Bendamustine/Mitoxantrone/Rituximab (BMR): a very effective, well tolerated outpatient chemoimmunotherapy for relapsed and refractory CD20-positive indolent malignancies. Final results of a pilot study.

We have developed a new chemoimmunotherapy for patients with relapsed or refractory CD20-positive indolent lymphomas and CLL by combining the chemotherapeutic agents Bendamustine (B) and Mitoxantrone (M) with the monoclonal antibody Rituximab. Treatment consisted of (B): 90 mg/m2 (80 mg/m2 in CLL) day 1 + 2, (M): 10 mg/m2 day 1 and (R): 375 mg/m2 day 8,15,22 and 29. BM was repeated 3 times starting on day 36, thereafter every 4 weeks. The maximal therapy consisted of 1 x BMR followed by 5 x BM. We have treated 54 patients with BMR. Median age was 68 years (36-82). Disease distribution was as follows: 21 B-CLL, 1 B-PLL, 8 lymphoplasmacytic, 14 follicular, 2 mantle cell, 2 marginal zone, 6 secondary high grade. Median number of previous treatments was 2 (1-7). ORR was 96% with 41% CR and 55% PR. Median time to progression is 17 months in CLL and has not been reached in indolent lymphomas with a median observation time of 27 months (3-60+). The time to next antilymphoma treatment is prolonged significantly by BMR. No therapy associated death or hospitalization occurred within the study period. BMR is a well tolerated very effective outpatient treatment for relapsed and refractory CD20-positive indolent lymphomas and CLL.