Post-treatment plasma EBV-DNA positivity predicts early relapse and poor prognosis for patients with extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma in the era of asparaginase

Liang Wang, Hua Wang, Jing-hua Wang, Zhong-jun Xia, Yue Lu, Hui-qiang Huang, Wen-qi Jiang, Yu-jing Zhang, Liang Wang, Hua Wang, Jing-hua Wang, Zhong-jun Xia, Yue Lu, Hui-qiang Huang, Wen-qi Jiang, Yu-jing Zhang

Abstract

Circulating Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA is a biomarker of EBV-associated malignancies. Its prognostic value in early stage NK/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL) in the era of asparaginase was investigated. 68 patients were treated with a median of 4 cycles of asparaginase-based chemotherapy followed by a median of 54.6 Gy (range 50-60 Gy) radiation. The amount of EBV-DNA was prospectively measured in both pretreatment and post-treatment plasma samples by real-time quantitative PCR. At the end of treatment, complete response (CR) rate was 79.4%, and overall response rate (ORR) was 88.2%. Patients with negative pretreatment EBV-DNA had a higher CR rate (96.0% vs. 69.8%, p = 0.023). The 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate and overall survival (OS) rate was 71% and 83%, respectively. In multivariate survival analysis, post-treatment EBV-DNA positivity and treatment response (non-CR) were prognostic factors for both worse PFS and OS (p < 0.05). Local tumor invasion was also a prognostic factor for worse OS (p = 0.010). In patients with CR, post-treatment EBV-DNA positivity correlated with inferior PFS and OS (both p < 0.0001). In patients with positive pretreatment EBV-DNA, negative post-treatment EBV-DNA correlated with better PFS and OS (both p < 0.0001). These findings indicate that post-treatment EBV-DNA positivity can predict early relapse and poor prognosis for patients with early stage NKTCL in the era of asparaginase, and may be used as an indicator of minimal residual disease.

Keywords: Epstein-Barr virus; asparaginase; extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma; minimal residual disease; prognosis.

Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

The authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1. Survival analysis in the whole…
Figure 1. Survival analysis in the whole cohort of 68 patients with NKTCL
Positive pretreatment EBV-DNA level A, B. positive post-treatment EBV-DNA level C, D. and no CR after treatment E, F. were significantly associated with inferior PFS and OS.
Figure 2. Subgroup survival analysis according to…
Figure 2. Subgroup survival analysis according to treatment response
In patients who got CR after treatment, positive post-treatment EBV-DNA level correlated with significantly inferior PFS and OS A, C. In patients who did not get CR after treatment, positive post-treatment EBV-DNA level correlated with significantly inferior PFS but not OS B, D.
Figure 3. Subgroup survival analysis according to…
Figure 3. Subgroup survival analysis according to pretreatment EBV-DNA level
In patients with positive pretreatment EBV-DNA level, negative post-treatment EBV-DNA level correlated with significantly superior PFS and OS A, B.

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