title: Bendamustine plus rituximab for relapsed or refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma: a retrospective analysis.
abstract: For patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who are not eligible for intensive chemotherapy because of comorbidities, advanced age, or relapse after heavy salvage regimens, treatment options are very limited and prognosis is poor. We retrospectively analyzed 29 patients with relapsed/refractory DLBCL treated with combination bendamustine plus rituximab (BR) between July 2010 and January 2014 to evaluate overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), duration of response (DOR) and treatment safety. Twenty-eight patients were available for this analysis. ORR was 50% (14 patients), with 39.3% CR (11 patients), and 10.7% PR (3 patients). SD was reported in 2 patients (7.2%) and PD in 12 patients (42.8%). At the median follow up of 8 months (range 1-37.4 months), the median PFS was 8 months for all patients (95% CI 5.5-26.6). The median DOR was 24.7 months (95% CI 3.2-24.7). Grade 3/4 toxicity observed included hematologic events: lymphopenia (42.8%), neutropenia (32.1%), anemia (17.2%), and thrombocytopenia (14.2%). BR can be considered to have a role in the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory DLBCL with limited therapeutic options, in that it can induce long-term remission in some patients with an acceptable toxicity profile.
authors.affiliation: Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, Antonio Perrino Hospital, Brindisi, Italy. Electronic address: framerk@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Merchionne
authors.affiliation: Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, Antonio Perrino Hospital, Brindisi, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Quintana
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (D.E.T.O.), Hematology Section, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gaudio
authors.affiliation: Hematology Unit, Department of Medical and Experimental Oncology, IRCCS National Cancer Research Centre "Giovanni Paolo II", Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Minoia
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (D.E.T.O.), Hematology Section, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Specchia
authors.affiliation: Hematology Unit, Department of Medical and Experimental Oncology, IRCCS National Cancer Research Centre "Giovanni Paolo II", Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Attilio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guarini
authors.affiliation: Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, Antonio Perrino Hospital, Brindisi, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Quarta
authors.affiliation: Hematology Unit, Foundation Hospital Cardinal "G. Panico", Tricase, Lecce, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pavone
authors.affiliation: Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, Antonio Perrino Hospital, Brindisi, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Melpignano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000069461:Bendamustine Hydrochloride; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009588:Nitrogen Mustard Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000069283:Rituximab; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D009588:Nitrogen Mustard Compounds; D000069283:Rituximab; D000069461:Bendamustine Hydrochloride
keywords: Bendamustine; DLBCL; Rituximab; Salvage therapy