title: [Combination therapy with rituximab and cladribine for patients with follicular lymphoma].
abstract: Treatment strategies for follicular lymphoma have not been established. We report the outcome after combination therapy with rituximab and cladribine (RC) for 8 patients with follicular lymphoma treated between January 2005 and December 2006 in our hospitals. Median patient age was 57 (range 42 approximately 73) years. There were 4 males and 4 females. Only 1 patient had refractory disease, while the others had untreated disease. On the follicular lymphoma international prognostic index, 4 patients were in the low-risk group, 3 in the intermediate-risk group and 1 in the high-risk group. The median follow-up period was 36 (range 22 approximately 90) weeks. The RC protocol consisted of intravenous rituximab at a dose of 375 mg/m (2) on day 1 and cladribine at a dose of 0.1 mg /kg per day for 2-hours on day 1 through 5. The median number of RC courses was 5 (range 3 approximately 8). The median interval between the 2 courses was 7 (range 3 approximately 26) weeks. The overall response rate was 87.5%. Grade 3 neutropenia was observed in 50% patients, although G-CSF was not needed. There was no apparent thrombocytopenia or anemia. Herpes zoster was observed after treatment in 1 patient. RC is considered highly effective and well tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Hematology and Immunology, Kyoto Second Red Cross Hospital.
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Yoshihide
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Murotani
authors.forename: Nana
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sawai
authors.forename: Teruaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akaogi
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sako
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Yosuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Junya
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuroda
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: Shigeo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horiike
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shimazaki
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Toshikazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taniwaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D017338:Cladribine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069283:Rituximab; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D017338:Cladribine; D000069283:Rituximab