Sintilimab combined with chidamide in the treatment of extranodal nature killer/T-cell lymphoma with secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis: Two case reports and literature review

Extranodal nature killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL) failing in asparaginase-containing treatments is fatal, it has a higher mortality rate when accompanied by secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). The study reported 2 ENKTL-related HLH patients. PATIENT CONCERNS: Patient 1 visited for nasal congestion and runny nose for 6 months then got a fever and serious myelosuppression after P-GEP (pegaspargase, gemcitabine, etoposide, and methylprednisolone) chemotherapy. Patient 2 complained of painless lymphadenectasis in the right neck for 4 months and experienced recurrent fever and poor performance status after 3 cycles of P-Gemox (pegaspargase, gemcitabine, and oxaliplatin) chemotherapy. DIAGNOSES: Patient 1 and patient 2 were diagnosed as ENKTL failing in asparaginase-based chemotherapy and involving secondary HLH. INTERVENTIONS: The dose of chidamide was 20 mg twice a week for 2 weeks and sintilimab was 200 mg once every 3 weeks. OUTCOMES: ENKTL was relieved and the HLH was resolved after the therapy of sintilimab and chidamide. The patients had achieved durable survival without immune-related adverse events. LESSONS: ENKTL-related HLH needs early diagnosis and treatment. The combined strategy of sintilimab plus chidamide help deal with HLH and solve ENKTL, it may be a useful treatment option for ENKTL-related HLH.