title: Current controversies in follicular lymphoma.
abstract: Follicular lymphoma (FL) is characterized by its responsiveness to initial therapy, a pattern of repeated relapses, and a tendency for histologic progression to a process resembling diffuse, large B-cell lymphoma. Treatment decisions are complicated by the many effective options now available including combinations of conventional chemotherapy and monoclonal antibody, radioimmunotherapy, new targeted agents, and autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation. For selected patients, "watch and wait" or involved field irradiation may still be the most appropriate strategy. When therapy is required, a combination of rituximab and conventional chemotherapy results in improved outcomes compared to chemotherapy alone. Radioimmunotherapy alone or in combination with chemotherapy is an attractive strategy for patients with relapsed disease and may prove to be appropriate first line therapy. The role of stem cell transplant in FL requires further investigation. Novel agents with varied mechanisms of action continue to be developed. Enrollment of patients into clinical trials designed to address the many unanswered questions in FL is essential to improving clinical outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine and the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, 676 N. St. Clair Street, Suite 850, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. v-aurora@md.northwestern.edu
authors.forename: Vikas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Aurora
authors.forename: Jane N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Winter
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents