title: The addition of rituximab to anthracycline-based chemotherapy significantly improves outcome in 'Western' patients with intravascular large B-cell lymphoma.
abstract: Some case reports and a Japanese series suggest benefit from the use of rituximab in patients with intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVL). Rituximab efficacy was evaluated in Western patients with IVL, comparing outcome of 10 patients treated with rituximab + chemotherapy (R-CT) and of 20 patients treated with chemotherapy alone (CT). There were no significant differences in patients' characteristics between the two subgroups. The addition of rituximab was associated with improved complete remission rate (90% vs. 50%; P = 0.04), event-free survival (3-year: 89% vs. 35%; P = 0.003) and overall survival (3-year: 89% vs. 38%; P = 0.01). In conclusion, rituximab may substantially change the dismal prognosis of IVL.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Lymphoid Malignancies and Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Oncology, San Raffaele H Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy. sloni01@emory.edu
authors.forename: Andrés J M
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ferreri
authors.forename: Giuseppina P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Dognini
authors.forename: Osnat
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bairey
authors.forename: Arpad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szomor
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Montalbán
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Horvath
authors.forename: Judit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Demeter
authors.forename: Lilj
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Uziel
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Soffietti
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Seymour
authors.forename: Achille
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ambrosetti
authors.forename: Rein
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Willemze
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martelli
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Candoni
authors.forename: Amalia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Renzo
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Doglioni
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zucca
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cavalli
authors.forename: Maurilio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ponzoni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000069283:Rituximab; D015996:Survival Rate; D019043:Vascular Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D018943:Anthracyclines; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000069283:Rituximab; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone