title: Rituximab after autologous stem cell transplantation enhances survival of B-cell lymphoma patients: a meta-analysis and systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of rituximab before autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) for the treatment of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, but the few studies on rituximab treatment after ASCT have not established conclusively the clinical benefits of this particular treatment regimen.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a metaanalysis of 3 comparative studies encompassing 407 lymphoma patients treated with rituximab after ASCT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Combined results revealed a significantly higher event-free survival (EFS) in the rituximab-treated (R+) group compared with the R- group (P = .003 at 1 year; P = .03 at 3 years; P = .001 at 4 years). Moreover, the R+ group also demonstrated higher overall survival (OS) and complete remission (CR) rates (P = .0006 and P < .0001, respectively, at 1 year) without a significant increase in adverse events.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to the included articles, there were no differences in CR, overall response, 3-year EFS, or 3-year OS between rituximab-naïve patients and patients previously treated with rituximab before ASCT. Post-ASCT maintenance regimens including rituximab show increased EFS, OS, and CR.
authors.affiliation: Center of Hematology & Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Center of Hematology & Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. Electronic address: wcy163@163.com.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Center of Hematology & Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D000069283:Rituximab; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000069283:Rituximab