New Combination of Chemoimmunotherapy for Systemic B-cell Lymphoma With Central Nervous System Involvement

An International Phase II Trial Assessing Tolerability and Efficacy of Sequential Methotrexate-Aracytin-based Combination and R-ICE Combination, Followed by HD Chemotherapy Supported by ASCT, in Patients With Systemic B-cell Lymphoma With CNS Involvement at Diagnosis or Relapse (MARIETTA Regimen)

This is an open, non comparative, multicentre phase II trial, to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of a new sequential combination of HD-MTX-AraC-based chemoimmunotherapy, followed by R-ICE regimen, and by high-dose chemotherapy supported by ASCT.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Methotrexate; Drug: Rituximab; Drug: Cytarabine; Drug: Thiotepa; Drug: liposomial cytarabine; Drug: Etoposide; Drug: Ifosfamide; Drug: Carmustine; Radiation: whole brain radiotherapy

Detailed Description

Treatment includes 6 courses of chemoimmunotherapy, the first three courses with an high dose methotrexate-based combination (MATRIX) followed by other three courses of R-ICE combination and finally a BCNU-thiotepa- containing conditioning and subsequent autologous stem cell transplantation.

MATRIX (courses 1, 2, 3):

Rituximab 375 mg/m2, Methotrexate 3.5 g/m2, Cytarabine 2 g/m2, Folinic rescue 15 mg/m2, Thiotepa 30 mg/m2, Intrathecal liposomial cytarabine 50 mg, rHuG-CSF 2,5 g/kg s.c.

R-ICE (courses 4, 5, 6):

Rituximab 375 mg/m2, Etoposide 100 mg/m2/d , Ifosfamide 5 g/m2, Intrathecal liposomial cytarabine 50 mg

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 79
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Czechia
  • Brno, Czechia
    • Facultni nemocnice
  • Praha, Czechia
    • FNKV (Facultni Nemocnice Kralovske Vinohrady)
  • Praha, Czechia
    • Vseobecna facultni nemocnice v Praze
• Italy
  • Brescia, Italy
    • Spedali Civili
  • Cagliari, Italy
    • UO Ematologia e CTMO, PO Businco
  • Meldola, Italy
    • IRST Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori
  • Mestre, Italy
    • UO Ematoliga Ospedale dell'Angelo
  • Milan, Italy
    • San Raffaele H Scientific Institute
  • Milano, Italy
    • Istituto Nazionale Tumori
  • Milano, Italy
    • Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico
  • Modena, Italy
    • AOU Policlinico di Modena
  • Novara, Italy
    • SCDU Ematologia
  • Padova, Italy
    • Ematologia ed Immunologia Clinica - AO di Padova
  • Pagani, Italy
    • UO Oncoematologia Ospedale Tortora
  • Palermo, Italy
    • Villa Sofia - Cervello
  • Parma, Italy
    • Ematologia AOU
  • Ravenna, Italy
    • Ematologia Ospedale S.Maria delle Croci
  • Reggio Calabria, Italy
    • A.O. Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli, Divisione di Ematologia
  • Reggio Emilia, Italy
    • Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Azienda Ospedaliera di Reggio Emilia
  • Roma, Italy
    • Ematologia Università La Sapienza
  • Roma, Italy
    • IRCCS Istituto Regina Elena (IFO)
  • Rome, Italy
    • Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico
  • San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
    • IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza
  • Siena, Italy
    • AOU Senese
  • Terni, Italy
    • AO S.Maria di Terni
  • Torino, Italy
    • SC Ematologia AO Città della Salute e della Scienza
  • Tricase, Italy
    • UO Ematologia Ospedale Panico
  • Udine, Italy
    • AOU Santa maria della Misericordia
  • Verona, Italy
    • UOC Ematologia Policlinico Rossi
  • Vicenza, Italy
    • Ematologia Ospedale S. Bortolo
• Netherlands
  • Rotterdam, Netherlands
    • Erasmus MC
• United Kingdom
  • Glasgow, United Kingdom
    • Beatson Cancer Center
  • Liverpool, United Kingdom
    • Liverpool Aintree
  • London, United Kingdom
    • UCLH University College London Hospitals NHS foundation trust
  • Manchester, United Kingdom
    • The Christie Hospital
  • Southampton, United Kingdom
    • Southampton General Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 70 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Histologically confirmed diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
2. CNS involvement (brain, meninges, cranial nerves, eyes and/or spinal cord) at diagnosis (concomitant to extra-CNS disease) or relapse after conventional chemo(-immuno)therapy
3. Diagnosis of CNS involvement either by brain biopsy or CSF cytology examination. Neuroimaging alone is acceptable when stereotactic biopsy is formally contraindicated or when the disease has been previously histologically documented in other areas and the CNS localization is concomitant with a diffuse progression of systemic disease.
4. No previous treatment with high-dose methotrexate-based chemotherapy and/or brain irradiation. One-two courses of R-CHOP combination as upfront therapy are admitted in patients with large amount and/or extensive extra-CNS disease that could condition prognosis in an early phase of treatment. Local investigator decides if initial R-CHOP is needed based on patient's conditions
5. Age 18-70 years
6. ECOG performance status 0-3
7. Adequate bone marrow (Platelets count ≥100.000/mm3, hemoglobin ≥9 g/dL, neutrophils count≥1.500/mm3), renal (creatinine clearance ≥60 mL/min), cardiac (LVEF ≥50%), and hepatic function (total serum bilirubine ≤3 mg/dL, AST/ALT and GGT ≤2.5 per upper normal limit value), unless the abnormality is due to lymphoma infiltration
8. Absence of HIV infection and of detectable HCV-RNA and/or HBsAg and/or HBV-DNA
9. No concurrent malignancies. Previous malignancies are accepted if surgically cured or if there was no evidence of disease in the last 3 years at a regular follow-up
10. Absence of any familial, sociological or geographical condition potentially hampering compliance with the study protocol and follow-up schedule
11. Female patients must be non-pregnant and non-lactating. Sexually active patients of childbearing potential must implement adequate contraceptive measures during study participation
12. No treatment with other experimental drugs within the 6 weeks previous to enrolment
13. Given written informed consent prior to any study specific procedures, with the understanding that the patient has the right to withdraw from the study at any time, without any prejudice. Informed consent signed by a patient's guardian is acceptable if the patient is not able to decide inclusion in the study due to cognitive impairment

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Other lymphoma categories other than diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. In particular, patients with primary mediastinal lymphoma, intravascular large B-cell lymphoma or leg-type large B-cell lymphoma are excluded.
2. Patients with positive flow cytometry examination of the CSF, but negative results in CSF conventional cytology, and without any other evidence of CNS disease.
3. Patients with exclusive CNS disease at presentation (primary CNS lymphoma) are excluded
4. Previous treatment with support of autologous or allogeneic stem cells/bone marrow transplantation.
5. Symptomatic coronary artery disease, cardiac arrhythmias not well controlled with medication or myocardial infarction within the last 6 months (New York Heart Association Class III or IV heart disease)
6. Any other serious medical condition which could impair the ability of the patient to participate in the trial.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: MATRIX - R-ICE - Conditioning and ASCT; MATRIX (courses 1,2,3): Rituximab 375 mg/m2 d0/Methotrexate 3.5 g/m2 d1/Cytarabine 2 g/m2 d2 & d3/Thiotepa 30 mg/m2 d4/Liposomial Cytarabine 50 mg* d5 R-ICE (courses 4,5,6):Rituximab 375 mg/m2 d1/Etoposide 100 mg/m2 d1,d2, d3/Ifosfamide 5 g/m2 d2/Carboplatin 5 AUC d2/Liposomial Cytarabine 50 mg* d4 *If liposomal cytarabine is not available, standard intrathecal chemotherapy with methotrexate 10 mg + cytarabine 40 mg + hydrocortisone 50 mg can be administered. Oral steroids are suggested for 2-3 days after intrathecal liposomial cytarabine delivery to prevent chemical or aseptic meningitis/ arachnoiditis. Conditioning and ASCT: BCNU (carmustine)** 400 mg/m2 d-6/Thiotepa 5 mg/kg d-5 & d-4 ASCT: 5 x 106 CD34+cells/kg d0 **In case of BCNU unavailability, the recommended conditioning regimen (Phase IV) is: Thiotepa 5 mg/kg d-6 & d-5/Busulfan 3.2 mg/kg d-4,d -3,d-2/Clonazepam 2 mg/d d-4,d -3,d-2 ASCT: 5 x 106 CD34+cells/kg d0

Drug: Methotrexate; methotrexate 3.5 g/m2 on day 1 courses 1, 2,3 of MATRIX regimen; Drug: Rituximab; Rituximab 375 mg/m2 as conventional IV infusion on day 0 courses 1, 2,3 (MATRIX regimen) and on day 1 courses 4,5,6 (R-ICE); Drug: Cytarabine; Cytarabine 2 g/m2 every 12 hours, in 3-hr infusion on days 2,3 courses 1, 2,3 (MATRIX regimen); Drug: Thiotepa; Thiotepa 30 mg/m2 in 30 minutes infusion on day 4 courses 1, 2,3 (MATRIX regimen) and 5 mg/kg in 250 ml of saline sol. in 2-hrs infusion every 12 hours on day -5 and -4 of conditioning and ASCT; Drug: liposomial cytarabine; Intrathecal liposomial cytarabine 50 mg on day 5 courses 1, 2,3 (MATRIX regimen) and on day 4 courses 4,5,6 (R-ICE); Drug: Etoposide; Etoposide 100 mg/m2/d in 500 mL saline sol. in 30 minutes on day 1-2-3 courses 4,5,6 (R-ICE); Drug: Ifosfamide; Ifosfamide 5 g/m2 in 1.000 mL saline sol. in 24-hour infusion on day 2 courses 4,5,6 (R-ICE); Drug: Carmustine; BCNU (carmustine) 400 mg/m2 in 500 mL glucose 5% sol. in 1-hr infusion on day-6 of conditioning and ASCT; Radiation: whole brain radiotherapy; whole-brain irradiation 36 Gy + tumor- bed boost 10 Gy in patients with residual disease in the parenchymal brain/cerebellum.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
1 Year Progression Free Survival (PFS)	Percentage of patients free from progression after 1 year from study entry	From study entry until 1 year after

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
2 Years Progression Free Survival (PFS)	Percentage of patients free from progression after 2 years from study entry	From study entry until 2 years after
2 Years Overall Survival (OS)	Percentage of participants alive after 2 years from study entry	From trial entry until 2 years after

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group (IELSG)
• Investigators: Study Chair: Andrés JM Ferreri, MD, IELSG

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Ferreri AJM, Doorduijn JK, Re A, Cabras MG, Smith J, Ilariucci F, Luppi M, Calimeri T, Cattaneo C, Khwaja J, Botto B, Cellini C, Nassi L, Linton K, McKay P, Olivieri J, Patti C, Re F, Fanni A, Singh V, Bromberg JEC, Cozens K, Gastaldi E, Bernardi M, Cascavilla N, Davies A, Fox CP, Frezzato M, Osborne W, Liberati AM, Novak U, Zambello R, Zucca E, Cwynarski K; International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group (IELSG). MATRix-RICE therapy and autologous haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with secondary CNS involvement (MARIETTA): an international, single-arm, phase 2 trial. Lancet Haematol. 2021 Feb;8(2):e110-e121. doi: 10.1016/S2352-3026(20)30366-5.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: December 1, 2014
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 1, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): March 22, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 22, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 29, 2014
• First Posted (Estimated): December 31, 2014

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 8, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 4, 2025
• Last Verified: July 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neoplasms; Immune System Diseases; Neoplasms by Histologic Type; Lymphatic Diseases; Lymphoproliferative Disorders; Immunoproliferative Disorders; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin; Lymphoma; Lymphoma, B-Cell; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse; Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological; Anti-Infective Agents; Antineoplastic Agents; Immunosuppressive Agents; Immunologic Factors; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Enzyme Inhibitors; Antirheumatic Agents; Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal; Abortifacient Agents; Reproductive Control Agents; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; Antimetabolites; Dermatologic Agents; Folic Acid Antagonists; Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors; Antiviral Agents; Topoisomerase Inhibitors; Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; Alkylating Agents; Myeloablative Agonists; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Topoisomerase II Inhibitors; Rituximab; Methotrexate; Cytarabine; Carmustine; Etoposide; Thiotepa; Ifosfamide
• Other Study ID Numbers: IELSG42