title: First-line treatment of follicular lymphoma in the era of monoclonal antibodies.
abstract: This review describes the recent evolution in the first-line treatment of patients with follicular lymphoma. In cases without adverse prognostic parameters, delayed treatment still is the best option. The combination of rituximab plus chemotherapy in patients with adverse prognostic parameters is the treatment associated with the highest complete response rates and the longer time to progression compared to chemotherapy or rituximab alone. The best chemotherapy regimen is not yet described. Also yet to be described is the place of radioimmunotherapy versus rituximab plus chemotherapy. High-dose therapies with autologous stem-cell transplant have a place in the treatment of these patients but not in first line.
authors.affiliation: Hospices Civils de Lyon and Université Claude Bernard, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, 69495, Pierre-Bénite, France. bertrand.coiffier@chu-lyon.fr
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Coiffier
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D016499:Radioimmunotherapy; D000069283:Rituximab; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000069283:Rituximab