Cancer Research and Treatment

Original Articles

Hematologic malignancy

Assessing the Efficacy of Bortezomib and Dexamethasone for Induction and Maintenance Therapy in Relapsed/Refractory Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma: A Phase II CISL1701/BIC Study: Yoon Seok Choi, Joonho Shim, Ka-Won Kang, Sang Eun Yoon, Jun Sik Hong, Sung Nam Lim, Ho-Young Yhim, Jung Hye Kwon, Gyeong-Won Lee, Deok-Hwan Yang, Sung Yong Oh, Ho-Jin Shin, Hyeon-Seok Eom, Dok Hyun Yoon, Hong Ghi Lee, Seong Hyun Jeong, Won Seog Kim, Seok Jin Kim; Cancer Res Treat. 2025;57(1):267-279. Published online July 16, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2024.479

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Purpose
This multicenter, open-label, phase II trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of bortezomib combined with dexamethasone for the treatment of relapsed/refractory cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) in previously treated patients across 14 institutions in South Korea.
Materials and Methods
Between September 2017 and July 2020, 29 patients with histologically confirmed CTCL received treatment, consisting of eight 4-week cycles of induction therapy followed by maintenance therapy, contingent upon response, for up to one year. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving an objective global response.
Results
Thirteen of the 29 patients (44.8%) achieved an objective global response, including two complete responses. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 5.8 months, with responders showing a median PFS of 14.0 months. Treatment-emergent adverse events were generally mild, with a low incidence of peripheral neuropathy and hematologic toxicities. Despite the trend toward shorter PFS in patients with higher mutation burdens, genomic profiling before and after treatment showed no significant emergence of new mutations indicative of disease progression.
Conclusion
This study supports the use of bortezomib and dexamethasone as a viable and safe treatment option for previously treated CTCL, demonstrating substantial efficacy and manageability in adverse effects. Further research with a larger cohort is suggested to validate these findings and explore the prognostic value of mutation profiles.

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Resminostat for maintenance treatment in patients with advanced-stage mycosis fungoides or Sézary syndrome: a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial
Rudolf Stadler, Pietro Quaglino, F J Sherida H Woei-A-Jin, Reinhard Dummer, Christina Mitteldorf, Evangelia Papadavid, Pablo L Ortiz Romero, Emmanuella Guenova, Riichiro Abe, Richard Cowan, Martine Bagot, Stéphane Dalle, Taku Fujimura, Thilo Gambichler, S
The Lancet Haematology.2026; 13(2): e98. CrossRef
Emerging Therapeutic Strategies in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma: A Comprehensive Review of Clinical Trials
Yoni Sacknovitz, Rachel Ma, Christina M. Bear, Maggie H. Zhou, Joshua A. Kent, Larisa J. Geskin
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology.2026;[Epub] CrossRef
Influence of Hypoxia on Tumor Heterogeneity, DNA Repair, and Cancer Therapy: From Molecular Insights to Therapeutic Strategies
Dominika Kunachowicz, Paulina Tomecka, Mikołaj Sędzik, Jarosław Kalinin, Jacek Kuźnicki, Nina Rembiałkowska
Cells.2025; 14(14): 1057. CrossRef

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Pembrolizumab for Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Extranodal NK/T-Cell Lymphoma in Korea: Ji Yun Lee, Ji Hyun Kwon, Joon Young Hur, Jun Ho Yi, Ji Hyun Lee, Hyungwoo Cho, Young Rok Do, Jae-Cheol Jo, Hye Jin Kang, Yougil Koh, Won Sik Lee, Sung Nam Lim, Sang Eun Yoon, Seok Jin Kim, Jeong-Ok Lee; Cancer Res Treat. 2024;56(2):681-687. Published online November 10, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2023.1042

Abstract PDF PubReader ePub

Purpose
Programmed death-1 blockade with pembrolizumab has shown promising activity in relapsed/refractory (R/R) extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL), but studies are limited, with small patient numbers.
Materials and Methods
Thirteen institutes involved with the Consortium for Improving Survival of Lymphoma, a Korean lymphoma study group, collected the clinical data of 59 patients treated with pembrolizumab as salvage therapy between 2016 and 2022.
Results
The median age of the patients was 60 years (range, 22 to 87 years), and 76.3% had advanced Ann Abor stage disease. Pembrolizumab was given to 35.6%, 40.7%, and 23.7% of the patients as second-, third-, and fourth- or higher-line chemotherapy, respectively. The overall response rate was 40.7%, with 28.8% having complete response. The estimated 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival rates for all patients were 21.5% and 28.7%, respectively; for responders, the rates were 53.0% and 60.7%, respectively. Although not statistically significant, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ≥ 2 (hazard ratio [HR], 1.91; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.93 to 3.94; p=0.078) and stage III or IV disease (HR, 2.59; 95% CI, 0.96 to 6.96; p=0.060) were associated with a trend toward shorter PFS in multivariate analysis. Grade 3 or 4 adverse events (AEs) were noted in 12 patients (20.3%); neutropenia (10.2%), fatigue (6.8%), and pneumonitis (5.1%) were most common AEs.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while pembrolizumab had a modest effect on patients with R/R NKTCL, it may be a useful salvage therapy for patients with localized disease and good performance status.

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Anti-PD-1 antibody combined with P-GEMOX chemotherapy versus P-GEMOX chemotherapy with or without autologous stem-cell transplantation for previously untreated advanced natural killer/T cell lymphoma: a retrospective cohort study
Qihua Zou, Yi Cao, Liang Wang, Wuping Li, Qingsong Yin, Yudan Wu, Hongmei Jing, Zhigang Peng, Xiuhua Sun, Jun Rao, Ying Chen, Hongyu Zhang, Dongfeng Zeng, Bingzong Li, Ying Zhao, Xudong Zhang, Yuchen Zhang, Yan Gao, Bing Bai, Yi Xia, Yu Fang, Zouxiang Che
Blood Cancer Journal.2026;[Epub] CrossRef
Molecular biologic and Epstein-Barr virologic advances in extranodal natural killer/T cell lymphoma over the past four decades
Yasuaki Harabuchi
Auris Nasus Larynx.2026; 53(3): 393. CrossRef
Immunotherapy in NK/T-Cell Lymphoma: Mechanisms, Clinical Evidence, Resistance, and Emerging Multimodal Strategies
Qihao Zhang, Xin Wang
Cancers.2026; 18(9): 1358. CrossRef
Outcomes With First‐Line PD1 Inhibitors in Extranodal NK/T‐Cell Lymphoma: A Comparative Analysis From a 755‐Patient Multicenter Cohort
Hailing Liu, Mei Sun, Chunling Wang, Xiaoqiong Tang, Lixia Sheng, Jie Ma, Xuzhang Lu, Hongming Huang, Jinning Shi, Ran Li, Jing Zhang, Manling Chen, Lei Cao, Haorui Shen, Jianyong Li, Wei Wang, Xia Zhao, Kaiyang Ding, Lei Fan
American Journal of Hematology.2026;[Epub] CrossRef
An evaluation of sugemalimab for the treatment of relapsed or refractory extranodal natural killer T-cell lymphoma
Yingfang Feng, Xia Liu, Jingwei Yu, Zheng Song, Lanfang Li, Lihua Qiu, Shiyong Zhou, Zhengzi Qian, Xianhuo Wang, Huilai Zhang
Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy.2025; 25(1): 9. CrossRef
Early growth response 1 as a key regulator of PD-L1 expression and immune evasion in extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma
Ji Yun Lee, Kui-Jin Kim, Woochan Park, Jeongmin Seo, Minsu Kang, Eun Hee Jung, Sang-A Kim, Koung Jin Suh, Ji-Won Kim, Se Hyun Kim, Jeong-Ok Lee, Jin Won Kim, Yu Jung Kim, Keun-Wook Lee, Jee Hyun Kim, Soo-Mee Bang, Tae Min Kim, Jin Ho Paik
Blood Cancer Journal.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Efficacy of combined CD38 and PD-1 inhibition with isatuximab and cemiplimab for relapsed/refractory NK/T-cell lymphoma
Seok Jin Kim, Jing Quan Lim, Sang Eun Yoon, Deok-Hwan Yang, Ji Hyun Lee, Sung Yong Oh, Yoon Seok Choi, Seong Hyun Jeong, Min Kyoung Kim, Sung Nam Lim, Junhun Cho, Bon Park, Kyung Ju Ryu, Seunghyun Choi, Yoon Park, Kerry May Huifen Lim, Nur Ayuni Binte Muh
Blood.2025; 146(2): 155. CrossRef
Pembrolizumab

Reactions Weekly.2024; 2025(1): 390. CrossRef

6,651 View
258 Download
7 Web of Science
8 Crossref

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