Association of L-asparaginase-Methotrexate-Dexamethasone for Nasal and Nasal-type Natural Killer (NK)-T-cell Lymphoma
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2012-06-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Nasal/nasal type NK-T-cell lymphoma is a rare and severe type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL)
more frequent in Asia than in western countries. When localised, radiotherapy seems to be the
best treatment. When radiotherapy cannot be used because of dissemination or relapse,
chemotherapy protocols used for other types of NHL give poor results and survival is poor.
Recently papers from China and Japan reported the efficacy of a drug: l-asparaginase, usually
used to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In vitro a selective apoptosis of NK-cell tumours
by l-asparaginase was shown on tumour cell lines and samples.
The investigators propose a phase II protocol for patients with refractory or relapsing
nasal/nasal type NK-T-cell lymphoma using a regimen combining l-asparaginase, methotrexate
and dexamethasone. Biological studies will be conducted trying to find factors which could
predict responses to this chemotherapy.
Since january 2009, the study concerns all patients with nasal/nasal type NK-T-cell lymphoma
who have not received asparaginase before.