Yu Ri Kim, Jin Seok Kim, Won Seog Kim, Hyeon Seok Eom, Deok-Hwan Yang, Sung Hwa Bae, Hyo Jung Kim, Jae Hoon Lee, Suk-Joong Oh, Sung-Soo Yoon, Jae-Yong Kwak, Chul Won Choi, Min Kyoung Kim, Sung Young Oh, Hye Jin Kang, Seung Hyun Nam, Hyeok Shim, Joon Seong Park, Yeung-Chul Mun, Cheolwon Suh, the Korean Society of Hematology Lymphoma Working Party
Cancer Res Treat. 2023;55(4):1355-1362. Published online March 30, 2023
Purpose
This phase II, open-label, multicenter study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of a rituximab intensification for the 1st cycle with every 21-day of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (R-CHOP-21) among patients with previously untreated advanced-stage or bulky diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
Materials and Methods
Ninety-two patients with stage III/IV or bulky DLBCL from 21 institutions were administered 8 cycles of R-CHOP-21 with an additional one dose of rituximab intensification on day 0 of the 1st cycle (RR-CHOP). The primary endpoint was a complete response (CR) rate after 3 cycles of chemotherapy.
Results
Among the 92 DLBCL patients assessed herein, the response rate after 3 cycles of chemotherapy was 88.0% (38.0% CR+50.0% partial response [PR]). After the completion of 8 cycles of chemotherapy, the overall response rate was observed for 68.4% (58.7% CR+9.8% PR). The 3-year progression-free survival rate was 64.0%, and the 3-year overall survival rate was 70.4%. Febrile neutropenia was one of the most frequent grade 3 adverse events (40.0%) and 5 treatment-related deaths occurred. Compared with the clinical outcomes of patients who received R-CHOP chemotherapy as a historical control, the interim CR rate was higher in male patients with RR-CHOP (20.5% vs. 48.8%, p=0.016).
Conclusion
Rituximab intensification on days 0 to the 1st cycle of the standard 8 cycles R-CHOP-21 for advanced DLBCL yielded favorable response rates after the 3 cycles of chemotherapy and acceptable toxicities, especially for male patients. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT01054781.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Design, Conduct, and Analysis of Externally Controlled Trials Jiali Liu, Minghong Yao, Mingqi Wang, Wan Jie, Yanmei Liu, Xiaochao Luo, Jiayidaer Huan, Kelin Deng, Ke Deng, Kang Zou, Ying Zhang, Ling Li, Xin Sun JAMA Network Open.2025; 8(9): e2530277. CrossRef
Purpose Ipilimumab improves survival in advanced melanoma patients. However, the efficacy and safety of ipilimumab has not been evaluated in Asian melanoma patients with a high frequency of mucosal and acral melanoma subtypes.
Materials and Methods Advanced melanoma patients treated with 3 mg/kg ipilimumab in a Korean multicenter named-patient program (NPP) were evaluated between September 2014 and July 2015. Baseline characteristics and blood parameters including neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were assessed, and outcome and adverse events were evaluated according to subtypes.
Results A total of 104 advanced melanoma patients were treated. The primary sites were acral (31.7%), mucosal (26%), cutaneous (26%), uveal (9.6%), and unknown (6.7%). Sixty-eight patients (65.4%) experienced adverse events, and the most common toxicity was skin rash (22.1%), 10 patients (9.6%) experienced adverse events of grade 3 or higher. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 2.73 months (95% confidence interval, 2.67 to 2.85), and there was no difference in PFS according to subtypes. Poor performance status, liver metastasis, and NLR (≥5) were independent poor prognostic factors by multivariate analysis.
Conclusion In the Korean NPP cohort, ipilimumab showed similar efficacy and tolerability compared to Western patients, regardless of subtypes. All subtypes should benefit from ipilimumab with consideration of performance status, liver metastasis, and NLR.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Acral lentiginous melanoma. Part II. Staging, surgical management, the role of systemic therapy, shortcomings, and future directions Daniella Jaguan, Sach Thakker, Micah Belzberg, Nina Gulati, Janeth R. Campbell, Brittney K. DeClerck, Vishal A. Patel, Gino K. In Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.2026; 94(2): 435. CrossRef
Pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is associated with immunotherapy efficacy in patients with advanced cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis Jialin Su, Yuning Li, Shuhua Tan, Tianli Cheng, Yongzhong Luo, Lemeng Zhang Scientific Reports.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Real‑world efficacy and safety data of immune checkpoint inhibitors in Turkish patients with metastatic melanoma: A Turkish oncology group retrospective study Alpaslan Ozgun, Fatma Mustafayev, Izzet Dogan, Sezai Vatansever, Melek Eryilmaz, Atike Erdogan, Gamze Ozturk, Murat Ayhan, Merve Turan, Mahmut Yildirim, Emre Hafizoglu, Oznur Bal, Pinar Tolunay, Ahmet Demirkazik, Eyyup Cavdar, Selcuk Seber, Gokcen Cevik, Molecular and Clinical Oncology.2025; 22(6): 1. CrossRef
Baseline neutrophil-to- ratio combined with the change during treatment provides risk stratification for metastatic malignant melanoma patients treated with PD-1 inhibitors in a Chinese population Chen Wang, Shengyan Liu, Xin Li, Kang Cui, Weijie Zhang, Yabing Du Frontiers in Oncology.2023;[Epub] CrossRef
Effect of liver metastasis on the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer patients: a systemic review and meta-analysis Bao-Wen Tian, Cheng-Long Han, Han-Chao Wang, Lun-Jie Yan, Zi-Niu Ding, Hui Liu, Xin-Cheng Mao, Jin-Cheng Tian, Jun-Shuai Xue, Long-Shan Yang, Si-Yu Tan, Zhao-Ru Dong, Yu-Chuan Yan, Dong-Xu Wang, Tao Li Clinical & Experimental Metastasis.2023; 40(4): 255. CrossRef
MelRisk: Using neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio to improve risk prediction models for metastatic cutaneous melanoma in the sentinel lymph node Ryckie G. Wade, Samuel Bailey, Alyss V. Robinson, Michelle C.I. Lo, Howard Peach, Marc D.S. Moncrieff, James Martin Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery.2022; 75(5): 1653. CrossRef
The Prognostic Significance of Baseline Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Melanoma Patients Receiving Immunotherapy Yayun Li, Yu Meng, Huiyan Sun, Lin Ye, Furong Zeng, Xiang Chen, Guangtong Deng Journal of Immunotherapy.2022; 45(1): 43. CrossRef
The pharmacotherapeutic management of nail unit and acral melanomas Julianne M. Falotico, Shari R. Lipner Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy.2022; 23(11): 1273. CrossRef
Prognostic value of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and lactate dehydrogenase in melanoma patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: A systematic review and meta-analysis Yongchao Zhang, Bozhi Liu, Sergei Kotenko, Wei Li Medicine.2022; 101(32): e29536. CrossRef
Real‐world, population‐based cohort study of toxicity and resource utilization of second‐line ipilimumab for metastatic melanoma in Ontario, Canada Wei Fang Dai, Jaclyn Beca, Ruth Croxford, Wanrudee Isaranuwatchai, Ines B. Menjak, Teresa M. Petrella, Nicole Mittmann, Craig C. Earle, Scott Gavura, Rebecca E. Mercer, Timothy P. Hanna, Kelvin K. W. Chan International Journal of Cancer.2021; 148(8): 1910. CrossRef
Prevalence of dermatological toxicities in patients with melanoma undergoing immunotherapy: Systematic review and meta-analysis Náthali Felícia Mineiro dos Santos Garrett, Ana Cristina Carvalho da Costa, Elaine Barros Ferreira, Giovanni Damiani, Paula Elaine Diniz dos Reis, Christiane Inocêncio Vasques, Gayle E. Woloschak PLOS ONE.2021; 16(8): e0255716. CrossRef
The Role of Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Uveal Melanoma Anja Wessely, Theresa Steeb, Michael Erdmann, Lucie Heinzerling, Julio Vera, Max Schlaak, Carola Berking, Markus Vincent Heppt International Journal of Molecular Sciences.2020; 21(3): 879. CrossRef
Neutrophil diversity and plasticity in tumour progression and therapy Sebastien Jaillon, Andrea Ponzetta, Diletta Di Mitri, Angela Santoni, Raffaella Bonecchi, Alberto Mantovani Nature Reviews Cancer.2020; 20(9): 485. CrossRef
Ipilimumab-Induced Enterocolitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Kelcie Witges, Leigh Anne Shafer, Ryan Zarychanski, Ahmed M. Abou-Setta, Rasheda Rabbani, Orvie Dingwall, Charles N. Bernstein Drug Safety.2020; 43(12): 1255. CrossRef
Prognostic and predictive role of elevated lactate dehydrogenase in patients with melanoma treated with immunotherapy and BRAF inhibitors: a systematic review and meta-analysis Fausto Petrelli, Raffaele Ardito, Barbara Merelli, Veronica Lonati, Mary Cabiddu, Silvia Seghezzi, Sandro Barni, Antonio Ghidini Melanoma Research.2019; 29(1): 1. CrossRef
Perspectives: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte Ratio as a Potential Biomarker in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor for Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer Wungki Park, Gilberto Lopes Clinical Lung Cancer.2019; 20(3): 143. CrossRef
Prognostic Value of Baseline Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Outcome of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Xianhe Xie, Junjin Liu, Haitao Yang, Huijuan Chen, Sijing Zhou, Heng Lin, Ziyuan Liao, Yin Ding, Liting Ling, Xuewen Wang Cancer Investigation.2019; 37(6): 265. CrossRef
Immunological Backbone of Uveal Melanoma: Is There a Rationale for Immunotherapy? Ernesto Rossi, Giovanni Schinzari, Ilaria Grazia Zizzari, Brigida Anna Maiorano, Monica Maria Pagliara, Maria Grazia Sammarco, Vincenzo Fiorentino, Gianluigi Petrone, Alessandra Cassano, Guido Rindi, Emilio Bria, Maria Antonietta Blasi, Marianna Nuti, Gia Cancers.2019; 11(8): 1055. CrossRef
Uveal Melanoma Metastatic to the Liver: Treatment Trends and Outcomes Lucy T. Xu, Pauline F. Funchain, James F. Bena, Manshi Li, Ahmad Tarhini, Eren Berber, Arun D. Singh Ocular Oncology and Pathology.2019; 5(5): 323. CrossRef
Pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is associated with outcome of advanced-stage cancer patients treated with immunotherapy: a meta-analysis Tao Jiang, Meng Qiao, Chao Zhao, Xuefei Li, Guanghui Gao, Chunxia Su, Shengxiang Ren, Caicun Zhou Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy.2018; 67(5): 713. CrossRef
Prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in melanoma Yingguo Ding, Shan Zhang, Jianjun Qiao Medicine.2018; 97(30): e11446. CrossRef
Older melanoma patients aged 75 and above retain responsiveness to anti-PD1 therapy: results of a retrospective single-institution cohort study Tony Ibrahim, Christine Mateus, Maria Baz, Caroline Robert Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy.2018; 67(10): 1571. CrossRef
Pretreatment hematological markers predict clinical outcome in cancer patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors: A meta‐analysis Qiaoyun Tan, Shuxia Liu, Caixia Liang, Xiaohong Han, Yuankai Shi Thoracic Cancer.2018; 9(10): 1220. CrossRef
Cost Estimate of Immune-Related Adverse Reactions Associated with Innovative Treatments of Metastatic Melanoma Francesco S. Mennini, Chiara Bini, Andrea Marcellusi, Michele Del Vecchio Clinical Drug Investigation.2018; 38(10): 967. CrossRef
A high neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio prior to BRAF inhibitor treatment is a predictor of poor progression-free survival in patients with metastatic melanoma Antoine Finon, Julia Zaragoza, Hervé Maillard, Nathalie Beneton, Guido Bens, Mahtab Samimi, Agnès Caille, Laurent Machet European Journal of Dermatology.2018; 28(1): 38. CrossRef
Immune checkpoint blockade for unresectable or metastatic uveal melanoma: A systematic review Markus V. Heppt, Theresa Steeb, Justin Gabriel Schlager, Stefanie Rosumeck, Corinna Dressler, Thomas Ruzicka, Alexander Nast, Carola Berking Cancer Treatment Reviews.2017; 60: 44. CrossRef
Biomarkers for Response of Melanoma Patients to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Systematic Review Charissa A. C. Jessurun, Julien A. M. Vos, Jacqueline Limpens, Rosalie M. Luiten Frontiers in Oncology.2017;[Epub] CrossRef