Follicular Lymphoma: Durable Remissions and Sustained Safety With Third-Line Lisocabtagene Maraleucel
Patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma treated in the third-line setting with a single infusion of the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy lisocabtagene maraleucel continued to show responses after 3 years, according to long-term follow-up results from the TRANSCEND FL...
CD40 Overexpression Emerges as a Potential Biomarker for Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma
Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have identified CD40 overexpression as a potential prognostic biomarker in angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL), a rare subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that is difficult to diagnose and treat. The results of their study were...
Noninferiority Shown for Pirtobrutinib vs Ibrutinib in CLL/SLL
The noncovalent Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor pirtobrutinib achieved noninferiority to the covalent BTK inhibitor ibrutinib in terms of overall response rate in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), according to findings from a randomized...
Epcoritamab Added to Second-Line Lenalidomide/Rituximab Improves Responses in Follicular Lymphoma
When epcoritamab was added to lenalidomide and rituximab, response rates were significantly higher and progression-free survival was prolonged for patients with follicular lymphoma treated in the second-line setting or beyond, according to findings from the phase III EPCORE FL-1 trial presented at...
FDA Approves CAR T-Cell Therapy for Relapsed/Refractory Marginal Zone Lymphoma
On December 4, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy lisocabtagene maraleucel (Breyanzi) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory marginal zone lymphoma who have received at least two prior...
Tisagenlecleucel in Relapsed or Refractory Large B-Cell Lymphoma: 5-Year Outcomes From the JULIET Trial
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Maziarz et al, 5-year analysis of the pivotal phase II JULIET trial has shown maintained efficacy of tisagenlecleucel in patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma. Study Details In the trial, 115 patients received tisagenlecleucel...
FDA Approves Epcoritamab for Two Follicular Lymphoma Indications
On November 18, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved epcoritamab-bysp (Epkinly), a bispecific CD20-directed CD3 T-cell engager, in combination with lenalidomide and rituximab for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma. In addition, the FDA...
Immunotherapy Combination Active in Patients With Large B-Cell Lymphoma Who Are Not Eligible for Autologous Stem Cell Transplant
In the global phase III SUNMO trial, the combination of a bispecific antibody and an antibody-drug conjugate was compared with rituximab plus gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (GemOx) in the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) who were ineligible for autologous...
Axicabtagene Ciloleucel in Relapsed or Refractory Indolent Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: 5-Year Follow-up of ZUMA-5
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Neelapu et al, the 5-year follow-up of the phase II ZUMA-5 trial has shown sustained responses with axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) in patients with relapsed or refractory indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Study Details In the single-arm,...
My 50 Years in Lymphoma: Lessons Learned?
In the 50 years now since my fellowship training, there have been major advances in the diagnosis, staging, prognostic scoring, treatment, and response assessment of lymphomas. To conjure up the future, we must first appreciate the present by understanding how it arose from the past.1 So, a trip in ...
Glofitamab Plus Polatuzumab Vedotin in Relapsed or Refractory Large B-Cell Lymphoma
In a phase Ib/II trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Hutchings et al found that the combination of glofitamab and polatuzumab vedotin was associated with high activity in patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma, including high-grade B-cell lymphoma. Study Details...
Cognitive Function and Statin Administration During Doxorubicin-Based Cancer Treatment
Contrary to previous research, a preplanned secondary analysis of the multicenter PREVENT trial, reported by W.Gregory Hundley, MD, FACC, of Pauley Heart Center, Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, and colleagues in ...
Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma: Use of Durvalumab Alone or With Lenalidomide Under Study in Phase II Trial
In a randomized phase II trial, Christiane Querfeld, MD, PhD, and colleagues investigated the effects of a PD-L1–blocking strategy for targeting both the innate and adaptive immune systems in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). At the 2025 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting,1 Dr....
Chemotherapy-Free Regimen vs Standard Immunochemotherapy in Mantle Cell Lymphoma in Older Patients
In a phase II/III study (ENRICH) reported in The Lancet, Lewis et al found that the chemotherapy-free combination of ibrutinib plus rituximab prolonged progression-free survival vs standard immunochemotherapy in patients aged 60 years or older with previously untreated mantle cell lymphoma. Study...
Combination Therapies for Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: 5-Year Outcomes of the POLARIX Trial
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Morschhauser et al, the 5-year findings of the POLARIX trial showed a continued benefit with polatuzumab vedotin plus rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone (Pola-R-CHP) vs rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine,...
EHA Publishes Guidelines for LBCL and Multiple Myeloma
The European Hematology Association (EHA) has published two new sets of clinical practice guidelines, including its first dedicated guidelines for large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL), which was published in HemaSphere, as well as an updated set of guidelines in collaboration with the European Myeloma...
Rare Secondary Cancer After CAR T-Cell Therapy Successfully Treated, Case Report Shows
In a case presentation published in The New England Journal of Medicine, targeted treatment was successful for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-positive peripheral T-cell lymphoma developed after CAR T-cell therapy for multiple myeloma. Using advanced genomic, phenotypic, and functional profiling...
Emerging PD-1 Inhibitor Plus Chemotherapy Shows Efficacy in Second-Line Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma
The addition of the PD-1 inhibitor sintilimab to ICE (ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide) chemotherapy appeared to significantly improve the complete remission rate and showed a trend toward improved progression-free survival in second-line classical Hodgkin lymphoma, according to Yuankai Shi,...
Tafasitamab Combined With Lenalidomide and Rituximab Improved Outcomes in Relapsed or Refractory Follicular Lymphoma
Adding tafasitamab-cxix, an anti-CD19 monoclonal antibody, to lenalidomide and rituximab significantly prolonged progression-free survival in patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma, according to data presented at the 2025 European Hematology Association (EHA) Congress.1 Results...
Fertility Outcomes in Patients of Childbearing Potential Receiving First-Line Therapy for Advanced Lymphoma
In an analysis reported in The Lancet Oncology, Ferdinandus et al found that among patients with newly diagnosed advanced-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma who were of childbearing potential (POCBP) in the phase III HD21 trial, those receiving BrECADD (brentuximab vedotin, etoposide,...
Outcomes Support CAR T-Cell Therapy Use in Elderly Patients With B-Cell Lymphomas
Patients in their 80s or older with B-cell lymphomas are able to receive chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy safely, results of a multicenter retrospective study published in Bone Marrow Transplantation showed. These patients are usually not eligible for clinical trials of CAR T-cell...
Lisocabtagene Maraleucel as Second-Line Therapy in Relapsed/Refractory Large B-Cell Lymphoma: 3-Year Follow-Up
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Kamdar et al, the 3-year follow-up of the phase III TRANSFORM trial showed that lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel) maintained superior efficacy vs standard of care (SOC) in second-line treatment of relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL). ...
Nivolumab or Brentuximab Vedotin With AVD in Older Patients With Advanced Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma
In a subset analysis from the phase III SWOG S1826 trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Rutherford et al compared the survival outcomes of nivolumab plus AVD (doxorubicin, vinblastine, dacarbazine; N-AVD) vs brentuximab vedotin plus AVD (BV-AVD) in patients with advanced-stage...
Addition of Glofitamab to R-CHOP or Pola-R-CHP in Younger Patients With High-Risk LBCL
In an Australian phase II trial (COALITION) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Minson et al investigated the addition of glofitamab to R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) or Pola-R-CHP (polatuzumab vedotin, rituximab, cyclophosphamide,...
New Model Predicts Risk of Progression in Early-Stage Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma
The first individualized risk prediction model for adults with early-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) has been developed and validated. According to a report published in NEJM Evidence, the Early-Stage cHL International Prognostic Index (E-HIPI) model estimates 2-year progression-free...
Tafasitamab Plus Lenalidomide and Rituximab Significantly Improves Outcomes in Relapsed/Refractory Follicular Lymphoma
Adding tafasitamab-cxix, an anti-CD19 monoclonal antibody, to lenalidomide and rituximab significantly prolonged progression-free survival in patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma, according to data presented at the European Hematology Association (EHA) 2025 Congress (Abstract...
Polatuzumab Vedotin–Based Regimen Improves Overall Survival in Refractory DLBCL
Combining the CD79b-directed antibody-drug conjugate polatuzumab vedotin-piiq with rituximab, gemcitabine, and oxaliplatin (R-GemOx) significantly improved survival outcomes in patients with transplant-ineligible, relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), over standard rituximab ...
FDA Approves CD19-Directed Antibody–Based Regimen for Follicular Lymphoma
On June 18, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved tafasitamab-cxix (Monjuvi), a CD19-directed cytolytic antibody, with lenalidomide and rituximab for adults with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma. inMIND Trial Efficacy was evaluated in inMIND (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier...
Study Identifies Key LBCL Traits Tied to Greatest Benefit From CD19 CAR T-Cell Therapy
In the largest study of its kind, researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have identified three subgroups of patients with large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) who have different levels of benefit from CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy. In the study,...
Noncovalent BTK Inhibitor in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma
In a phase III trial (BRUIN CLL-321) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Sharman et al compared treatment outcomes with the noncovalent Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor pirtobrutinib vs investigator choice of idelalisib/rituximab (IdelaR) or bendamustine/rituximab (BR) in patients ...
BRCA Mutations Could Increase Risk of Rare Lymphoma Among Women Who Received Textured Breast Implants During Breast Cancer Treatment
The risk of developing breast implant–associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) could be higher among women with breast cancer and BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations who received textured breast implants as part of their postmastectomy reconstructive surgery compared with patients lacking the genetic...
Enhanced CAR T-Cell Therapy for Lymphoma After Previous Failure on CAR T-Cell Therapy
In a single-center phase I trial reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Svoboda et al assessed the safety, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of an enhanced chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy (huCART19-IL18) in patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoma after previous...
Recent Advances in Treating Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
The disease we now call diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) has gone by the names of reticulum cell sarcoma, diffuse histiocytic lymphoma, and diffuse large cell lymphoma, and included both lymphomas of B cells and T cells. We now know DLBCL is still heterogenous and some subtypes might benefit...
NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: 2025 Updates
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) released its first set of Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) in 1996, covering eight tumor types. Today, guidelines are available for more than 60 tumor types, subtypes, and related topics. During the NCCN’s 30th Annual...
HIV-Related Structural Barriers in Cancer Care
Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are less likely to receive potentially life-saving cancer treatment if they reside in communities with lower income levels and educational attainment, according to a recent study published by Islam et al in Cancer. Study Methods and Results...
New Treatment Approach Could Enhance Care for Aggressive Relapsed/Refractory T- and NK-Cell Lymphomas
Investigators have uncovered how a specific sequence of cancer therapies could improve outcomes among patients with relapsed/refractory mature T- and natural killer (NK)-cell lymphomas, according to a recent study published by Sorial et al in the British Journal of Haematology. Background...
Malaria Subtype May Be Linked to Development of Burkitt Lymphoma
Researchers may have uncovered the role of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in the development of Burkitt lymphoma, according to a recent study published by Ariera et al in The Journal of Immunology. Background Uncomplicated malaria occurs when a patient’s symptoms are nonspecific, including fever,...
Case 3: Third-Line Treatment of CLL With Deletion 13q, Trisomy 12, and Unmutated IGHV
This is Part 3 of Treatment Approaches to Relapsed/Refractory CLL: What Comes Next, a three-part video roundtable series. Scroll down to watch the other videos from this roundtable. In this video, Drs. Nicole Lamanna, John Allan, and Inhye Ahn discuss the third-line treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The patient in question originally presented with CLL with a white blood cell (WBC) count of 13 x 109/L and normal hemoglobin and platelets. She was observed for 4 years and then developed progressive disease with weight loss, splenomegaly, and lymphadenopathy. At this point, her WBC was 220 x 109/L, her hemoglobin was 9.4, and her platelet count was 102,000. Sequencing revealed unmutated IGHV, TP53 wildtype, deletion 13q, and trisomy 12. She was initially treated with acalabrutinib for 4 years but developed progressive disease, and then received venetoclax and rituximab for 2 years. She was monitored but developed progressive disease approximately 30 months off therapy, at age 74 years. In the conversation that follows, the faculty discuss potential third-line treatment options for this patient, whether she would be a candidate for CAR T-cell therapy if she were younger, whether venetoclax re-treatment would be an option, and more.
Case 2: Second-Line Treatment of CLL With Deletion 11q and Unmutated IGHV
This is Part 2 of Treatment Approaches to Relapsed/Refractory CLL: What Comes Next, a three-part video roundtable series. Scroll down to watch the other videos from this roundtable. In this video, Drs. Nicole Lamanna, John Allan, and Inhye Ahn discuss second-line treatment strategies for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The patient is a 71-year-old man who presented in 2014 with symptomatic CLL after being monitored for 4 years. He then developed progressive fatigue, organomegaly, and bulky lymph nodes. Sequencing revealed unmutated IGHV and deletion 11q. He was initially treated with ibrutinib at 420 mg daily and then developed progressive disease after 5 years. In the conversation that follows, the faculty discuss how they would approach treatment sequencing in later lines of therapy, whether it is necessary to test for BTK inhibitor resistance, how their treatment recommendations might change if the patient’s cytogenetic profile evolved, and more.
Case 1: Front-Line Treatment of CLL With Deletion 13q, Trisomy 12, and Unmutated IGHV
This is Part 1 of Treatment Approaches to Relapsed/Refractory CLL: What Comes Next, a three-part video roundtable series. Scroll down to watch the other videos from this roundtable. To set the stage, Drs. Nicole Lamanna, John Allan, and Inhye Ahn discuss front-line treatment strategies for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The patient is a 71-year-old man who presented in 2020 with symptomatic CLL after he was monitored for a period of 4 years. He developed progressive fatigue, weight loss, splenomegaly, and bulky lymphadenopathy. He has a good performance status and adequate renal function. He has a white blood cell count of 113 x 109/L, hemoglobin of 10.3 g/dL, and a platelet count of 105,000/µL. Sequencing reveals deletion 13q, trisomy 12, unmutated IGHV, and TP53 wild-type. In the conversation that follows, the faculty discuss the patient’s prognosis, how comorbidities impact treatment options, time-limited vs continuous therapy, and more.
Adaptive Manufactured Lentiviral Anti-CD20/Anti-CD19 CAR T Cells in Relapsed/Refractory Mantle Cell Lymphoma
In a single-center phase I/II study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Shah et al found that adaptive manufactured lentiviral anti-CD20/anti-CD19 (LV20.19) chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell treatment was highly active in relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma. Study Details In...
Pediatric ALL or Lymphoblastic Lymphoma: Reduced Induction Dexamethasone and High-Dose Methotrexate
In a UK phase III trial (UKALL 2011) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Kirkwood et al found that a shorter duration of induction dexamethasone did not reduce steroid-related toxicity and that high-dose methotrexate (HDM) did not reduce central nervous system (CNS) relapse among patients ...
NK Cells Complexed With Bispecific Antibody May Be of Benefit to Patients With Lymphoma
A novel cell therapy approach using cord blood–derived natural killer (NK) cells precomplexed with the CD30/CD16A bispecific antibody AFM13 may be safe and generate responses in patients with refractory CD30-positive lymphomas, according to a recent study published by Nieto et al in Nature...
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia or Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma
“Care more particularly for the individual patient than for the special features of the disease.” —Sir William Osler Chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) is the most common leukemia in the Western hemisphere. The majority of patients who require treatment are older than ...
Benefit Suggested for Early Treatment of Advanced-Stage, Very Low–Tumor Burden Follicular Lymphoma
In the phase III JCOG1411/FLORA trial of patients with untreated advanced-stage, very low–tumor burden follicular lymphoma, rituximab induction delayed disease progression to high–tumor burden follicular lymphoma and delayed the initiation of cytotoxic chemotherapy, according to Japanese...
inMIND Trial: Tafasitamab Plus Lenalidomide and Rituximab in Relapsed or Refractory Follicular Lymphoma
The addition of tafasitamab, a CD19 monoclonal antibody, to the commonly used lenalidomide and rituximab backbone significantly improved progression-free survival in patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma, according to data presented during the 2024 American Society of Hematology...
Recent FDA Approvals in Lymphoma and in Rarer Tumors
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris) in combination with lenalidomide and a rituximab product for adults with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL)—including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not otherwise specified, DLBCL arising ...
Stem Cell Transplant May Not Be Necessary in First Remission for Patients With Mantle Cell Lymphoma and Undetectable MRD
Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) does not improve survival outcomes for patients with mantle cell lymphoma who achieve a deep first complete remission with undetectable measurable residual disease (MRD) after induction therapy, according to data presented during the 2024 American Society ...
Is There a Link Between Tattoos and Increased Cancer Risk?
Skin cancers and lymphoma may be more prevalent among individuals with tattoos compared with those without tattoos, according to a recent study published by Clemmensen et al in BMC Public Health. Prior research has shown that tattoo ink does not just remain at the site of injection—instead, when...
Case 3: Relapsed/Refractory Nodal Marginal Zone Lymphoma
This is Part 3 of Evolving Treatment Landscape of Indolent Lymphoma, a three-part video roundtable series. Scroll down to watch the other videos from this roundtable. In this video, Drs. Laurie Sehn, Gilles Salles, and Sonali Smith discuss the treatment of relapsed/refractory nodal marginal zone lymphoma. The patient is a 68-year-old man who was diagnosed with marginal zone lymphoma in 2019 after a PET/CT scan found a large pelvic mass involving the bladder and causing left-sided hydronephrosis; SUVmax was 7, and LDH was normal. He received bendamustine plus rituximab for six cycles, achieving a complete response on PET. In 2023, surveillance CT showed a recurrent pelvic mass and several mesenteric lymph nodes; PET/CT showed no additional disease, and the SUVmax was 6. In the conversation that follows, the faculty discuss whether transformation is a concern in marginal zone lymphoma, the role of BTK inhibitors, and whether CAR T-cell therapy could be an option for this patient.
