T-cell lymphoma is an aggressive form of blood cancer that requires extensive research. However, because the disease is so rare, most studies are limited by small sample sizes in clinical trials.
Salvia Jain, MD
PETAL Consortium–a first-of-its-kind global network of more than 100 investigators dedicated to improving outcomes for patients with blood cancers such as T-cell lymphoma–addresses this challenge by connecting research sites across more than 20 countries.
This collaborative network provides researchers with access to hundreds of patients worldwide, helping to accelerate progress for this rare disease.
Founded and led by Salvia Jain, MD, an oncologist and hematologist at Mass General Brigham, PETAL Consortium leverages cutting-edge artificial intelligence, machine learning, and genomics to drive scientific breakthroughs and advance the understanding of T-cell lymphoma.
Here are four examples of the consortium in action:
New Research Guides Treatment Regimen for T- and Natural Killer-cell Lymphomas
Mark Sorial, PharmD, BCOP
Relapsed/refractory mature T- and natural killer-cell lymphomas (R/R TNKLs) are aggressive blood cancers that are notoriously difficult to treat, and patients with these cancers have poor prognoses.
To date, there is no established treatment protocol for this condition, and clinicians have to choose among several second-line therapies without clear evidence to guide their decision-making.
A research team led by Dr. Jain and Mark Sorial, PharmD, BCOP, conducted a retrospective research study of 12 potential treatment paths for second- and third-line therapies and found that patients with R/R TNKLs had improved survival rates when treated with small molecule inhibitors as second-line therapy, followed by epigenetic modifiers as third-line therapy.
Survival benefits were especially pronounced among high-risk groups and patients with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.
“These results support the earlier use of these novel therapies, prioritize further research of these drug classes," says Sorial. "They also provide a framework for examining survival effects with sequential treatments in other cancers.”
New Calculator Makes Personalized Decisions for Patients with T-cell Lymphoma
Jessy Xinyi Han
In a study led by Dr. Jain and research assistant Jessy Xinyi Han, researchers looked at patients worldwide with R/R TNKLs and proposed a new risk scoring system that helps doctors better predict how patients will do after their blood cancer returns or does not respond to initial treatment.
Researchers used machine learning to analyze data from 925 patients across 10 countries, examining patient characteristics and treatments to compare survival outcomes across different therapies.
The risk scoring system they developed uses a patient's demographic and clinical history related to their lymphoma to estimate their survival over a defined time interval.
“This work provides doctors with a new, easy-to-use tool to better predict patient outcomes and personalize treatment for aggressive T-cell lymphomas when the disease returns," says Han. “The results suggest that for some patients, targeted therapies might improve survival compared to traditional chemotherapy.”
Mature Nodal T-cell Lymphoma Patients May Benefit from Early Non-Chemotherapy Treatments
Mature nodal T-cell lymphoma is a type of rare and aggressive blood cancer.
Limited data on this disease makes it difficult to identify high-risk patients or tailor treatment strategies, so most patients receive similar care despite differences in disease characteristics and outcomes.
A new study led by Drs. Jain and Sorial found that among patients who achieved a complete remission after initial treatment, those whose cancer returned within 12 months have worse survival rates, but may benefit from early use of non-chemotherapy treatments.
This study was a global effort involving more than 100 investigators and data from nearly 2,000 patients across three major research groups–PETAL Consortium (global with U.S. predominance), GELL (Latin America), and LYSARC (Europe).
Patient outcomes were studied using landmark survival analysis–a method that compares long-term survival between different patient groups starting from a specific point in time.
“This collaborative approach allowed us to gather a wealth of data to better understand the complexities of nodal T-cell lymphoma," says Sorial. "Our findings shed light on the differences we see in patient outcomes and pave the way for more personalized treatment strategies.”
Study Demonstrates Drug Combination is Safe and Effective for Patients with T-cell Lymphoma
R/R peripheral and cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs and CTCLs) are aggressive blood cancers that often resist standard therapy.
Josie Ford
Patients with these lymphomas may require stem cell transplants, but the disease needs to be brought under control before patients can undergo this treatment.
A study led by Dr. Jain and clinical research coordinator Josie Ford found the drug combination of duvelisib and romidepsin to be effective, tolerable and safe in a cohort of 38 patients with R/R PTCLs and CTCLs who need treatment prior to candidacy for stem cell transplantation.
The researchers found that the drug combination helped shrink or eliminate cancer in 61% of patients, with 47% having no detectable cancer. Eleven of those patients went on to receive stem cell transplants.
These findings suggest that this drug combination offers a novel strategy to help patients with this blood cancer control the disease long enough to be eligible for stem cell transplants.
“This real-world study builds upon prior clinical trials by providing a more comprehensive view of using the drug combination in clinical practice, says Ford. "It includes variations in clinical setting, prescribing patterns, and adverse event management within a diverse, higher-risk population.”
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