Neurofilament light chains: A biomarker for vincristine-related neuropathy.

Authors

Gretchen McNally

Gretchen A McNally

The Ohio State University James Cancer Center, Columbus, OH

Gretchen A McNally , Menglin Xu , Timothy Voorhees , Robert A. Baiocchi , David Alan Bond , Naren Epperla , Kami J. Maddocks , Yazeed Sawhala , Bhuvaneswari Ramaswamy , Maryam B. Lustberg

Organizations

The Ohio State University James Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, The Ohio State University - Division of Hematology, Columbus, OH, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Division of Hematology, Columbus, OH, Ohio State University Comprehensive Canvcer Hospital, Columbus, OH, Smilow Cancer Hospital, Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, CT

Research Funding

OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center

Background: Sensory vincristine-related neuropathy is a well-known toxicity of front-line lymphoma treatments, potentially negatively impacting both disease outcomes as well as the long-term quality of life of cancer survivors. Most aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas are curable with the multi-agent chemotherapy regimens CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) or infusional dose-adjusted EPOCH (etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin). This pilot study aimed to characterize and describe chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) outcomes, utilizing patient and clinician-reported outcome measures and neurofilament light chains (NF-L). Nf-L, released in response to axonal damage, is emerging as a sensitive blood-based biomarker for CIPN. Studies in rats have demonstrated repeated vincristine exposure correlated with increased serum NF-L light chains and progressive damage. This has not previously been reported in humans. Methods: A single-center prospective study assessed CIPN toxicity in people with aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma treated with CHOP and EPOCH. Patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures included the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (EORTC QLQ-CIPN20) questionnaire. Items 19 and 20 were excluded. The clinician-reported outcome measure was the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI CTCAE v5.0). Outcomes were evaluated at three time points: (1) Baseline, (2) Immediately before cycle four, and (3) Immediately before cycle six. Blood samples were collected from participants and processed for plasma Nf-L chain analysis. Results: There were 26 participants at baseline (CHOP: n = 17, EPOCH: n = 9), 21 participants at time point 2 (CHOP: n = 17, EPOCH: n = 7), and 16 participants at time point 3 (CHOP: n = 10, EPOCH n = 6). The mean CIPN-18 scores increased at each time point and were not significantly different by chemotherapy type. Five of the 16 participants (31.3%) experienced CIPN ≥ grade 1 at time point 3. A significant relationship existed between the CIPN-18 and the CTCAE (r- 0.39, p =0.002) and between CIPN-18 and Nf-L levels (r= 0.42, p = 0.002). The mean Nf-L levels increased from the first time point (mean = 54.4 pg/mL, 16-187.9 pg/mL) to the second time point (mean = 108.7 pg/mL, 37-232.2 pg/mL) and remained significantly elevated at Time Point 3 (mean = 92pg/mL, 34-172.2 pg/mL). Conclusions: One-third of all participants were experiencing symptoms of CIPN by the third time point (cycle six of therapy), as measured by the CTCAE > 0 and the CIPN-18 > 20. Our study lays the groundwork for using Nf-L as a potential biomarker, in combination with PROs, to identify, recognize, and measure vincristine-induced neurotoxicity.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Symptom Science and Palliative Care

Track

Symptom Science and Palliative Care

Sub Track

Toxicities–Prevention and Management Strategies

Citation

J Clin Oncol 42, 2024 (suppl 16; abstr 12114)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2024.42.16_suppl.12114

Abstract #

12114

Poster Bd #

243

Abstract Disclosures