Vol 55, No 3 (2024)
Review article
Published online: 2024-06-12

open access

Page views 136
Article views/downloads 65
Get Citation

Connect on Social Media

Connect on Social Media

Current knowledge and management of primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma

Sylwia Szydłowska1, Lidia Gil1, Grzegorz Dworacki2, Andrzej Balcerzak1
DOI: 10.5603/ahp.99320
Acta Haematol Pol 2024;55(3):137-144.

Abstract

Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) is a rare subtype of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that predominantly affects young females. Despite advances in the understanding of its biology, there is still no consensus on the optimal treatment strategy. First-line regimens such as R-CHOP and DA-EPOCH-R result in 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates of c.80% and overall survival (OS) rates of c.90%. However, the role of radiotherapy as a consolidation treatment remains unclear, with some studies suggesting limited benefits for patients with negative PET scans at the end of treatment. In cases of relapse or refractoriness, second-line therapies are comparable to those employed in the treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Autologous stem cell transplantation remains a crucial salvage option, with 3-year OS and PFS rates of c.65% and 60%, respectively. New treatment approaches, including immune checkpoint inhibitors (e.g. pembrolizumab and nivolumab), chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cell therapy, and bispecific antibodies, have demonstrated promising results. Further research into novel molecular targets and treatment combinations is necessary to improve clinical outcomes and minimize treatment-related toxicities in PMBCL.

Article available in PDF format

View PDF Download PDF file

References

  1. Campo E, Swerdlow SH, Harris NL, et al. The 2008 WHO classification of lymphoid neoplasms and beyond: evolving concepts and practical applications. Blood. 2011; 117(19): 5019–5032.
  2. Alaggio R, Amador C, Anagnostopoulos I, et al. The 5th edition of the World Health Organization Classification of haematolymphoid tumours: lymphoid neoplasms. Leukemia. 2022; 36(7): 1720–1748.
  3. Campo E, Jaffe ES. Taking gray zone lymphomas out of the shadows. Blood. 2021; 137(13): 1703–1704.
  4. Grant C, Dunleavy K, Eberle FC, et al. Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma, classic Hodgkin lymphoma presenting in the mediastinum, and mediastinal gray zone lymphoma: what is the oncologist to do? Curr Hematol Malig Rep. 2011; 6(3): 157–163.
  5. Rosenwald A, Wright G, Leroy K, et al. Molecular diagnosis of primary mediastinal B cell lymphoma identifies a clinically favorable subgroup of diffuse large B cell lymphoma related to Hodgkin lymphoma. J Exp Med. 2003; 198(6): 851–862.
  6. Ahmed Z, Afridi SS, Shahid Z, et al. Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma: a 2021 update on genetics, diagnosis, and novel therapeutics. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2021; 21(11): e865–e875.
  7. Wang Y, Chen M, Ni C, et al. Case report: primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma invasion of extranodal thyroid tissue mimicking tuberculosis and confounded by similar ultrasonic appearance. Front Oncol. 2022; 12: 879295.
  8. Martelli M, Ferreri A, Di Rocco A, et al. Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2017; 113: 318–327.
  9. van Besien K, Kelta M, Bahaguna P. Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma: a review of pathology and management. J Clin Oncol. 2001; 19(6): 1855–1864.
  10. Martelli M, Ferreri A, Di Rocco A, et al. Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2017; 113: 318–327.
  11. Papageorgiou SG, Diamantopoulos P, Levidou G, et al. Isolated central nervous system relapses in primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma after CHOP-like chemotherapy with or without Rituximab. Hematol Oncol. 2013; 31(1): 10–17.
  12. Dabrowska-Iwanicka A, Walewski JA. Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma. Curr Hematol Malig Rep. 2014; 9(3): 273–283.
  13. Aoki T, Izutsu K, Suzuki R, et al. Novel prognostic model of primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBL): a multicenter cooperative retrospective study in Japan. Blood. 2013; 122(21): 638–638.
  14. Camus V, Rossi C, Sesques P, et al. Outcomes after first-line immunochemotherapy for primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma: a LYSA study. Blood Adv. 2021; 5(19): 3862–3872.
  15. Ondrejka SL, Ott G. How I diagnose primary mediastinal (thymic) large B-cell lymphoma. Am J Clin Pathol. 2021; 156(4): 497–512.
  16. Pileri SA, Zinzani PL, Gaidano G, et al. International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group. Pathobiology of primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma. Leuk Lymphoma. 2003; 44 Suppl 3: S21–S26.
  17. Gibson SE, Dojcinov S, Dotlic S, et al. Mediastinal large B cell lymphoma and surrounding gray areas: a report of the lymphoma workshop of the 20th meeting of the European Association for Haematopathology. Virchows Arch. 2023; 483(6): 733–749.
  18. Dorfman DM, Shahsafaei A, Alonso MA. Utility of CD200 immunostaining in the diagnosis of primary mediastinal large B cell lymphoma: comparison with MAL, CD23, and other markers. Mod Pathol. 2012; 25(12): 1637–1643.
  19. Copie-Bergman C, Plonquet A, Alonso MA, et al. MAL expression in lymphoid cells: further evidence for MAL as a distinct molecular marker of primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphomas. Mod Pathol. 2002; 15(11): 1172–1180.
  20. Viganò E, Gunawardana J, Mottok A, et al. Somatic IL4R mutations in primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma lead to constitutive JAK-STAT signaling activation. Blood. 2018; 131(18): 2036–2046.
  21. Szydłowski M, Dębek S, Prochorec-Sobieszek M, et al. PIM kinases promote survival and immune escape in primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma through modulation of JAK-STAT and NF-κB activity. Am J Pathol. 2021; 191(3): 567–574.
  22. Chen H, Pan T, He Y, et al. Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma: novel precision therapies and future directions. Front Oncol. 2021; 11: 654854.
  23. Bhatt VR, Mourya R, Shrestha R, et al. Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma. Cancer Treat Rev. 2015; 41(6): 476–485.
  24. Steidl C, Connors JM, Gascoyne RD. Molecular pathogenesis of Hodgkin's lymphoma: increasing evidence of the importance of the microenvironment. J Clin Oncol. 2011; 29(14): 1812–1826.
  25. NCCN Guidelines® Updates: T-Cell Lymphomas. J National Compr Cancer Netw. 2022; 20(3).
  26. Vitolo U, Seymour JF, Martelli M, et al. ESMO Guidelines Committee. Extranodal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Ann Oncol. 2016; 27(suppl 5): v91–v9v102.
  27. Cwynarski K, Marzolini MAV, Barrington SF, et al. British Society for Haematology Guidelines. The management of primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma: a British Society for Haematology Good Practice Paper. Br J Haematol. 2019; 185(3): 402–409.
  28. Zhou H, Xu-Monette ZY, Xiao L, et al. Prognostic factors, therapeutic approaches, and distinct immunobiologic features in patients with primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma on long-term follow-up. Blood Cancer J. 2020; 10(5): 49.
  29. Shah NN, Szabo A, Huntington SF, et al. R-CHOP versus dose-adjusted R-EPOCH in frontline management of primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma: a multi-centre analysis. Br J Haematol. 2018; 180(4): 534–544.
  30. Savage KJ. Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma. Blood. 2022; 140(9): 955–970.
  31. Dunleavy K, Pittaluga S, Maeda LS, et al. Dose-adjusted EPOCH-rituximab therapy in primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma. N Engl J Med. 2013; 368(15): 1408–1416.
  32. Chan EH, Koh LP, Lee J, et al. Real world experience of R-CHOP with or without consolidative radiotherapy vs DA-EPOCH-R in the first-line treatment of primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma. Cancer Med. 2019; 8(10): 4626–4632.
  33. Zucca E, Davies A, Kryachok I, et al. Observation vs. radiotherapy in primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma patients with complete response to standard immunochemotherapy: The IELSG37 randomized trial. J Clin Oncol. 2023; 41(17_suppl): LBA7505–LBA7505.
  34. Polgarova K, Janíková A, Belada D, et al. Survival of patients with primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma treated by immunochemotherapy with or without radiotherapy. Blood. 2022; 140(Supplement 1): 3831–3832.
  35. Vassilakopoulos TP, Piperidou A, Mellios Z, et al. PET for response assessment to R-da-EPOCH inpPrimary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma: who is worthy to be irradiated? Hemasphere. 2023; 7(11): e965.
  36. Vassilakopoulos TP, Pangalis GA, Katsigiannis A, et al. Rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone with or without radiotherapy in primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma: the emerging standard of care. Oncologist. 2012; 17(2): 239–249.
  37. Lisenko K, Dingeldein G, Cremer M, et al. Addition of rituximab to CHOP-like chemotherapy in first line treatment of primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma. BMC Cancer. 2017; 17(1): 359.
  38. Savage KJ, Al-Rajhi N, Voss N, et al. Favorable outcome of primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma in a single institution: the British Columbia experience. Ann Oncol. 2006; 17(1): 123–130.
  39. Zinzani PL, Stefoni V, Finolezzi E, et al. Rituximab combined with MACOP-B or VACOP-B and radiation therapy in primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma: a retrospective study. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma. 2009; 9(5): 381–385.
  40. Aoki T, Shimada K, Suzuki R, et al. High-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation for relapsed/refractory primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma. Blood Cancer J. 2015; 5(12): e372.
  41. Hayden AR, Tonseth P, Lee DG, et al. Outcome of primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma using R-CHOP: impact of a PET-adapted approach. Blood. 2020; 136(24): 2803–2811.
  42. Camus V, Rossi C, Sesques P, et al. Outcomes after first-line immunochemotherapy for primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma: a LYSA study. Blood Adv. 2021; 5(19): 3862–3872.
  43. Vardhana S, Hamlin PA, Yang J, et al. Outcomes of relapsed and refractory primary mediastinal (thymic) large B cell lymphoma treated with second-line therapy and intent to transplant. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2018; 24(10): 2133–2138.
  44. Milpied N, Deconinck E, Gaillard F, et al. Groupe Ouest-Est des Leucémies et des Autres Maladies du Sang. Initial treatment of aggressive lymphoma with high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem-cell support. N Engl J Med. 2004; 350(13): 1287–1295.
  45. Nademanee A, Molina A, O'Donnell MR, et al. Results of high-dose therapy and autologous bone marrow/stem cell transplantation during remission in poor-risk intermediate- and high-grade lymphoma: international index high and high-intermediate risk group. Blood. 1997; 90(10): 3844–3852.
  46. Poiré X, van Besien K. Autologous transplant for primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma. Expert Rev Hematol. 2009; 2(1): 31–36.
  47. Camus V, Bigenwald C, Ribrag V, et al. Pembrolizumab in the treatment of refractory primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma: safety and efficacy. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther. 2021; 21(9): 941–956.
  48. Zinzani PL, Thieblemont C, Melnichenko V, et al. Pembrolizumab in relapsed or refractory primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma: final analysis of KEYNOTE-170.. Blood. 2023; 142: 141–145.
  49. Zinzani PL, Santoro A, Gritti G, et al. Nivolumab combined with brentuximab vedotin for R/R primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma: a 3-year follow-up. Blood Adv. 2023; 7(18): 5272–5280.
  50. Benmebarek MR, Karches CH, Cadilha BL, et al. Killing mechanisms of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. Int J Mol Sci. 2019; 20(6): 1283.
  51. Chen YJ, Abila B, Mostafa Kamel Y. CAR-T: what is next? Cancers (Basel). 2023; 15(3): 663.
  52. Locke FL, Miklos DB, Jacobson CA, et al. All ZUMA-7 Investigators and Contributing Kite Members. Axicabtagene ciloleucel as second-line therapy for large B-cell lymphoma. N Engl J Med. 2022; 386(7): 640–654.
  53. Crombie JL, Nastoupil LJ, Redd R, et al. Real-world outcomes of axicabtagene ciloleucel in adult patients with primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma. Blood Adv. 2021; 5(18): 3563–3567.
  54. Abramson JS, Solomon SR, Arnason J, et al. Lisocabtagene maraleucel as second-line therapy for large B-cell lymphoma: primary analysis of the phase 3 TRANSFORM study. Blood. 2023; 141(14): 1675–1684.
  55. Vercellino L, Di Blasi R, Kanoun S, et al. Predictive factors of early progression after CAR T-cell therapy in relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Blood Adv. 2020; 4(22): 5607–5615.
  56. Calvez BLe, Tessoulin B, Renaud L, et al. Outcomes of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) for adults with primary mediastinal B cells lymphoma (PMBCL): a retrospective study on behalf of the Société Francophone de Greffe de Moelle et de Thérapie Cellulaire (SFGM-TC) and the Lymphoma Study Association (LYSA) group. Blood. 2021; 138(Supplement 1): 1826–1826.
  57. Zurko J, Ramdial J, Shadman M, et al. Allogeneic transplant following CAR T-cell therapy for large B-cell lymphoma. Haematologica. 2023; 108(1): 98–109.
  58. Dickinson MJ, Carlo-Stella C, Morschhauser F, et al. Glofitamab for relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. N Engl J Med. 2022; 387(24): 2220–2231.
  59. Thieblemont C, Phillips T, Ghesquieres H, et al. Epcoritamab, a novel, subcutaneous CD3xCD20 bispecific T-cell-engaging antibody, in relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma: dose expansion in a phase I/II trial. J Clin Oncol. 2023; 41(12): 2238–2247.
  60. Kurtz DM, Scherer F, Jin MC, et al. Circulating tumor DNA measurements as early outcome predictors in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. J Clin Oncol. 2018; 36(28): 2845–2853.
  61. Jimenez-Ubieto A, Poza M, Martín-Muñoz A, et al. Potential utility of circulating tumor DNA monitoring in primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma treated with R-DA-EPOCH. Blood. 2021; 138(Supplement 1): 4491–4491.