By combining a variety of agents that potentiate Zidovudine (ZDV), the investigators hope to induce remission in this generally fatal disease. Most therapies for aggressive B cell lymphomas are based upon intensive chemotherapeutic regimens, expensive modalities (bone marrow transplant, Rituximab), or experimental approaches (gene therapy, cytotoxic T cell infusion) that are difficult to implement in heavily pre-treated patients. Therapy for relapsed aggressive B cell lymphomas is very poor. Even curable lymphomas such as Burkitt Lymphoma (BL) and Hodgkin lymphoma are extremely difficult to treat in relapse and/or after stem cell transplant failure. The investigators propose a novel therapeutic approach that exploits the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in lymphomas; antiviral mediated suppression of NF-kB and disruption of viral latency.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
6
Doxorubicin 20 mg/m2 intravenously will be administered on Day 1 in patients with systemic (non-primary CNS) lymphoma as per institutional guidelines
Methotrexate administered starting on Day 2, per study protocol.
Leucovorin administered first intravenously 24 hours after start of Methotrexate infusion, then orally every 6 hours for at least 10 doses, per study protocol.
Hydroxyurea administered orally twice daily starting on Day 2, and continuing for a total of 10 doses, per study protocol
Zidovudine administered first intravenously on Day 2, and then orally twice daily for 10 doses, per study protocol.
Rituximab is optional and will be administered to study participants, per study protocol.
University of Miami
Miami, Florida, United States
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
Rate of Complete Response to Protocol Therapy
Complete Response (CR) rate in study participants to protocol therapy. Response will be assessed via CT Scan and bone marrow aspirate/biopsy, if applicable. Complete response criteria include: * Complete disappearance of all detectable clinical and radiographic evidence of disease and disappearance of all disease-related symptoms if present before therapy, and normalization of those biochemical abnormalities definitely assignable to Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL); * All lymph nodes and tumor masses disappeared or regressed to normal size (≤ 1.5 cm in their greatest transverse diameters for nodes \> 1.5 cm before therapy); * Previously involved nodes that were 1.1 to 1.5 cm in their greatest transverse diameter (GTD) before treatment must have decreased to ≤ 1 cm in their GTD after treatment, or by more than 75% bin the sum of the products of the greatest diameters (SPD); * No new sites of disease.
Time frame: About 21 days
One-year Rate of Overall Survival
Rate of overall survival of study participants at one year since initiation of protocol therapy. Overall survival (OS) will be measured from the date of initiation of study treatment until date of death from any cause. In the absence of death, the follow-up will be censored at date of last contact (censored observation). Kaplan-Meier estimate of overall survival at one-year.
Time frame: 12 months
One-Year Rate of Failure-Free Survival (FFS)
Rate of failure-free survival of study participants one-year after start of protocol therapy. Failure-free survival (FFS) will be measured from the date of treatment initiation until date of documented disease progression, relapse after response, or death from any cause. For patients alive and free of relapse or progression, follow-up time will be censored at the last documented date of failure-free status. Kaplan-Meier estimate of failure-free survival at one-year.
Time frame: 12 months
Rate of Toxicity Related to Protocol Therapy
Rate of adverse events, serious adverse events or other toxicities related to protocol therapy in study participants.
Time frame: Through Duration of Protocol Therapy, Up to six 21-day cycles (+/- 7 days)
HIV Viral Load in Positive Subjects Before, During and After Protocol Therapy
Measurement of HIV Viral Load in positive subjects before, during and after protocol therapy to assess the effect of protocol therapy on immune reconstitution or exhaustion.
Time frame: From Baseline Up to 1 Year Post-Therapy
T-Cell Subset Levels in Peripheral Blood in Positive Participants Before, During and After Protocol Therapy
Measurement of T-cell subset levels (CD4, CD8) in peripheral blood before, during and after protocol therapy to assess the effect of protocol therapy on immune re-constitution or exhaustion.
Time frame: From Baseline Up to 1 Year Post-Therapy
EBV Viral Load in Peripheral Blood Before, During and After Protocol Therapy
Measurement of Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) viral load in peripheral blood in study participants before, after treatment, and during surveillance in order to correlate the presence of with tumor load and disease status.
Time frame: From Baseline Up to 1 year Post-Therapy
EBV Reactivation in Circulating Peripheral Blood Memory B-cells Before and After Protocol Therapy.
Measurement of EBV reactivation in circulating peripheral blood memory B-cells before and after treatment with chemotherapy/Zidovudine (ZDV) in order to assess the drug effect on EBV latency.
Time frame: From Baseline Up to 1 year Post-Therapy
Baseline Tumor EBV Gene Expression Profile in Study Participants
Determine baseline tumor EBV gene expression profile to assess viral thymidine kinases. (BXLF1/vTK and BGLF4/PK), EBV latency pattern (I, II or III) and lytic phase.
Time frame: Baseline
Measurement of Immune Activation Markers and Inflammation in Peripheral Blood
Measurement of immune activation markers and inflammation in peripheral blood in response to treatment and EBV reactivation.
Time frame: Through Duration of Response to Protocol Therapy Until Disease Progression, Up to 5 years
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