Rituximab, Methotrexate, Vincristine Sulfate, Procarbazine Hydrochloride, and Cytarabine With or Without Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma

Phase II Randomized Study of Rituximab, Methotrexate, Procarbazine, Vincristine, and Cytarabine With and Without Low-Dose Whole-Brain Radiotherapy for Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma

RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies, such as rituximab, can block cancer growth in different ways. Some find cancer cells and help kill them or carry cancer-killing substances to them. Others interfere with the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as methotrexate, vincristine sulfate, procarbazine hydrochloride, and cytarabine, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Radiation therapy uses high energy x rays to kill cancer cells. It is not yet know whether rituximab and combination chemotherapy are more effective when given with or without radiation therapy in treating patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma.

PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial studies how well giving rituximab and combination chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy works in treating patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Lymphoma; Neurotoxicity; Radiation Toxicity; Cognitive/Functional Effects; Chemotherapeutic Agent Toxicity
• Intervention / Treatment: Biological: Rituximab; Drug: Cytarabine; Drug: Methotrexate; Drug: Procarbazine; Drug: Vincristine; Radiation: low-dose whole-brain radiation therapy

Detailed Description

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

• To determine median progression-free survival (PFS) in both arms on an intent-to-treat basis.

Secondary

• To determine overall survival (OS) defined as the interval from randomization to death due to any cause.
• To determine treatment-related neurotoxicity rates and disease-related cognitive deterioration in each arm, through the following methods: prospective formal neuropsychological evaluation, utilizing competing-risk methodology to account for death as a competing risk to neurotoxicity or cognitive deterioration from relapsed tumor burden/salvage treatment and incidence of clinically defined neurotoxicity as per investigator's assessment.
• To determine if there exists differences between the two treatment arms in terms of health-related quality-of-life and symptoms over time.
• To determine response (partial response (PR) and complete response (CR)) rate after methotrexate-based chemotherapy and after consolidation whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT).
• To determine chemotherapy-related toxicity, measured by Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Effects (CTCAE), v.4.0.

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center recursive-partitioning analysis (RPA) classification for primary central nervous system lymphoma on age and Karnofsky performance status (KPS) (Class 1: age ≤ 50 years vs Class 2: age > 50 years and KPS ≥ 70% vs Class 3: age > 50 years and KPS < 70%). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 91
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Israel
  • Tel Aviv, Israel, 64239
    • Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center
• United States
  • Alabama
    • Birmingham, Alabama, United States, 35233
      • University of Alabama at Birmingham Cancer Center
    • Birmingham, Alabama, United States, 35243
      • The Kirklin Clinic at Acton Road
  • Arizona
    • Phoenix, Arizona, United States, 85027
      • Arizona Oncology-Deer Valley Center
    • Phoenix, Arizona, United States, 85013
      • Saint Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center
    • Scottsdale, Arizona, United States, 85260
      • Arizona Oncology Services Foundation
  • California
    • Fresno, California, United States, 93720
      • Fresno Cancer Center
    • Rancho Cordova, California, United States, 95670
      • Kaiser Permanente-Rancho Cordova Cancer Center
    • Rohnert Park, California, United States, 94928
      • Rohnert Park Cancer Center
    • Roseville, California, United States, 95678
      • The Permanente Medical Group-Roseville Radiation Oncology
    • Sacramento, California, United States, 95823
      • South Sacramento Cancer Center
    • Santa Clara, California, United States, 95051
      • Kaiser Permanente Medical Center - Santa Clara
    • South San Francisco, California, United States, 94080
      • Kaiser Permanente Cancer Treatment Center
  • Colorado
    • Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States, 80907
      • Penrose-Saint Francis Healthcare
  • Florida
    • Tampa, Florida, United States, 33612
      • Moffitt Cancer Center
  • Idaho
    • Boise, Idaho, United States, 83706
      • Saint Alphonsus Cancer Care Center-Boise
  • Illinois
    • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611
      • Northwestern University
    • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60612
      • Rush University Medical Center
    • Maywood, Illinois, United States, 60153
      • Loyola University Medical Center
    • Warrenville, Illinois, United States, 60555
      • Cadence Cancer Center in Warrenville
  • Maine
    • Portland, Maine, United States, 04102
      • Maine Medical Center-Bramhall Campus
    • Scarborough, Maine, United States, 04074
      • Maine Medical Center- Scarborough Campus
  • Maryland
    • Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21201
      • University of Maryland/Greenebaum Cancer Center
  • Michigan
    • Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48106-0995
      • Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital
    • Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States, 49007
      • West Michigan Cancer Center
  • Nevada
    • Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, 89106
      • Nevada Cancer Research Foundation CCOP
  • New Hampshire
    • Lebanon, New Hampshire, United States, 03756
      • Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
  • New Jersey
    • Basking Ridge, New Jersey, United States, 07920
      • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center at Basking Ridge
  • New York
    • Commack, New York, United States, 11725
      • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Commack
    • New York, New York, United States, 10032
      • Columbia University Medical Center
    • New York, New York, United States, 10065
      • Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
    • Rochester, New York, United States, 14642
      • University of Rochester
  • Ohio
    • Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, 45267
      • University of Cincinnati
    • Cleveland, Ohio, United States, 44106
      • Case Western Reserve University
    • Cleveland, Ohio, United States, 44195
      • Cleveland Clinic Foundation
    • West Chester, Ohio, United States, 45069
      • University Pointe
  • Pennsylvania
    • Danville, Pennsylvania, United States, 17822
      • Geisinger Medical Center
    • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19107
      • Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
    • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19103
      • American College of Radiology Imaging Network
    • Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States, 18711
      • Geisinger Wyoming Valley/Henry Cancer Center
  • Texas
    • Houston, Texas, United States, 77030
      • M D Anderson Cancer Center
    • Houston, Texas, United States, 77030
      • M D Anderson Cancer Center CCOP Research Base
  • Wisconsin
    • Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, United States, 53051
      • Community Memorial Hospital
    • Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, 53226
      • Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin
    • Waukesha, Wisconsin, United States, 53188
      • Waukesha Memorial Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma(NHL) involving the brain, as demonstrated by contrast-enhanced Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histologic confirmation by one of the following within 6 weeks prior to registration:

   • A positive cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) cytology for lymphoma or a monoclonal lymphocyte population as defined by cell surface markers
   • A biopsy of the vitreous or uvea demonstrating non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
   • Brain biopsy

   Note: Patients in whom the type of lymphoma could not be determined or is unknown (eg, not enough tissue for further analysis) are assumed to have a B cell lymphoma and are eligible.

2. The patient must agree to submit tissue (i.e., the original H/E stained slides and immunohistochemistry studies) for central pathology review post-registration.
3. No evidence of systemic non-Hodgkin lymphoma as demonstrated by a computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest, abdomen and pelvis within 6 weeks prior to registration (Note: Bone marrow biopsy is not required for registration but must be obtained prior to start of treatment.)
4. Age ≥ 18
5. History and physical examination within 6 weeks of registration

6. Karnofsky performance status (KPS) equal to 50 or higher, with the following exception

   • Patients with KPS 30 to 50 are eligible if the reason for the poor performance status is neurologic deficit from primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma. (Patients with KPS 30 to 50 due to reasons other than primary CNS lymphoma are ineligible. Patients with KPS under 30 for any reason are ineligible)

7. Patient must have documentation of negative HIV-1 testing within 6 weeks prior to study registration (Separate counseling and consent as per institutional guidelines)

8. Complete blood count (CBC)/differential obtained within 2 weeks prior to study registration, with adequate bone marrow function defined as follows:

   • Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,500 cells/mm3;
   • Platelets ≥ 100,000 cells/mm3;
   • Hemoglobin (Hgb) ≥ 8.0 g/dl (Note: The use of transfusion or other intervention to achieve Hgb ≥ 8.0 g/dl is acceptable.);

9. Adequate liver function within 2 weeks prior to study registration, defined as follows:

   • Bilirubin < 2.0 mg/dl
   • Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) <2.5 times upper limit of normal

10. Adequate renal function within 2 weeks prior to study registration, defined as follows

    • Serum creatinine < 1.5 mg/dl
    • Calculated creatinine clearance (CrCl) > 50cc/min/1.73m2, using the Cockcroft-Gault equation, as follows:

    Male: CrCl (ml/min) = (140-age) X (Actual weight in kg) / 72 x serum Creatinine (mg/dl).

    Female: CrCl (ml/min) = (140-age) X (Actual weight in kg) X 0.85 / 72 x serum Creatinine (mg/dl).

    Note: A measured CrCl from a 24 hour urine collection may also be used.

11. Women of childbearing potential and male participants must agree to practice adequate contraception during therapy
12. Patient must provide study-specific informed consent prior to study registration
13. Patient must be able to swallow pills.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Prior invasive malignancy (except non-melanomatous skin cancer) unless disease free for a minimum of 3 years (For example, carcinoma in situ of the breast, oral cavity, or cervix are all permissible)
2. Prior treatment with chemotherapy or radiotherapy for lymphoma or chronic lymphocytic leukemia; note that prior chemotherapy for a different cancer is allowable; see section 1
3. Prior cranial irradiation

4. Severe, active co-morbidity, defined as follows:

   • Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within the last 6 months;
   • Transmural myocardial infarction within the last 6 months;
   • Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring intravenous antibiotics at the time of registration;
   • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease exacerbation or other respiratory illness requiring hospitalization or precluding study therapy within 30 days before registration
   • Hepatic insufficiency resulting in clinical jaundice and/or coagulation defects; note, however, that laboratory tests for liver function and coagulation parameters are not required for entry into this protocol.
   • Known pre-existing immunodeficiency as seen in organ transplant recipient.
5. Pregnancy or women of childbearing potential and men who are sexually active and not willing/able to use medically acceptable forms of contraception; this exclusion is necessary because the treatment involved in this study may be significantly teratogenic.
6. Prior allergic reaction to any of the study drugs involved in this protocol.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Chemotherapy; Rituximab, methotrexate, procarbazine for four 28-day cycles with vincristine for the first two cycles, followed 3-5 weeks later by two 28-day cycles of cytarabine.	Biological: Rituximab; One 28-day cycle = 500 mg/m^2 intravenously on day 1 and day 5.; Drug: Cytarabine; One 28-day cycle = 3 g/m^2 intravenously on day 1 and day 2.; Drug: Methotrexate; One 28-day cycle = 3.5 g/m^2 intravenously (standard hydration/leucovorin support) on day 2.; Other Names: MTX; Drug: Procarbazine; One 28-day cycle = 100 mg/m^2 orally on days 2-8.; Drug: Vincristine; One 28-day cycle = 1.4 mg/m^2 intravenously, dose capped at 2.4mg, on day 2 and day 16.
Experimental: Chemotherapy + Low-Dose WBRT; Rituximab, methotrexate, procarbazine for four 28-day cycles with vincristine for the first two cycles, followed 2-5 weeks later by 3 weeks of low-dose whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT), followed 3-5 weeks later by two 28-day cycles of cytarabine.	Biological: Rituximab; One 28-day cycle = 500 mg/m^2 intravenously on day 1 and day 5.; Drug: Cytarabine; One 28-day cycle = 3 g/m^2 intravenously on day 1 and day 2.; Drug: Methotrexate; One 28-day cycle = 3.5 g/m^2 intravenously (standard hydration/leucovorin support) on day 2.; Other Names: MTX; Drug: Procarbazine; One 28-day cycle = 100 mg/m^2 orally on days 2-8.; Drug: Vincristine; One 28-day cycle = 1.4 mg/m^2 intravenously, dose capped at 2.4mg, on day 2 and day 16.; Radiation: low-dose whole-brain radiation therapy; Total dose of 2340 cGy administered as 13 daily fractions of 180 cGy over 3 weeks. Participants with progressive disease on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) do not receive WBRT.; Other Names: WBRT

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Progression-free Survival	Progression is defined as any of the following: more than 25% increase in the contrast-enhancing lesion seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compared with baseline or best response; new site of disease (central nervous system or systemic); recurrent or new ocular disease; recurrent or positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology. Progression-free survival time is defined as time from randomization to the date of first progression, death, or last known follow-up (censored). Progression-free survival rates are estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.	From randomization to last follow-up. Maximum follow-up at time of analysis was 7.3 years.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Overall Survival	Overall survival time is defined as time from randomization to the date of death from any cause or last known follow-up (censored). Overall survival rates are estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method.	From randomization to last follow-up. Maximum follow-up at time of analysis was 7.3 years.
Percentage of Participants Experiencing Partial Response or Complete Response	Response was evaluated using the international criteria proposed by the International Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma (PCNSL) Study Group criteria. Complete Response was defined as no contrast brain enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), no corticosteroid use for at least 2 weeks, a normal eye exam, and negative CSF cytology. Partial response was defined as at least 50% decrease in enhancing tumor on MRI compared with baseline imaging, no or minor retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) abnormality, and negative CSF cytology.	After 4th cycle of chemotherapy, approximately 4 months after randomization.
Distribution of Participants by Highest Grade Adverse Event Related to Protocol Treatment	Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 4.0) grades adverse event severity from 1=mild to 5=death. Summary data is provided in this outcome measure; see Adverse Events Module for specific adverse event data. Adverse events reported as definitely, probably, or possibly related to protocol treatment are considered to be related to treatment.	At the end of each chemotherapy 28-day cycle, then every 2 months for two years starting 4 weeks after treatment, then every 6 months for 3 years, then yearly. Maximum follow-up at time of analysis was 7.3 years.
Global Heath Status (GHS) Score of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30)	Global Health Status is calculated from two questions on the EORTC QLQ-C30. The question responses range from 1 "very poor" to 7 "excellent" such that a higher response indicates better quality of life (QOL). The mean of these responses is linearly transformed to a range of 0 (worst) to 100 (best). Data through five years after end of protocol treatment is included in the analysis, while summary data is provided only through three years due to very few participants after that timepoint.	EORTC QLQ-C30 was administered at baseline, after cycle 4 of treatment (4 months), then every six months after end of treatment (7 months) for five years.
Percentage of Participants With Neurocognitive Failure	Neurocognitive failure is defined as cognitive failure on two or more of the following tests: Hopkins Verbal Learning Test - Revised (HVLT-R) Free Recall, HVLT-R Delayed Recall, HVLT-R Delayed Recognition, Trail Making Test Part A, Trail Making Test Part B, and Controlled Oral Word Association. Cognitive failure for each test is defined as a change from baseline in raw score (post baseline score - baseline score) at or exceeding the minimally important difference reported in the literature [determined by the reliable change index (RCI) method] of -5, -3, -2,12, 26, and -12, respectively, indicating a worsening of neurocognitive function. Time to neurocognitive failure is defined as time from randomization to date of first failure, last known follow-up (censored), or death without failure (competing risk). Failure rates are estimated using the cumulative incidence method and the distributions of failure times are compared between the arms. Two-year estimates are provided here.	Neurocognitive function tests were administered at baseline, after cycle 4 of treatment (4 months), then every six months after end of treatment (7 months) for five years. Two-year rates are provided here.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Radiation Therapy Oncology Group
• Collaborators: National Cancer Institute (NCI); NRG Oncology
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Antonio Omuro, MD, Yale University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2011
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 19, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): May 20, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 20, 2011
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 20, 2011
• First Posted (Estimated): July 21, 2011

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 20, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 13, 2023
• Last Verified: May 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: neurotoxicity; radiation toxicity; cognitive/functional effects; primary central nervous system non-Hodgkin lymphoma; chemotherapeutic agent toxicity
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Chemically-Induced Disorders; Nervous System Diseases; Immune System Diseases; Neoplasms by Histologic Type; Neoplasms; Lymphoproliferative Disorders; Lymphatic Diseases; Immunoproliferative Disorders; Poisoning; Lymphoma; Neurotoxicity Syndromes; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Anti-Infective Agents; Antiviral Agents; Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors; Enzyme Inhibitors; Antirheumatic Agents; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; Antimetabolites; Antineoplastic Agents; Immunosuppressive Agents; Immunologic Factors; Tubulin Modulators; Antimitotic Agents; Mitosis Modulators; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological; Dermatologic Agents; Reproductive Control Agents; Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal; Abortifacient Agents; Folic Acid Antagonists; Rituximab; Cytarabine; Methotrexate; Vincristine; Procarbazine
• Other Study ID Numbers: RTOG 1114; CDR0000703682; NCI-2011-02678 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program))