title: Single centre study of using bendamustine in the treatment of B-cell malignancies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the experience of bendamustine in the treatment of B-cell malignancies at a tertiary care centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  The retrospective descriptive analysis included data of all adult patients with B-cell malignancies treated with bendamustine from 2009 to 2011 at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. Data was analysed using SPSS 17.0. Frequencies and percentages were computed for baseline characteristics, responses and toxicities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 19 patients 15 (79%) were males and 4 (21%) were females.The mean age was 59.53+/-12.14 (with a range of 46-86). Eight (42%) had follicular lymphoma, 6 (32%) had mantle cell lymphoma, 2 (11%) had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and 3 (16%) had chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Four (21%) patients experienced grades 3 and 4 cutaneous toxicities. Eight (42%) patients were treated with bendamustine as first-line therapy. Six of them (75%) were included for response evaluation; 3 (50%) had complete response, and 3 (50%) had partial response. Eleven (58%) patients had relapsed disease out of which 3 (27.27%) had complete response, and 7 (63.63%) had partial response, whereas 1 (9%) had disease progression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bendamustine given as monotherapy or in combination is safe and useful in the treatment of patients with B-cell malignancies.
authors.affiliation: Hematology/0ncology Section, Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan. asif.osmani@aku.edu
authors.forename: Asif Husain
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Osmani
authors.forename: Nehal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Masood
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000069461:Bendamustine Hydrochloride; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009588:Nitrogen Mustard Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D009588:Nitrogen Mustard Compounds; D000069461:Bendamustine Hydrochloride