Anaplastic large cell lymphomas (ALCLs) are rare CD30+ peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) classified according to the expression of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK+) protein or not (ALK-). We have analysed the outcome and risk factors for survival in a population-based bi-national cohort of patients with systemic ALK+ ALCL. A total of 122 adult (≥18 years) patients diagnosed with ALK+ ALCL between 2000 and 2010 were identified from the Danish and Swedish lymphoma registries, representing 0·4% of all lymphomas. The median age of the cohort was 40 years (range 18-85). The 5-year overall survival and progression-free survival (PFS) was 78% and 64%, respectively. Age was strongly associated with outcome, and only bone marrow (BM) involvement was independently associated with poorer PFS in multivariate analysis (Hazard Ratio [HR] = 8·57, P < 0·001). Age stratification of the patients demonstrated an association between treatment with CHOEP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, etoposide, prednisolone) and improved overall survival for patients aged 41-65 years, even when adjusted for risk factors (HR = 0·38, P = 0·047). Our results suggest that the addition of etoposide to CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisolone) in the treatment for ALK+ ALCL seems reasonable in this age group.

In the present study, we investigate the outcome of 109 Danish and 123 Swedish patients with nodal PTCL in first complete remission (CR), and examine the impact of imaging-based follow-up (FU) strategies. The patients were selected by the following criteria: (a) newly diagnosed nodal PTCL from 2007 to 2012, (b) age ≥18 years, and (c) CR after CHOP or CHOEP therapy. FU guidelines in Sweden included symptom assessment, clinical examinations and blood tests at 3-4-month intervals for 2 years. FU strategies in Denmark was similar but included routine imaging, usually every 6 months for 2 years. Patients had fully comparable characteristics. Overall survival (OS) estimates for patients in CR were similar for all patients (p = .6) and in PTCL subtypes. In multivariate analysis, country of follow-up had no impact on OS. However, despite continuous CR for ≥2 years, the OS of PTCL remained inferior to a matched general population.

INTRODUCTION Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphomas (ALCL) are rare T-cell neoplasms grouped according to whether they express the fusion protein anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK+) or not (ALK-). ALK+ ALCL has consistently been found to have a favorable outcome compared to ALK- ALCL, but ALK+ ALCL is also associated with young age and other low risk features and not all studies have found ALK-expression to be an independent prognostic factor. In this population-based study, we aimed at analyzing the outcome and risk factors for survival in a bi-national cohort of patients with systemic ALCL. METHODS All adult (>18 years) patients with systemic ALCL in the Swedish and Danish Lymphoma Registries diagnosed between 2000 and 2010 were included in the study. Primary cutaneous ALCL cases were excluded. The diagnosis of ALCL was established in routine care and no study-specific pathology review was performed. RESULTS A total of 371 patients (ALK+ ALCL n=122) were identified, representing 1.3% of all lymphomas, through both national registries. ALK-status was missing in 33 patients (ALK u ALCL). The median follow-up was 7.2 years. ALK+ patients were younger than ALK- patients (median age 40 versus 66 years, p<0.001). In all, 209 patients died (ALK+ n=32, ALK- n=151, ALK u n=26) and among the 328 patients with available relapse data, 118 patients experienced relapse or progression (ALK+ n=20, ALK- n= 83, ALK u n=15). The 5-year overall and progression-free survival (OS and PFS, respectively) were 78% and 64% in ALK+ ALCL, 37% and 32% in ALK- ALCL and 27% and 25% in ALK u ALCL. Data on primary treatment was available in 341 out of 371 patients (92%). The majority of patients (n=278, 82%) was treated with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (CHOP) or CHOP plus etoposide (CHOEP). Up-front autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) was performed in 38 patients with ALK- ALCL and in 6 patients with ALK+ ALCL. Most ALK- ALCL patients undergoing up-front ASCT consolidation received CHOEP as induction treatment. Age had a profound impact on survival and based on the Kaplan-Meier estimates the age cut-offs described for the National Comprehensive Cancer Network-International Prognostic Index (NCCN-IPI) were used. All features, including treatment with CHOP compared to CHOEP, that were associated with survival at the level of p<0.1 in univariable analysis were tested in a multivariable model. The only independent risk factors in the multivariable analysis were treatment with CHOEP, which was associated with better OS (HR 0.48 95% CI 0.32-0.74, p=0.001), and increasing NCCN-IPI score (HR [for each increment] 1.6 95% CI 1.5-1.8, p<0.001), which was associated with inferior OS. A separate multivariable risk factor analysis for OS was performed in patients treated with CHOEP (N=108). In this analysis, age (HR 2.9 95% CI 1.5-5.3, p=0.001), ALK-negativity (HR 2.6 95% CI 1.2-6.0, p=0.020) and elevated LDH (HR 2.1 95% CI 1.0-4.3, p=0.047) were independently associated to worse OS. Assigning 0,1 and 2 points for age <40, 40-60 and 60-75 respectively, ALK negativity 1 point and elevated LDH 1 point, we created a score that identified 4 groups with significantly different OS. Patients with a score of 3 or 4 had a similar OS, and were thus combined. DISCUSSION This population-based study based on two national registries reports the outcome of the largest cohort of adult ALCL patients published so far. Our study confirms the favourable outcome of ALK+ ALCL patients and the association with low-risk features. The addition of etoposide to CHOP was independently associated with a superior OS, and when adjusting for this treatment modification, the impact of ALK-expression on OS was mitigated. We also performed a separate risk factor analysis in the group of patients receiving CHOEP treatment. Age, ALK-negativity and elevated LDH were independent risk factors for OS in this group and were assembled in a proposed novel score, which could represent a useful tool in future management strategies in ALCL. Our data supports that the addition of etoposide to CHOP, if tolerated, is an important component in the treatment of ALCL and that the impact of ALK-expression on outcome is affected by treatment. Based on multivariable risk factor analysis in CHOEP treated patients, we propose a novel ALCL-specific score for future validation in independent cohorts. Disclosures Relander: Respiratorius: Patents & Royalties: valproate for DLBCL.

Peripheral T-Cell Lymphomas (PTCLs) are rare, aggressive lymphomas with poor outcomes, but limited-stage disease is infrequent and not well-described. This study reports outcomes and prognostic factors in limited-stage nodal PTCLs in a binational population-based setting. Patients were identified from the Danish and Swedish lymphoma registries. Adults diagnosed with limited-stage nodal PTCL (stage I-II) and treated with CHOP(Àlike) therapy ±radiotherapy between 2000 and 2014 were included. Medical records were reviewed by local investigators. A total of 239 patients with a median age of 62 years were included; 67% received 6-8 cycles of CHOP(Àlike) therapy and 22% received 3-4 cycles, of which 59% also received radiotherapy. Autologous stem cell transplant consolidation was administered to 16% of all patients. Median follow-up was 127 months with 5-years overall survival (OS) of 58% (95% CI: 53-65) and progression-free survival (PFS) of 53% (95% CI: 47-59). In multivariable analysis, age ≥ 60 years and B-symptoms were unfavorable and ALK+ anaplastic large cell T-Cell lymphoma was favorable for survival outcomes.There was no difference in treatment-specific outcome (3-4 cycles vs. 6-8 cycles of CHOP(Àlike) ± radiotherapy). Low-risk patients (age < 60 without B-symptoms) had a 5-year OS of 77% (95% CI 67-89%). In the present study of limited-stage nodal PTCL, survival after curative intent chemotherapy +/À radiotherapy was inferior to that of limited-stage diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, but a subgroup of young patients Ahmed Ludvigsen Al-Mashhadi and Henrik Cederleuf contributed equally. Fredrik Ellin and Tarec Christoffer El-Galaly contributed equally.

Peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL) is a heterogeneous group of aggressive neoplasms with poor outcomes, commonly affecting elderly patients with comorbidities. This study aims to describe outcomes of elderly PTCL patients in a large international cohort. Patients aged ≥ 70 years with PTCL diagnosed from January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2015 in the Swedish Lymphoma Registry (SLR) and California Cancer Registry (CCR) were identified. Data on comorbidity were retrospectively collected according to the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and clinical outcomes were extracted. 891 patients were included (SLR, n = 173, CCR, n = 718). Median age was 77 (SLR) and 78 (CCR) years. Included subtypes were AITL, n = 226; ALCL, n = 122; EATL, n = 31; Hepatosplenic TCL, n = 7; NK/T-cell lymphoma, n = 62; and PTCL NOS, n = 443. CCI data was available in 775 patients (87 %), and CCI scores were divided into the groups CCI = 0 (39 %), CCI = 1 (22 %) and CCI &gt; 1 (39 %). Median age did not differ between the CCI groups (p = 0.72). Patients with a CCI &gt; 1 had a worse median overall survival (OS) (4.4 months) compared to patients with CCI = 0 (11.9 months) and CCI = 1 (8.4 months), p &lt; 0.001. Comorbidity and advancing age in as little as 5-year increments are important adverse factors in this group. The majority of patients died of lymphoma within a year from diagnosis, underscoring the importance of developing new treatments.