Real World Data on Efficacy and Safety of EPOCH in T-Cell Lymphoma

Background: T-cell lymphomas are a heterogeneous group of lymphoid malignancies with poor outcomes. Frontline multiagent chemotherapy options include CHOP (prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin), brentuximab-CHP, CHOEP, and EPOCH (etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin).

Patients and methods: We report our single institution data for safety and efficacy of EPOCH in 38 patients with aggressive T-cell lymphoma including both peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL) and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL).

Results: Eighteen patients received EPOCH as first-line and 21 in the relapsed/refractory (R/R) setting. In 36 evaluable patients, the overall response rate (ORR) was 77% (95% CI, 61%-89%) with 19 (53%) patients achieving complete response (CR) (95% CI, 36%-69%). The ORR in first line and R/R settings were 80% (95% CI, 46%-94%) and 75% (95% CI, 52%-90%), respectively. Response rate was similar in African American versus Caucasian patients but was higher in CD30 negative versus positive patients. Most common grade 3/4 adverse events included cytopenias.

Conclusions: Overall, EPOCH was well tolerated with high response rates in first line and R/R setting.