title: Long-term update of a phase II study of rituximab in combination with CHOP chemotherapy in patients with previously untreated, aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
abstract: The present study aimed to determine the long-term safety and efficacy of chimeric anti-CD 20 antibody rituxan (rituximab, Biogen IDEC, San Diego, CA, USA; Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA) in combination with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (CHOP) chemotherapy in previously untreated patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Thirty-three patients with previously untreated aggressive B-cell NHL received six infusions of rituximab (375 mg/m(2) per dose) on day 1 of each cycle of CHOP chemotherapy, given on day 3 of each cycle of therapy. Currently, the patients now have a median follow-up of 63 months (range 34 - 82 months). The overall response (OR) rate was 94% and the complete response (CR) rate was 61% at the end of therapy. Of the 33 patients, 2 patients experienced disease progression and subsequently died of their disease, 2 patients experienced disease progression but were alive at last follow-up following additional therapy, and 2 patients died without experiencing disease progression: one due to a cerebral vascular accident at 9 months after therapy and a second patient due to small cell lung carcinoma at 55 months. The 5-year survival rate was 88% (95% confidence interval (CI) 72 - 97) and the 5-year progression-free survival was 82% (95% CI 64 - 93). There were no long-term adverse events noted directly related to the rituximab. The long-term follow-up of patients in this phase II trial of rituximab with CHOP chemotherapy for previously untreated aggressive NHL demonstrates a high response rate, which remains very durable with high 5-year overall and progression-free survivals.
authors.affiliation: University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-7680, USA. jmvose@unmc.edu
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Vose
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Link
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Grossbard
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Czuczman
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grillo-Lopez
authors.forename: R I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002423:Cause of Death; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012074:Remission Induction; D000069283:Rituximab; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000069283:Rituximab; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone