Objective: To investigate the efficacy and adverse effects of L-asparaginase (L-ASP) containing regimens in patients with newly diagnosed peripheral T-cell lymphoma.
Methods: A total of 102 newly diagnosed patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma who received combination chemotherapy with or without L-ASP were enrolled in the study between January 2011 and December 2013 in our hospital. Therapeutic and adverse effects were retrospectively analyzed, including the short-term efficacy such as complete remission (CR) rate, partial remission (PR) rate, overall remission (OR) rate, and long-term efficacy such as overall survival (OS) rate, progressive free survival (PFS) rate.
Results: The OR rate in patients treated with L-ASP containing regimens (L-ASP group) was apparently higher than the patients treated without L-ASP (non L-ASP group) [83.3% (35/42) vs 61.7% (37/60), P = 0.016]. Furthermore, the difference was especially significant in patients with stage III/IV [82.4% (28/34) vs 54.0% (27/50), P = 0.007] or IPI score ≥ 2 [82.1% (23/28) vs 50.0% (21/42), P = 0.006]. The 3-year OS rate of L-ASP group and non L-ASP group were 48.9% and 65.0% respectively (P = 0.974). Three-year PFS rate of L-ASP group and non L-ASP group were 40.8% and 61.0% respectively (P = 0.479). Neither had statistical significance. Although the incidence of adverse effects was higher in L-ASP group, most of them were mild and controllable after supportive treatment. There was no significant difference in serious infections caused by III-IV degree neutropenia between the two groups (P = 0.777). Other severe side-effects in L-ASP group such as hematencephalon and acute pancreatitis were only seen in one case respectively.
Conclusions: Combination chemotherapy with L-ASP showed better short-term efficacy in newly diagnosed peripheral T-cell lymphoma patients and the adverse effects were controllable. Large scale prospective clinical trial of using L-ASP in peripheral T-cell lymphoma is worthy of developing and further studying.