Professional background

  • Trained at King's College, Hammersmith Hospital and Royal Free Hospitals.
  • MRC Clinical Research fellowship PhD at Imperial College, London.
  • Lead of the UK CNSL group and a member of the NCRI Lymphoma CSG.
  • Chair of the BSH Lymphoma Specialist Interest Group.
  • Highly involved in clinical trials in lymphomas.

Research interests

CNS lymphoma, HIV-related lymphoma, high-grade B-cell lymphomas and T-cell lymphomas.

Publications

Timing of high-dose methotrexate CNS prophylaxis in DLBCL: an analysis of toxicity and impact on R-CHOP delivery. Wilson MR, Eyre TA, Martinez-Calle N, Ahearne M, Parsons KE, Preston G, Khwaja J, Schofield J, Elliot J, Mula Kh A, Shah N, Cheung CK, Timmins MA, Creasey T, Linton K, Smith J, Fox CP, Miall F, Cwynarski K, McKay P.Wilson MR, et al. Blood Adv. 2020 Aug 11;4(15):3586-3593. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2020002421.Blood Adv. 2020. PMID: 32761231.

The prevention of central nervous system relapse in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a British Society for Haematology good practice paper. McKay P, Wilson MR, Chaganti S, Smith J, Fox CP, Cwynarski K; British Society of Haematology.McKay P, et al. Br J Haematol. 2020 Sep;190(5):708-714. doi: 10.1111/bjh.16866. Epub 2020 Jul 15.Br J Haematol. 2020. PMID: 32433789 No abstract available.

Outcomes of older patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma treated in routine clinical practice in the UK: methotrexate dose intensity correlates with response and survival. Martinez-Calle N, Poynton E, Alchawaf A, Kassam S, Horan M, Rafferty M, Kelsey P, Scott G, Culligan DJ, Buckley H, Lim YJ, Ngu L, McCulloch R, Rowntree C, Wright J, McKay P, Fourali S, Eyre TA, Smith J, Osborne W, Yallop D, Linton K, Fox CP, Cwynarski K. Br J Haematol. 2020 Aug;190(3):394-404. doi: 10.1111/bjh.16592. Epub 2020 Mar 31.Br J Haematol. 2020. PMID: 32232989

Induction therapy with the MATRix regimen in patients with newly diagnosed primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the central nervous system - an international study of feasibility and efficacy in routine clinical practice. Schorb E, Fox CP, Kasenda B, Linton K, Martinez-Calle N, Calimeri T, Ninkovic S, Eyre TA, Cummin T, Smith J, Yallop D, De Marco B, Krampera M, Trefz S, Orsucci L, Fabbri A, Illerhaus G, Ferreri AJM*, Cwynarski K*. Br J Haematol. 2020 Jan 29. doi: 10.1111/bjh.16451. [Epub ahead of print] (*shared senior authorship)

The management of primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma: a British Society for Haematology Good Practice Paper. Cwynarski K, Marzolini MAV, Barrington SF, Follows G, Illidge T, Stern S, Davies A; British Society for Haematology Guidelines. Br J Haematol. 2019 Jan 4.

Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of primary central nervous system diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Fox CP, Phillips EH, Smith J, Linton K, Gallop-Evans E, Hemmaway C, Auer DP, Fuller C, Davies AJ, McKay P, Cwynarski K; British Society for Haematology. Br J Haematol. 2019 Feb;184(3):348-363

Autologous stem cell transplantation for HIV-associated lymphoma in the antiretroviral and rituximab era: a retrospective study by the EBMT Lymphoma Working Party. Hübel K, Re A, Boumendil A, Finel H, Hentrich M, Robinson S, Wyen C, Michieli M, Kanfer E, Diez-Martin JL, Balsalobre P, Vincent L, Schroyens W, Santasusana JMR, Kröger N, Schiel X, Cwynarski K, Esquirol A, Sousa AB, Cattaneo C, Montoto S, Dreger P. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2019 Oct;54(10):1625-1631.

Revised Adult T-Cell Leukemia-Lymphoma International Consensus Meeting Report. Cook LB, Fuji S, Hermine O, Bazarbachi A, Ramos JC, Ratner L, Horwitz S, Fields P, Tanase A, Bumbea H, Cwynarski K, Taylor G, Waldmann TA, Bittencourt A, Marcais A, Suarez F, Sibon D, Phillips A, Lunning M, Farid R, Imaizumi Y, Choi I, Ishida T, Ishitsuka K, Fukushima T, Uchimaru K, Takaori-Kondo A, Tokura Y, Utsunomiya A, Matsuoka M, Tsukasaki K, Watanabe T. J Clin Oncol. 2019 Mar 10;37(8):677-687.

Bortezomib plus EPOCH is effective as frontline treatment in patients with plasmablastic lymphoma.Castillo JJ, Guerrero-Garcia T, Baldini F, Tchernonog E, Cartron G, Ninkovic S, Cwynarski K, Dierickx D, Tousseyn T, Lansigan F, Linnik Y, Mogollon R, Navarro JT, Olszewski AJ, Reagan JL, Fedele P, Gilbertson M, Grigoriadis G, Bibas M. Br J Haematol. 2018 Mar 12. doi: 10.1111/bjh.15156.

Whole-brain radiotherapy or autologous stem-cell transplantation as consolidation strategies after high-dose methotrexate-based chemoimmunotherapy in patients with primary CNS lymphoma: results of the second randomisation of the International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group-32 phase 2 trial. Ferreri AJM, Cwynarski K, Pulczynski E, Fox CP, Schorb E, La Rosée P, Binder M, Fabbri A, Torri V, Minacapelli E, Falautano M, Ilariucci F, Ambrosetti A, Roth A, Hemmaway C, Johnson P, Linton KM, Pukrop T, Sønderskov Gørløv J, Balzarotti M, Hess G, Keller U, Stilgenbauer S, Panse J, Tucci A, Orsucci L, Pisani F, Levis A, Krause SW, Schmoll HJ, Hertenstein B, Rummel M, Smith J, Pfreundschuh M, Cabras G, Angrilli F, Ponzoni M, Deckert M, Politi LS, Finke J, Reni M, Cavalli F, Zucca E, Illerhaus G; International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group (IELSG).Lancet Haematol. 2017 Oct 17. pii: S2352-3026(17)30174-6. doi: 10.1016/S2352-3026(17)30174-6, [Epub ahead of print]

High-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation for primary central nervous system lymphoma: a multi-centre retrospective analysis from the United Kingdom. Kassam S, Chernucha E, O'Neill A, Hemmaway C, Cummins T, Montoto S, Lennard A, Adams G, Linton K, McKay P, Davies D, Rowntree C, Easdale S, Eyre TA, Marcus R, Cwynarski K, Fox CP. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2017 Jun

High-dose thiotepa-based chemotherapy with autologous stem cell support in elderly patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma: a European retrospective study. Schorb E, Fox CP, Fritsch K, Isbell L, Neubauer A, Tzalavras A, Witherall R, Choquet S, Kuittinen O, De-Silva D, Cwynarski K, Houillier C, Hoang-Xuan K, Touitou V, Cassoux N, Marolleau JP, Tamburini J, Houot R, Delwail V, Illerhaus G, Soussain C, Kasenda B. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2017 Apr 24. doi:

Striving to cure adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma: a role for allogeneic stem cell transplant? Phillips EH, Hodson A, Hermine O, Bazarbachi A, Cwynarski K. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2016Dec;51(12):1549-1555.

Guidelines for the management of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Chaganti S, Illidge T, Barrington S, Mckay P, Linton K, Cwynarski K, McMillan A, Davies A, Stern S, Peggs K; British Committee for Standards in Haematology. Br J Haematol. 2016 Jul;174(1):43-56.

Chemoimmunotherapy with methotrexate, cytarabine, thiotepa and rituximab (MATRix) regimen) in patients with primary CNS lymphoma: results of the first randomization of the International extranodal lymphoma study group-32 (IELSG32) phase 2 trial. Andrés J. M. Ferreri AJ, Cwynarski K, Pulczynski E, Ponzoni M, Deckert M, Politi LS, Torri V, Fox CP, Rosée PL, Schorb E, Ambrosetti A, Roth A, Hemmaway C, Ferrari A, Linton KM, Rudà R, Binder M, Pukrop T, Balzarotti M, Fabbri A, Johnson P, Gørløv JS, Hess G, Panse J, Pisani F, Tucci A, Stilgenbauer S, Hertenstein B, Keller U, Krause SW, Levis A, Schmoll HJ, Cavalli F, Finke J, Reni M, Zucca E, Illerhaus G; International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group (IELSG). Lancet Haematology 2016.

Results of a multicentre UK-wide retrospective study evaluating the efficacy of pixantrone in relapsed, 1 refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Eyre TA, Linton KM, Rohman P, Kothari J, Cwynarski K, Ardeshna K, Bailey C, Osborne WL, Rowntree C, Eden D, Shankara P, Eyre DW, Jasani P, Chaidos A, Collins GP, Hatton CS. Br J Haematol. 2016 Jun;173(6):896-904. doi: 10.1111/bjh.14021. Epub 2016 Mar 9

Adding rituximab to CODOX-M/IVAC chemotherapy in the treatment of HIV-associated Burkitt lymphoma is safe when used with concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy. Alwan F, He A, Montoto S, Kassam S, Mee M, Burns F, Edwards S, Wilson A, Tenant-Flowers M, Marcus R, Ardeshna KM, Bower M, Cwynarski K. AIDS. 2015 May 15;29(8):903-10

Outcomes for HIV-positive patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma after high-dose chemotherapy and auto-SCT. O'Neill A, Mikesch K, Fritsch K, Kasenda B, Banerjee L, Burns F, Zakout G, Johnston R, Illerhaus G, Cwynarski K. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2015 Apr 13. doi: 10.1038/bmt.2015.18

Prognostic factors for advanced-stage human immunodeficiency virus-associated classical Hodgkin lymphoma treated with doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine plus combined antiretroviral therapy: A multi-institutional retrospective study. Castillo JJ, Bower M, Brühlmann J, Novak U, Furrer H, Tanaka PY, Besson C, Montoto S, Cwynarski K, Abramson JS, Dalia S, Bibas M, Connors JM, Furman M, Nguyen ML, Cooley TP, Beltran BE, Collins JA, Vose JM, Xicoy B, Ribera JM; HIV-Associated Hodgkin Lymphoma in the cART Era Study Group. Cancer. 2015 Feb 1;121(3):423-31.

Outcome of patients with HTLV-1-associated adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma after SCT: a retrospective study by the EBMT LWP. Bazarbachi A, Cwynarski K, Boumendil A, Finel H, Fields P, Raj K, Nagler A, Mohty M, Sureda A, Dreger P, Hermine O. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2014 Jul 14.

Primary CNS Lymphoma. Phillips EH, Fox CP, Cwynarski K. Curr Hematol Malig Rep. 2014 Jun 27.

HIV status does not impair the outcome of patients diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with R-CHOP in the cART era. Coutinho R, Pria AD, Gandhi S, Bailey K, Fields P, Cwynarski K, Wilson A, Papanastasopoulos P, Tenant-Flowers M, Webb A, Burns F, Marcus RE, Orkin C, Montoto S, Bower M. AIDS. 2013 Dec 4.

British HIV Association guidelines for the treatment of HIV-1-positive adults with antiretroviral therapy 2012 (Updated November 2013. All changed text is cast in yellow highlight.).Writing Group, Williams I, et al. HIV Med. 2014 Jan;15 Suppl 1:1-6. doi: 10.1111/hiv.12119.

A retrospective, multi-center analysis of treatment intensification for human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients with high-risk diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Kassam S, Bower M, Lee SM, de Vos J, Fields P, Gandhi S, Nelson M, Montoto S, Tenant-Flowers M, Burns F, Marcus R, Edwards SG, Cwynarski K. Leuk Lymphoma. 2013. Epub ahead of print]

HIV status does not impact on outcome in patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma treated with ABVD chemotherapy in the HAART era. S Montoto, K Shaw, J Okosun, S Gandhi, P Fields, A Wilson, M Shanyinde, K Cwynarski, R Marcus, J de Vos, AM Young, M Tenant-Flowers, C Orkin, M Johnson, D Chilton, J Gribben, M Bower. J Clin Oncol 2012. J Clin Oncol. 2012 Nov 20;30(33):4111-6. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2011.41.4193. Epub 2012 Oct 8.

Interim fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose-PET predicts response and progression-free survival in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma and HIV infection. Okosun J, Warbey V, Shaw K, Montoto S, Fields P, Marcus R, Virchis A, McNamara C, Bower M, Cwynarski K. AIDS. 2012 Apr 24;26(7):861-5.

Autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation for transformed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (Richter's syndrome): a retrospective analysis from the CLL Subcommittee of the Chronic Leukemia Working Party and Lymphoma Working Party of the EBMT. Kate Cwynarski, Anja van Biezen, Liesbeth de Wreede, Stephan Stilgenbauer, Donald Bunjes, Bernd Metzner, Vladimir Koza, Mohamad Mohty, Kari Remes, Nigel Russell, Arnon Nagler, Marijke Scholten, Theo de Witte, Anna Sureda and Peter Dreger. J Clin Oncol. 2012 Jun 20;30(18):2211-7. Epub 2012 Apr 30.