title: Individualized fludarabine-based regimen in elderly patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of a fludarabine-based individualized regimen in elderly patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen patients were treated with the individual regimen of fludarabine combined with rituximab. Adverse reactions and efficacy of treatment were observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixteen patients received a total of 69 courses of immunochemotherapy, with an average administration of 275 mg fludarabine per person. The overall response rate was 81.3% (13/16), in which seven cases (43.8%) achieved complete remission, six cases (37.5%) achieved partial remission, two cases (12.5%) had stable disease, and one case (6.3%) developed disease progression. The most frequent side effect was myelosuppression. Two patients experienced grade 3-4 cytopenia, one case developed a grade 3 infection, and no treatment-related death was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The individual regimen of fludarabine combined with rituximab demonstrated marked clinical efficacy and acceptable toxicity in elderly patients with CLL/SLL.
authors.affiliation: General Hospital of People's Liberation Army, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Hong-Li
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Su-Xia
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xue-Chun
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Hai-Hong
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Ran
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D012074:Remission Induction; D000069283:Rituximab; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014740:Vidarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000069283:Rituximab; D014740:Vidarabine; C024352:fludarabine