title: The role of rituximab and chemotherapy in aggressive B-cell lymphoma: a preliminary report of dose-adjusted EPOCH-R.
abstract: Accumulating evidence suggests that the ability to activate apoptotic pathways may be an important determinant of chemotherapy sensitivity and presents a potentially important new therapeutic strategy. Monoclonal antibodies against the CD20 antigen directly induce apoptosis and may serve to modulate the threshold for chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. Rituximab (Rituxan; Genentech, Inc, South San Francisco, CA, and IDEC Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, CA), a monoclonal antibody against CD20, was combined with dose-adjusted EPOCH (infusional etoposide/vincristine/doxorubicin/bolus cyclophosphamide/prednisone) chemotherapy and tested in 38 untreated or relapsed poor-prognosis aggressive lymphomas. Twenty-three patients were untreated. Of these patients, all had large B-cell histologies, a median age of 52 years, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status > or = 2 in 30%, and high-intermediate or high International Prognostic Index scores in 61%. Fifteen patients had relapsed or refractory lymphomas. These patients had received a median of two (range, one to four) prior regimens, 67% had aggressive histologies, and 60% had high-intermediate or high International Prognostic Index scores. Complete remissions were achieved in 85% and 64% of untreated and previously treated patients, respectively; additionally 42% of patients with disease refractory before therapy achieved complete remission. At a median follow-up of 12 months, progression-free and overall survival in the previously untreated group was 85% and 79%, respectively, and no patient in complete remission has relapsed. These results suggest that rituximab may modulate the sensitivity of B-cell lymphomas to chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Wyndham H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Frankel
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jaffe
authors.forename: Bruce A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Chabner
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Grossbard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012074:Remission Induction; D000069283:Rituximab; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D000069283:Rituximab; D014750:Vincristine; D005047:Etoposide; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone