[Efficacy of rituximab-containing regimens on indolent B-cell lymphoma--a report of 34 cases].

BACKGROUND &

OBJECTIVE

The efficacy of rituximab given alone or in combination with chemotherapy on naive or relapsed indolent lymphoma is good. This study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of rituximab-containing regimens for patients with indolent B-cell lymphoma in China.

METHODS

From Mar. 1999 to Jan. 2005, 34 patients with indolent B-cell lymphoma received rituximab-containing regimens with a median of 5 cycles (ranged from 3 to 8 cycles). Of the 34 patients, 2 received rituximab alone, and 32 received rituximab-based regimens, which including CHOP (16 cases), FMD (5 cases), CHOPE (4 cases), EPOCH (2 cases), DICE (2 cases), DAHP (2 cases), and FN (1 case).

RESULTS

Of the 34 patients, 30 were evaluable for objective response. The overall response (OR) rate was 93.3%, and the complete response (CR) rate was 60.0%; the OR rate and CR rate of 22 evaluable naive patients were 95.4% and 66.7%, those of 18 evaluable follicular lymphoma patients were 88.9% and 66.7%. With a median follow-up of 17 months (4-68 months), the 1-year progression-freely survival rate was 85.3%. Myelosuppression was the major adverse event: 19 patients suffered from leukopenia with 4 cases of grade III-IV event, 5 suffered from thrombocytopenia with 4 cases of grade III-IV event, and 2 suffered from febrile neutropenia. Other adverse events included grade I-II nausea/vomiting, mild alopecia, and transient liver function abnormality. The infusional reaction of rituximab consisted of grade I-II rigor/febrile, skin rash, mild hypotension, and asymptomatic ventricular premature beat.

CONCLUSION

Rituximab-containing chemotherapeutic regimens are effective for indolent B-cell lymphoma with mild toxicity.