Early experience using salvage radiotherapy for relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphomas after CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy

Abstract

Radiotherapy is potentially an important salvage strategy post-chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy (CART), but limited data exist. We reviewed 14 patients treated with salvage radiation post-CART progression (SRT). Most received SRT for first post-CART relapse (71%) to sites previously PET-avid pre-CART (79%). Median overall survival (OS) post-SRT was 10 months. Post-SRT, six localized relapses achieved 100% response (3 = complete, 3 = partial), with improved freedom from subsequent relapse (P = 0·001) and OS (P = 0·004) compared to advanced stage relapses. Three were bridged to allogeneic transplantation; at analysis, all were alive/NED. SRT has diverse utility and can integrate with novel agents or transplantation to attempt durable remissions.