Dr. Roschewski Discusses DA-EPOCH-R in Burkitt Lymphoma

Mark J. Roschewski, MD, staff clinician, associate research clinician, clinical director, Malignancies Branch of the Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, discusses dose-adjusted infused etoposide, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide with vincristine, prednisone, and rituximab (Rituxan; DA-EPOCH-R) in adult patients with Burkitt lymphoma.

Burkitt lymphoma is rarely found in adults, and treatment-related toxicities are a significant barrier to treatment. The current standard of care for these patients is an intensive regimen of chemotherapy.

An NCI study investigated DA-EPOCH-R in patients with Burkitt lymphoma. The primary endpoint was event-free survival (EFS), with secondary objections of progression-free survival, time to progression, overall survival and predictive ability of PET after 2 cycles. All stages of Burkitt lymphoma were allowed, regardless of HIV status, says Roschewski.

Results showed that DA-EPOCH-R is effective in adults of all ages, with a favorable 3-year EFS compared to intensive regimens, and a low rate of central nervous system failure. Additionally, Roschewski notes that all 14 patients with low-risk Burkitt lymphoma on this study were cured.