Efficacy of rituximab in gastric diffuse large B cell lymphoma patients.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate retrospectively the efficacy of rituximab plus chemotherapy in gastric diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL).


METHODS
Sixty patients (median age: 58 years) with histologically confirmed gastric DLBCL treated at four Italian institutions between 2000 and 2007, were included in this analysis. Patients were selected by stage (I-IV, Lugano staging system), European Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (0-2) and treatment strategies. Treatment strategies were chemotherapy alone (group A, n = 30) [scheduled as cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (CHOP) and CHOP-like], and chemotherapy combined with rituximab (group B, n = 30). The primary end point of the study was complete response (CR) rate; the secondary end points were disease-free survival (DFS) at 5 years and overall survival (OS).


RESULTS
Median follow-up was 62 mo (range: 31-102 mo). We observed a significant difference between the two groups (A vs B) in terms of CR [76.6% (23/30) vs 100%, P = 0.04) and DFS at 5 years [73.3% (22/30) vs 100%, P = 0.03). To date, 19 group A (63.3%) patients are alive and 11 have died, while all group B patients are alive. No significant differences in toxicity were observed between the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Rituximab in combination with chemotherapy improves CR rate, DFS and OS. Further prospective trials are needed to confirm our results.
Leopardo
Davide
D
Department of Endocrinology and Clinical Oncology, University Federico II, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Di Lorenzo
Giuseppe
G
De Renzo
Amalia
A
Federico
Piera
P
Luponio
Serena
S
Buonerba
Carlo
C
Matano
Elide
E
Merola
Gerardina
G
Imbimbo
Martina
M
Montesarchio
Enzo
E
Rea
Antonio
A
Merola
Maria-Carmela
MC
De Placido
Sabino
S
Palmieri
Giovannella
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000069283:Rituximab; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000069283:Rituximab