We describe a retrospective review of the 3 cases of PCL diagnosed at Antonio Perrino Hospital, Brindisi, Italy, between July 2004 and October 2006 (2 women and 1 man, all white, ages 71, 64, and 42 years; 2 with primary PCL and 1 with secondary PCL). These patients were treated with
bortezomib variously combined with other drugs outside of clinical trials. Patients 1 and 2 received
bortezomib-based regimens (
bortezomib 1.3 mg/m2 i.v. once daily on days 1, 4, 8, and 11;
dexamethasone 20 mg i.v. once daily on days 1-4 and 8-11; oral
cyclophosphamide 50 mg once daily on days 1-21, every 28 days) after 2 previous chemotherapeutic treatments. Patient 3 received a
bortezomib-based regimen (
bortezomib 1.3 mg/m2 i.v. once daily on days 1, 4, 8, and 11;
doxorubicin 9 mg/m2 i.v. once daily on days 1-4; and
dexamethasone 40 mg i.v. once daily on days 1-4, 8-11, and 15-18 during cycle 1 and days 1-4 during subsequent cycles) after one previous chemotherapeutic regimen. In all 3 patients, circulating plasma cells persisted. Patients 1 and 2 were not considered candidates for autologous
peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) because of their nonresponse to the
bortezomib-based regimens and severe deterioration of their clinical conditions (kidney and
liver failure) due to
disease progression. The overall survivals after administration of the
bortezomib- based regimens were 4 months in patient 1 and 1 month in patient 2. After further treatment according to the modified protocol for patients with acute lymphatic
leukemia (
cyclophosphamide 800 mg/m2 i.v. on day 1 and 200 mg/m2 i.v. on days 2-5;
vincristine 1.5 mg/m2 i.v. once daily on days 1, 8, and 15;
doxorubicin 40 mg/m2 i.v. on day 1;
methotrexate 1200 mg/m2/h i.v. + 240 mg/m2/h i.v. for 23 hours [modified
CODOX-M protocol]) due to the unavailability of a
human leukocyte antigen-identical donor, patient 3 received high-dose (200 mg/m2)
melphalan with autologous PBSCT, obtaining partial remission lasting 9 months. The patient died 5 months later because of
disease progression.
CONCLUSION: