, overall 32% of patients had ever used CAM, but no patients reported that CAM usage was directed specifically towards their lymphoma. The most commonly used CAM modalities were chiropractic (39%), massage (21%), relaxation therapy (7%), meditation (5%) and acupuncture (5%). Overall usage of dietary supplements was relatively low, with green tea, garlic, flax seed, and echinacea being the only dietary supplements used by more than 10% of respondents. Five percent had used St. John’s Wort and 7% had used shark cartilage. In conclusion, lymphoma long-term survivors appear to use CAM at a rate similar to the general population, which does not follow the typical pattern seen in other cancer survivorship populations. The use of St. John’s Wort has potential risks if not identified prospectively. At the same time, lack of access to potentially beneficial modalities was also identified, and these observations suggest the opportunity for further study of targeted educational interventions regarding the use of CAM in this population.

Description: Background: Donor grafts with more naive T cells and plasmacytoid dendritic cells were associated with improved overall survival after unrelated donor bone marrow, but not peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplants (Waller, E JCO 2014). Here we present results on influence of innate and adaptive immune subsets in G-CSF mobilized allografts on incidence of acute GVHD (aGVHD) and chronic GVHD (cGVHD) in 238 patients (pts). Methods: We analyzed the absolute numbers and percentages of T, NK, NKT and B cells along with an extensive immunophenotypic characterization of their activation status in consecutive PBSC allografts obtained from sibling and unrelated donors between 2010 - 2014 and studied their association with the incidence of aGVHD and cGVHD. Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to screen differential marker expression between those who did vs. did not develop aGVHD and similarly for cGVHD. Significant markers were evaluated in the multivariable (m.v.) setting along with known prognostic factors, including: recipient age, related vs. unrelated donor, female donor vs. not, Anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) use (yes vs. no), and Reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) vs. not. Cutpoints for markers were generated using recursive partitioning algorithms and evaluated in m.v. models. Results: Of the 238 alloSCT pts evaluated, most (71%) had unrelated donors, 64% received ATG, where most pts with unrelated donors received ATG (83%), and 78% received RIC. The incidence of aGVHD and cGVHD was 58% and 38% respectively. A total of 107 pts had grade II-IV aGVHD reported (71 II, 28 III, 8 IV), and 92 of 192 evaluable for cGVHD (at least 100 days of f/u) had reported cGVHD. Median follow-up in living pts was 21 months (range: 1.4 to 41.1 months). Table 1 shows dichotomized markers most influential on aGVHD. Higher absolute numbers of T cells, activated T cells, CD8+ cells, CD8+ cells expressing IL-7 receptor and CD27 were associated with higher incidence of aGVHD. Higher number of Stage 4 NK cells expressing stem cell factor receptor, and T-regs were associated with a lower incidence of aGVHD. Similar analyses were done for cGVHD (Table 2). Higher absolute numbers of activated T lymphocytes, activated B lymphocytes, KIR expressing CD3+ cells, CD8+ lymphocytes and activated NK cells were associated with higher incidence of cGVHD. When the percent of these makers in relation to total lymphocytes was evaluated regarding association with aGVHD, higher percent of T-regs (OR: 0.204, p=0.0018), effector memory T cells (OR: 0.45, p=0.024) and NKG2D positive NK cells (OR: 0.38, p=0.0008) conferred protection from aGVHD . Similar analysis for cGVHD showed higher percent of naïve CD4+ T cells conferred protection from cGVHD (OR: 0.44; p=0.0062) while higher percent of CD8+ cells (OR: 3.93; p=0.0032) and activated NK cells (OR: 2.08; p=0.024) was associated with cGVHD. Conclusions: These results show a protective role of donor T-regs, CD4+ T cells and Stage 4 NK cells from aGVHD. Additionally, higher content of activated T cells, CD8+ cells and B lymphocytes are associated with higher incidence of cGVHD. Higher content of activated NK cells seems to protect from aGVHD, but not from cGVHD. Updated results including multivariable analyses will be presented. These findings showing the influence of specific subsets in the allograft on aGVHD and cGVHD may provide opportunities for therapeutic interventions for graft engineering or pharmacologic methods for targeting specific immune subsets to decrease incidence of aGVHD and cGVHD. Table 1 Univariate model results for aGVHD with dichotomized markers using cutpoints: Marker Absolute OR p-value CD3+/CD5616- (T lymphocytes) 3.07 0.0013 CD3+/HLA DR+ (Activated T lymphocytes) 3.26 0.012 CD8+/CD45RA- (CD 8+ lymphocytes) 2.56 0.012 CD8+/CD27+ (Effector Memory CD8 cells) 3.25 0.0082 CD8+/CD127+ ( CD8 cells expressing IL-7 receptor) 2.92 0.073 CD4+/CD25+/CD127-(T regs) 0.43 0.057 CD3-/CD16-/CD56+/CD117+ (Stage 4 NK cells expressing Stem cell factor receptor) 0.12 0.0007 Table 2 Univariate model results for cGVHD with dichotomized markers using cutpoints: Marker Absolute OR p-value CD3+/HLA DR+ (Activated T lymphocytes) 4.41

Description: The standard of care for CLL is to treat only patients with obvious clinical progression because earlier intervention is not of proven benefit. The discovery of more accurate prognostic markers for CLL could change that paradigm. The predictors of more aggressive disease include 17p13 deletion (17p13−), 11q22-3 deletion (11q22−), unmutated (UM) immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable region (IgVH), and expression of ZAP-70 and CD38. In addition, monoclonal antibody (MoAb) therapies provide effective treatment with less toxicity than chemotherapy and are likely to be most efficacious in early stage CLL. The combination of alemtuzumab (ALEM) and rituximab (RIT) is of interest because of non-overlapping mechanisms of action. ALEM is also effective therapy for patients with defects in the p53 apoptotic pathway that are more resistance to purine analogue therapy. We tested the hypothesis that MoAb therapy with ALEM and RIT will eliminate/greatly decrease the high risk clone characterized by 17p13−, 11q22−, or UM IgVH plus either ZAP70+ or CD38+, in early stage CLL. Methods This trial will enroll a maximum of 30 patients and be considered promising if ≥ 19 patients respond. All patients with previously untreated CLL (Rai stage 0 −II) not meeting NCI-WG 1996 treatment criteria and with a high risk CLL clone were evaluated for enrollment. Treatment duration was 30 days (subcutaneous ALEM dose escalation, 3 mg - 10 mg - 30 mg on days 1–3) then 30 mg Monday, Wednesday and Friday for 4 weeks. RIT (375 mg/m2/dose IV x 4) was administered weekly staring on day 8. All patients received PCP and herpes virus prophylaxis and had CMV viral DNA testing for 7 months. Response was evaluated using NCI-WG 1996 criteria and minimal residual disease (MRD) was measured in peripheral blood using sensitive flow cytometry (1:104) for CD19+/CD5+/CD79b− lymphocytes. Results Since January 2005, 17 patients have been enrolled and the interim analyses are for the first 11 patients accrued. Median age was 62 years (29 – 75) with 6 males and 5 females. The qualifying high risk features were 17p13− (n = 4), 11q22− (n = 3), and UM IgVH + CD38+ +/− ZAP-70+ (n = 4). Median time from diagnosis to treatment was 11 months (2–72). Clinical stage (Rai) was 0 in 3 patients, I in 5 patients and II in 3 patients. Median absolute lymphocyte count was 25.6 x 109/L (15.9 – 81.8), Hgb 14.4 g/dL (12 – 15.8), and platelet count 171 x 109/L (125 – 312). Two patients had serious adverse reactions requiring intervention (CMV reactivation responsive to treatment; febrile drug reaction to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim). Grade 3–4 adverse reactions not requiring interventions were leukopenia (n = 4), neutropenia (n = 2), anemia (n = 1), elevated ALT (n = 1), and skin reaction to ALEM (n =1). There were no “first dose” reactions. All patients responded to therapy with 5 CR (4 of these MRD negative), 3 nodular PR, and 3 PR. Median duration of response has not yet been reached at median follow up of 11.7 months (6.5 – 14.9). Patients with a MRD negative CR had recurrence of detectable MRD at 120 – 210 days after completing therapy but all remain in CR. One patient died off study of complications of a myeloablative allogeneic transplant for progressive CLL. Discussion ALEM and RIT is effective and tolerable therapy for early stage high risk CLL. All patients responded with 36% achieving a MRD negative CR but serial MRD assays showed that the CLL clone was not deleted. This promising, treatment requires further improvement.

Description: Mutation status of the immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region (IgVH) in B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) is a critical prognostic tool. Although patients with unmutated (UM) IgVH genes exhibit an overall shorter survival than those with mutated (M) IgVH genes, considerable heterogeneity in clinical progression exists among UM B-CLL patients. The goal of this study was to evaluate UM CLL patients (n=215) in a large B-CLL cohort for Ig V, D, and J gene usage and relevant clinical parameters to identify Ig molecular features in addition to UM vs. M status that have prognostic value. Consistent with the literature, the most commonly expressed IgVH gene in our UM B-CLL cohort was VH 1–69 (69/215). We first evaluated D and J usage in VH 1-69 vs. non-VH 1–69 UM patients. The factors that were significantly different between VH1–69 vs. non-VH 1–69 cohorts were JH6 usage (p=0.0014), D3–3 usage (p=0.0025), and the combination of JH6 and D3–3 usage (p=0.0002). We then examined potential associations between patient time to treatment (TTT) and specific IgVH molecular features. Although there was a trend that VH 1–69 patients exhibited a shorter TTT than non-VH 1–69 patients, the association did not reach statistical significance (p=0.06). When all UM patients were instead grouped on the basis of D and J usage, JH6 usage was not significantly associated with TTT, but D3–3 usage, irrespective of VH or JH usage, significantly correlated with shorter TTT (p=0.005). Of interest, when JH6 patients were excluded from the analysis, differences in TTT between those with and without D3–3 usage were particularly pronounced (p=0.011). We next explored whether a specific D3–3 reading frame (RF) is associated with TTT. Within the group of D3–3 patients, we evaluated differences in TTT between those with RF 2 (n=38) vs. RF 3 (n=19) but did not study RF1 patients due to small numbers (n=6). Comparison of D3–3/RF 3 patients (n=19) with all other UM patients (n=190), did not reveal a significant difference in TTT, however, there was a significant difference (p=0.012) in TTT between D3–3/RF 2 patients (n=38) and all other UM patients (n=171). Rai risk was still the best overall prognostic factor, and was the only significant factor (p

Description: DLBCL is a curable subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, although a significant number of patients do not achieve a remission or they relapse with conventional chemotherapy. While clinical variables (e.g., IPI), tumor (somatic) genetic alterations, and gene expression profiling have all been shown to predict outcome, there remains a need for additional prognostic biomarkers. One understudied class of biomarkers is host genetic background. We evaluated the hypothesis that germline variability in 73 SNPs from 44 candidate immune genes was associated with overall survival in DLBCL. We addressed this hypothesis in 365 DLBCL patients aged 20–70 years who participated in a population-based case-control study conducted from 1998–2000 (prior to the use of R-CHOP) through the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer registries in Detroit, Seattle, Iowa, and Los Angeles. Germline DNA was extracted from a venous blood sample or mouthwash buccal cell sample, which was collected a median of 4.8 months after diagnosis in this population-based study. All genotyping was conducted at the National Cancer Institute Core Genotyping Facility using the Taqman platform, and was successful in over 95% of the DNA samples for the SNPs evaluated. Histology, stage, presence of B-symptoms, first course of therapy, date of last follow-up, and vital status were derived from linkage to registry databases at each study site in the spring of 2005. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to evaluate the association between individual SNPs, adjusted for age, demographic and clinical factors. Parallel modeling strategies were used to identify the best summary multi-SNP risk score to predict survival. At a median follow-up of 56 months (range, 27-78 months) for surviving patients, there were 96 deaths in 365 patients (26%). In multivariate modeling, SNPs in IL1A (rs1800587; HRCT/TT=1.90, 1.26–2.87), IL6 (rs1800795; HRGG=1.48, 0.99–2.23), IL-10 (rs1800896; HRAG/GG=1.48, 0.91–2.38), and IFNGR2 (rs2070385; HRAG/GG=1.35, 0.86–2.11) were the strongest and most robust predictors of overall survival. A summary score of the number of deleterious genotypes from these four genes in combination with clinical and demographic variables was strongly associated with survival (p=9.3 x 10−12); Kaplan-Meier 5-year survival estimates for low, intermediate, and high risk patients were 89%, 68%, and 47% respectively. In conclusion, host genetic background as measured by germline polymorphisms in immune genes including IL1A, IL6, IL10, and IFNGR2 were associated with overall survival in DLBCL after accounting for clinical and demographic factors. These promising results require confirmation and need further evaluation in patients treated with R-CHOP in conjunction with tumor and other prognostic biomarkers.

Description: Background: We reported a high response rate with the combination of lenalidomide plus dexamethasone (Rev/Dex) as initial therapy for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (Blood2005;106:4050–3). We now present new data on time to progression (TTP), progression free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) from this phase II trial, and also include updated response data. Patients and Methods: 34 patients (23 male and 11 female) were enrolled. Lenalidomide was given orally 25 mg daily on days 1–21 of a 28-day cycle. Dexamethasone was given orally at a dose of 40 mg daily on days 1–4, 9–12, 17–20 of each cycle. Patients were allowed to go off treatment after 4 cycles of therapy to pursue autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT), but treatment beyond four cycles was permitted at the physician’s discretion. For patients continuing therapy beyond 4 months, the dose of dexamethasone was reduced to 40 mg on days 1–4 of each cycle. Response was assessed by modified EBMT/International Myeloma Working Group Uniform Response criteria. All patients received aspirin (81 mg or 325 mg daily) as prophylaxis against DVT. Results: The median age was 64 years (range, 32–78). All patients were evaluable for response and toxicity. Median follow up is 21 months. Thirteen patients proceeded to SCT following initial therapy with Rev/Dex and were censored at that time point for purposes of calculation of response, TTP and PFS. Patients who discontinued therapy to proceed to SCT received a median of 4 cycles of therapy (range, 4–13), while those staying on Rev/Dex (n=21) received a median of 19 cycles of therapy (range, 2–30). Thirty-one of 34 patients (91%) achieved an objective response to therapy; including 6 patients (18%) achieving a complete response (CR) and 13 patients (38%) achieving very good partial response for a CR+VGPR rate of 56%. The CR+VGPR rate among the 21 patients staying on Rev/Dex as primary therapy without SCT was 67% (CR 24%, VGPR 43%). Median TTP, PFS, and OS have not been reached (Figure). By Kaplan-Meier method, the estimated 2 year progression rate was 18%. The 2-year PFS rate and OS rate were 74% and 91%, respectively. Fifty-five percent of patients experienced grade 3 or higher non-hematologic toxicity at any point during therapy, most commonly fatigue (21%), neutropenia (21%), anxiety (6%), pneumonitis (6%), muscle weakness (6%), and rash (6%). Two patients died on study: one attributed to infection unrelated to therapy, the patient had stopped all therapy for over a month before the fatal infection occurred; the other death was due to infection felt possibly related to therapy. One patient developed a pulmonary embolism (grade 4 toxicity), but recovered with therapy; no other patient developed deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. Conclusion: Rev/Dex is highly active and well tolerated in the treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma with a high CR+VGPR rate of 56% for the trial, and 67% among the subset of patients receiving this regimen as primary therapy. Responses are durable with a low progression rate at 2 years.

Description: Key Points High miR-10 family expression levels in AML patients are associated with achieving complete remission to induction chemotherapy. Functional experiments did not show any impact of miR-10a-5p in AML blast growth or survival at baseline conditions or after chemotherapy.

Description: Gene silencing mediated by aberrant promoter DNA hypermethylation represents a key mechanism by which tumor suppressor gene expression is silenced in cancer and it is associated with multiple repressive histone modifications. Histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methylation is a key repressive chromatin modification with important implications for regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, and gene expression. SUV39H1 is a methyltransferase that catalyzes the addition of trimethyl groups to H3K9. SUV39H1 is associated with regions of hypermethylated CpG islands, with repressive complexes, such as RB/E2F, and with DNA-binding proteins involved in leukemogenesis, such as AML1 and PML-RAR, where its H3K9 trimethylation activity promotes heterochromatin formation and gene silencing. We studied the requirement of SUV39H1 in the epigenetic silencing of heavily methylated tumor suppressor genes p15INK4B and E-cadherin in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Treatment of AML cell lines AML193, KG1a, and Kasumi with the DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitor 5-Aza-2’-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-dC) induces p15INK4B and E-cadeherin re-expression in association with dramatic decreases in p15INK4B and E-cadherin promoter DNA methylation and marked reductions in the levels of SUV39H1 and H3K9 trimethylation at these promoters. Interestingly, treatment of these cell lines with SUV39H1 shRNA, or the SUV39H1 inhibitor chaetocin, also induces p15INK4B and E-cadherin re-expression and H3K9 demethylation, without affecting promoter DNA methylation. Thus, re-expression of hypermethylated tumor suppressors requires histone H3K9 demethylation, which can be achieved indirectly by decreasing the amount of SUV39H1 associated with the promoter using 5-Aza-dC, or directly by inhibiting SUV39H1 expression or activity without requiring promoter DNA demethylation. Furthermore, we found that SUV39H1 shRNA or chaetocin in combination with 5-Aza-dC acts synergistically to re-express epigenetically silenced p15INK4B and E-cadherin in AML cell lines. Treatment of primary human AML blasts obtained from two patients with combinations of 5-Aza-C and chaetocin also results in synergistic re-expression of p15INK4B and E-cadherin (2–6 fold increase with 5-Aza-C or chaetocin treatment vs. 11–14 fold increase with co-treatment). Our study has important implications for developing novel epigenetic therapies of relevance to AML as it suggests that the re-expression of tumor suppressor genes silenced by aberrant promoter DNA hypermethylation converges on the requirement for SUV39H1 and H3K9 methylation inhibition but not promoter DNA demethylation. Our finding that SUV39H1 inhibition may function synergistically with DNMT inhibitors to enhance gene reactivation and chromatin changes also highlights the needs for developing more inhibitors of histone methyltransferases and for performing detailed drug interaction studies to identify the best drug combinations for optimal epigenetic therapies.

Description: Abstract 2693 Background: Aggressive B-cell NHL harboring a c-MYC rearrangement (myc+) with or without t(14;18) is associated with shortened PFS and overall survival (OS) (Savage, Blood 2009; Johnson, Blood 2009). Clinical presentation, risk-assessment, and therapies vary among pts and institutions. We reviewed pts with myc+ and double hit NHL treated at the Ohio State University (OSU) from Aug 2008-Jan 2012 to determine factors associated with prolonged PFS and OS. Methods: Pts with de-novo B-cell NHL who were myc+ by FISH break-apart probe were included. Pts with Burkitt's, follicular, and transformed NHL were excluded. Most pts were also evaluated for presence of t(14;18) by FISH, and those myc+ pts with t(14;18) were classified as double hit NHL. Response was determined by PET/CT at the completion of first-line therapy. Associations between myc+ and clinical characteristics were described. PFS and OS were defined from date of diagnosis to date of relapse or death. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression models were performed to assess relationships of selected clinical variables with PFS and OS. Results: Of 49 myc+ pts, 55% were male, and median age at diagnosis was 62 (range: 23–83). Morphologically, 30 pts had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), 10 pts had B cell lymphoma unclassifiable with features intermediate between diffuse large B cell and Burkitt lymphoma (BCLU), and 9 pts had high grade NHL not otherwise specified. Twenty-eight pts had ECOG performance status ≤1, and 40 pts had stage III-IV disease. Twelve pts had bone marrow involvement, and 26 pts had bulky disease ≥5cm. IPI was ≥3 in 24 pts, and median Ki-67 was 90% (range: 45–100). Twenty-nine of 43 assessed pts (67%) were positive for t(14;18). Therapies included R-CHOP (N=17), R-EPOCH (N=17), Burkitt's-like (ie, R-HyperCVAD, R-CODOXM/IVAC, or R-CHOP with high dose methotrexate; N=11), or other (N=4). No pts underwent autologous transplant in first remission. Twenty-nine pts (59%) achieved a complete response (CR), 2 pts had a partial response, 1 pt had stable disease, 8 pts had progressive disease (PD), and 9 pts died before response assessment (5 pts after cycle 1, 3 pts after cycle 2, and 1 pt after cycle 3). With a median follow-up of 26.2 months (mos; range: 4.8–45.0), the median PFS for all pts was 16.6 mos (95%CI: 9.6 - not reached=NR), and median OS was 37.7 mos (95%CI: 15.7–NR). Median PFS was 3.9 mos for pts without CR vs. not yet reached in pts with CR (p