title: Appropriate use of bendamustine in first-line therapy of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Recommendations from SIE, SIES, GITMO Group.
abstract: By using the GRADE system we produced the following recommendations for the use of bendamustine in the first-line treatment of CLL: (1) bendamustine with rituximab is recommended in elderly fit patients potentially eligible to FCR; (2) Bendamustine alone is recommended in patients who are candidate to chlorambucil alone; (3) Rituximab-bendamustine is recommended in patients not eligible to FCR, but suitable to receive rituximab. Consensus-based recommendations addressed evidence-orphan issues concerning the use of bendamustine in genetically-defined high-risk patients and the appropriate dose of bendamustine as single agent or in association with rituximab.
authors: Section of Hematology, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Savonarola, 9, 44121 Ferrara, Italy. Electronic address: cut@unife.it.
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Cuneo
authors: Unit of Hematology, Hospital "C. Massaia", Asti, Italy.
authors: Monia
authors: M
authors: Marchetti
authors: Unit of Clinical Epidemiology/Centro per lo Studio della Mielofibrosi, IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo Foundation, Pavia, Italy.
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Barosi
authors: Department of Hematology and TMO, Ospedale Centrale, Bolzano, Italy.
authors: Atto
authors: A
authors: Billio
authors: Divisione di Ematologia, Azienda Ospedaliera Papardo, Messina, Italy.
authors: Maura
authors: M
authors: Brugiatelli
authors: Division of Hematology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors: Stefania
authors: S
authors: Ciolli
authors: Department of Hematology, Catholic University of Rome, "A. Gemelli" Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors: Luca
authors: L
authors: Laurenti
authors: Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Cellulari ed Ematologia, Università degli Studi "La Sapienza", Roma, Italy.
authors: Francesca Romana
authors: FR
authors: Mauro
authors: Oncologia Medica, Azienda Ospedaliera Pugliese Ciaccio, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Molica
authors: Department of Oncology/Haematology, Division of Haematology, Niguarda Ca'Granda Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Montillo
authors: Institute of Hematology and Medical Oncology "Seragnoli", University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors: Pierluigi
authors: P
authors: Zinzani
authors: University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors: Sante
authors: S
authors: Tura
mesh_terms: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069461:Bendamustine Hydrochloride; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009588:Nitrogen Mustard Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D009588:Nitrogen Mustard Compounds; D000069461:Bendamustine Hydrochloride
keywords: Bendamustine; Chronic lymphocytic leukemia; First line treatment; Guidelines