title: Primary bone lymphoma: evaluation of chemoimmunotherapy as front-line treatment in 21 patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We performed a retrospective investigation to assess the efficacy of chemotherapy and rituximab as front-line treatment for primary bone lymphoma (PBL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1999 and 2009, 21 previously untreated patients received a diagnosis of PBL. All the patients were treated with anthracycline-containing chemotherapeutic regimens, with the addition of rituximab; 11 patients received consolidative radiation therapy after induction treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients' median age was 34 years (range, 18-82 years); all presented with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Complete responses were seen in 95.2% of the patients treated. No relapses were observed at a median follow-up of 43.9 months. Eight-year overall survival and disease-free survival were 95.2% and 100.0%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data indicate that the combined chemotherapy plus rituximab treatment may represent a suitable front-line approach in PBL, with a high rate of responses and an excellent long-term survival.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hematology and Medical Oncology "L. e A. Seràgnoli," University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pellegrini
authors.forename: Letizia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gandolfi
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Quirini
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ruggieri
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stefoni
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Derenzini
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Broccoli
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Argnani
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pileri
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mercuri
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baccarani
authors.forename: Pier Luigi
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Zinzani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000069283:Rituximab; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000069283:Rituximab