Treatment of an intensive combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy could “significantly improve” the chances of survival of some blood cancer patients whose disease has spread to the brain or spine, according to scientists.
In a study partly funded by Cancer Research UK, researchers have found that the treatment system was more effective in patients with lymphoma – a type of blood cancer – where the disease was already distributed when first tested.
This was in contrast to those previously treated for lymphoma and the disease had spread after their cancer returned.
The researchers said their findings, published in the journal Lancet Hematology, could help change the international guidelines on how to treat patients after the lymphoma has spread to their brain or spine. , called secondary nervous system lymphoma.
Although lymphoma of the secondary nervous system is rare, it can be fatal.
A team of researchers led by Dr Kate Cwynarski from London University College Hospital in the UK, and Professor Andres Ferreri in Milan, Italy, evaluated 75 patients across four countries.
Known as the Marietta study, it is believed to be the largest-ever clinical trial to examine lymphoma of the secondary nervous system.
Patients on trial received a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy drugs in treatments, called Matrix and Rice.
It consisted of three courses of Matrix and then three courses of Rice, before cell gas transfer using cells taken from the patients themselves.
Of the 75 patients evaluated, 32 were first diagnosed when their lymphoma had spread to their brain or spine and were untreated, and 43 were previously treated for lymphoma and had the disease spread after their cancer returned.
The researchers reported that intensive Matrix / Rice treatment prevented the cancer from getting worse in 42 (58%) of the patients for at least a year after they signed up to participate in the trial.
Patients with lymphoma found to have spread to the brain or spine when first diagnosed with the combination treatment were far better than those already treated for lymphoma.
In these patients, two-year survival was reported to be 71%, which, according to the researchers, had never been achieved before.
They said the results are “extremely impressive” in that they are similar to those with lymphoma that has not spread to the brain or spine.
According to the researchers, their findings suggest that the Matrix / Rice treatment could “significantly improve survival for patients with secondary nervous system lymphoma”.
Dr Cwynarski said: “The Marietta test has meant that patients who may have only months to live and live well years after they were admitted.
“It’s amazing to be able to sign DVLA forms for many of my patients who are treated with this procedure, because you can’t drive until you’ve been clean for treatment for two years and that they are well, brought home the impact that this study brought home. There were. ”