Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is the commonest type of aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a
type of cancer of a cell called a lymphocyte which makes up part of the immune system.
Although most patients are cured with chemotherapy used as initial treatment, about 20-30% of
patients still experience relapse. Curing relapsed disease is much less successful, even with
the use of high doses of chemotherapy and stem cell transplant. There is then an urgent need
for effective, new agents to treat patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma who have
relapsed or who have developed resistance to other forms of chemotherapy.
This trial is using a drug called AZD1152 which interferes with the ability of a cancer cell
to divide and grow. It has been used before in patients with other types of cancer, but never
before in lymphoma patients. Responses in other cancers have been seen, particularly in
leukaemia which is a disease related to lymphoma. The investigators are planning to use this
agent in 15 patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in which potentially curative
treatments have failed. The main aim is to see whether the drug shows any activity in this
type of lymphoma. This will be mainly assessed using CT and PET scans. The investigators are
also investigating how well a blood test can predict both the response to the drug and the
toxicity of the drug - this is called a biomarker study and forms part of the clinical trial.
The other main aim of the study is to assess the toxicity of the treatment. Previous studies
in humans suggest the drug is reasonably well tolerated, although side effects such as
stomatitis (soreness of the mouth) and suppression of the bone marrow (leading to risk of
infection and bleeding) have been seen.
Phase:
Phase 1/Phase 2
Details
Lead Sponsor:
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust
Collaborators:
Early Phase Cancer Research Hub, Oxford The Christie NHS Foundation Trust University of Manchester