DLBCL patients with chronic HBV infection revealed distinct clinical features of a younger age, more advanced disease stage and even poorer outcomes[1, 2]. The role of HBV in the mechanism of DLBCL has not been fully elucidated, one hypothesis was, like hepatitis C, an protracted antigenic stimulation of B cells that produce virus-specific antibodies; another hypothesis was based on genome-wide analysis, which revealed enhanced gene mutation load possibly mediated by apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide (APOBEC) enzyme activity and the activity of the B-cell specific activation induced cytidine deaminase (AID)[1, 10].
Currently, there are no specific guidelines or sufficient clinical trials available for treating relapsed or refractory DLBCL with HBV infection. As hepatitis B virus X protein (HBX) overexpression can be detected in DLBCL, DLBCL cells expressing HBX potentiated resistance to S-phase arrest-inducing chemotherapeutics like methotrexate (MTX) and cytarabine (Ara-C) in vitro[11, 12], suggesting that neither MTX nor Ara-C are suitable as second-line treatments. CAR-T therapy has been attempted in this disease entity under prophylactic antiviral therapy[4–6]. In a study of 15 R/R DLBCL patients with HBV infection, overall response (OR) and CR rate of CAR-T therapy was 66.7% and 60%, respectively, accompanying controllable CRS. HBV reactivation was seen in 3 patients[5].
However, DLBCL patients with HBV-related cirrhosis have received scant attention in medical literature. A retrospective case series of 8 patients assessed the administration of rituximab in DLBCL patients with HBV-related cirrhosis, all of whom were undergoing standardized antiviral therapy. Among them, one patient experienced HBV reactivation, yet neither hepatitis flares nor abnormal liver function were observed. The median overall survival was 39 months (range, 7–82 months), indicating that rituximab is a safe option for these patients [13].In our study, the CR rate was 66.7%, P3 did not achieve the expected efficacy despite receiving more intensive treatment with ASCT bridging CAR-T. HBV reactivation occurred in P1 despite whole-course combination of entecavir prophylaxis. The crucial risk factors for HBV reactivation can be broadly classified into three categories: host-related factors, virus-related factors, and immunosuppressive therapy. Immunosuppressive therapy is the major risk and quite common applied in DLBCL patients. In oncological practice, it is recommended to initiate antiviral prophylaxis with nucleoside analogs (NA) before immunosuppressive therapies. Compared to first approved NA lamivudine, next-generation NA entecavir is less likely to cause drug resistance, more effective in viral suppression and preventing HBV reactivation among HBsAg-positive lymphoma patients undergoing chemotherapy[14]. It is reported tenofovir may be more effective than entecavir in patients with HBeAg-positive[15]. Entecavir or tenofovir is now recommended standard agent for prevention and treatment of HBV reactivation in patients under immunosuppressive therapy. In our P1 case, entecavir was quite effective, but in consideration of transient detectable HBV-DNA presented without drug withdrawal, entecavir wasn’t guarantee for avoiding HBV reactivation.
CRS is a major concern since chronic HBV infection may induce higher IL-6 production[16]. Neither our cases nor other reported patients with HBV infection observed increase in the frequency or severity of CRS or ICANS. However, due to the constraint of a small sample size, the relationship between HBV infection and CRS warrants further investigation.
The clinical presentation of HBV reactivation or HBV related mortality varied, ranging from unnoticed elevated HBV-DNA levels and/or ALT to life-threatening fulminant hepatitis, hepatic encephalopathy and liver failure[5, 6, 17]. However, the occurrence of newly developed hepatic malignancy was rare. In chronic viral hepatitis-related cirrhosis patients, the estimated cumulative incidence of HCC over a 10-year period was only about 4.0%[18]. HBV plays a direct role in HCC transformation by triggering specific oncogenic pathways as well as stimulating host immune response and driving liver chronic necro-inflammation[19]. Furthermore, complex immune imbalance may promote HCC transformation[20]. In P1, despite the potential for CAR-T therapy to induce immune dysregulation characterized by cytokine elevation and B lymphocyte abnormalities, the likelihood of it significantly contributing to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) transformation appears low. This conclusion is supported by the relatively modest and transient elevation in cytokine levels post-therapy, as well as the restoration of B lymphocyte counts within six months. Overall, it is preferable to believe that CAR-T therapy was not primarily responsible for hepatic malignancy development. The occurrence of cirrhosis cancerization following CAR-T therapy in this case may be coincidental; however, caution should still be exercised regarding this issue.
Recent studies have focused on the evaluation of ASCT bridging CAR-T therapy vs CAR-T therapy for R/R DLBCL. One single-arm prospective clinical study[21] explored the efficacy and safety of ASCT bridging CD19/CD22 CAR-T therapy in 42 R/R aggressive B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) patients, at a median follow-up of 24.3 months, the OR rate was 90.5%, the 2-year PFS rate was 83.3%, the median PFS and overall survival were not reached. All cases of CRS and ICANS were reversible. Another retrospective cohort study[22] compared ASCT-CART to ASCT in 67 R/R DLBCL patients. The ASCT-CART group showed higher CR rate (71% vs. 33%; p = 0.003), superior 3-year PFS (80% vs. 44%; p = 0.036) and lower 3-year relapse/progression rate (15% vs. 56%; p = 0.015) than ASCT group. Although P3 in our study failed this combined therapy, the prospect of future trials to explore the efficacy and safety of ASCT bridging CAR-T therapy in a larger patient cohort is still promising.
P3 achieved CR under lenalidomide maintenance six months after ASCT bridging CAR-T. Lenalidomide, an oral immunomodulatory drug, exerts its effects primarily through direct anti-tumor activity, immune modulation, and regulation of the tumor microenvironment.[23]. We conducted a study[24] evaluating lenalidomide maintenance after CAR-T therapy in R/R DLBCL patients, we found that OS was significantly prolonged in the lenalidomide maintenance group, also in vitro test showed the delayed exhaustion of CAR-T cells may contribute to the OS benefit. The remission observed in patient P3 cannot be attributed to delayed exhaustion of CAR-T cells, as these cells were undetectable prior to maintenance therapy. Nonetheless, the early introduction of lenalidomide maintenance therapy following CAR-T treatment may enhance efficacy and promote sustained peripheral blood levels of CAR-T cells.
Looking back retrospectively, gene next generation sequencing (NGS) could not be performed and many novel targeting drugs were not available, otherwise, genetic guided targeting treatment might have been an alternative choice for these patients.
CAR-T therapy demonstrated high effectiveness with tolerable treatment-related toxicities in treating refractory DLBCL patients with HBV-related cirrhosis. However, concerns persist regarding HBV reactivation and other long-term complications, despite the use of antiviral prophylaxis. Close monitoring of HBV-DNA levels, liver imaging, and liver function post-CAR-T therapy is imperative. Further data collection is warranted to ascertain whether CAR-T therapy is a suitable strategy for this unique patient population.