ALCL-VBL: A New Trial for Paediatric non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients launched in Belgium

A new trial, ALCL-VBL, has been launched in September 2023. This trial will evaluate the efficacy of Vinblastine treatment for paediatric patients, below the age of 18 years, diagnosed with Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL).

ALCL is a type of cancer that predominantly affects children and teenagers, comprising approximately 10-15% of all non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases within this age group. ALCL can manifest in various parts of the body, including lymph nodes in the chest or abdomen, often leading to symptoms such as fever, weight loss, and night sweats. Additionally, it can occur outside of lymph nodes, affecting areas like the skin, bones, and lungs, and may even impact the spleen, liver, or soft tissues. 

During local standard diagnosis, ALCL patients are stratified into different risk groups based on ALK status, disease stage and minimal disseminated disease (MDD) level. ALCL patients who are ALK positive, stage I, II or III and MDD negative are classified as standard risk and eligible to participate in the ALCL-VBL trial. In this trial, patients will receive weekly treatment with intravenous vinblastine for 24 months. All other high-risk ALCL patients are treated according to the current treatment guidelines.

The primary objective of the ALCL-VBL trial is to demonstrate that at least 75% of children diagnosed with standard-risk ALCL can achieve cure through 24 months of treatment with intravenous vinblastine monotherapy.

The international sponsor of the ALCL-VBL trial is the German Paediatric Oncology Group GPOH gGmbH, Berlin (Germany). In Belgium, the trial is coordinated by the University Hospitals Leuven, with Prof. Dr. Anne Uyttebroeck acting as the national coordinating investigator. All Belgian paediatric haematology-oncology centres participate in this trial. For Belgium we expect to recruit 2 patients per year in the ALCL-VBL trial. 

This trial is open in Belgium thanks to the financial support given by the Funds Simon Bauvin, Robert Brancart, Christian Lispet, Rosa Meynen, Denise Raes, Alberte Delferière, managed by the of King Baudouin Foundation.