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- Title
Immunochemotherapy with Rituximab, Vincristine and 5-Day Cyclophosphamide for Heavily Pretreated Follicular Lymphoma.
- Authors
Lazzarino, Mario; Arcaini, Luca; Orlandi, Ester; Iacona, Isabella; Bernasconi, Paolo; Calatroni, Silvia; Varettoni, Marzia; Isa, Luciano; Brusamolino, Ercole; Bonfichi, Maurizio; Passamonti, Francesco; Burcheri, Sara; Pascutto, Cristiana; Regazzi, Mario
- Abstract
Purpose: Therapeutic options for relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma include combination chemotherapy, immunotherapy and, for selected patients, autotransplant. Because of the different mechanisms of action and non-overlapping toxicities, combination of rituximab with chemotherapy is a rational approach. Methods: 30 patients with follicular non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma with advanced-stage disease were treated with four cycles of immunochemotherapy with rituximab 375 mg/m2 on day 1, vincristine 2 mg i.v. on day 2 and cyclophosphamide 400 mg/m2 i.v. from days 2 to 6, repeated at 3-week intervals. All patients had received multiple lines of therapy (median 3); 9 (30%) had relapses (2 after high-dose therapy with autologous transplant), and 21 (70%) were in relapse and refractory to salvage treatment (with an anthracycline-containing regimen in 19). Results: Of 29 patients evaluable for response, 16 (55 %) obtained a complete response (CR) and 3 (10%) a partial response (PR), with an overall response rate of 65% (19/29); 10 patients (35%) achieved less than PR. The median event-free survival was 16.1 months for all patients, being 22.8 months for responders. After a median follow-up of 2 years from the start of therapy (range 6 months to 3.8 years), of 16 patients who achieved CR, 10 remain free of disease. Conclusion: The combination of rituximab with vincristine and 5-day cyclophosphamide is able to produce CR in patients with advanced follicular lymphoma, even in patients resistant to third-generation regimens. The regimen designed on the basis of pharmacokinetics of the chimeric antibody seemed important for the clinical efficacy of the combination. Copyright © 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel
- Subjects
DENDRITIC cells; LYMPHOMAS; COMBINATION drug therapy; AUTOGRAFTS; RITUXIMAB
- Publication
Oncology, 2005, Vol 68, Issue 2/3, p146
- ISSN
0030-2414
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1159/000086769