Wang Xiao-xiao, Huang Hui-qiang, Xia Zhong-jun, Lin Xu-bin, Cai Qing-qing, Gao Yan, Lin Ze-xiao, Lin Tong-yu, Jiang Wen-qi
Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center/State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China/Sun Yat-sen Institute of Hematology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China.
Nan Fang Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao. 2010 Apr;30(4):867-70.
To investigate the efficacy and toxicity of rituximab-based salvage chemotherapy in the treatment of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
Sixty-nine patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL were treated by rituximab-based salvage chemotherapy, including 40 male and 29 female patients with a median age of 51.5 years (range 17 to 82 years). All the patients had prior treatments including of EPOCH, ICE, DHAP, GEMOX, and GDP. Twenty-seven patients also received rituximab treatment as the first-line regimen.
The objective response (OR) rate was 73.4% (47/64) in these patients with a complete response (CR) rate of 45.3%. The major adverse effects included bone marrow suppression, fatigue, and gastrointestinal toxicity. The side effects of rituximab were mild, including chill, fever and fatigue. The median follow-up was 40.6 (3.7-179.9) months. Twenty-eight patients died of tumor progression and two died from grade 4 myelosuppression accompanied by severe systemic infection. The median survival was 51.6 (3.7-179.9) months in this group. The 1, 3 and 5-year overall survival was 92%, 62% and 37%, respectively, and in patients without rituximab as the first line treatment, the overall survival at 1 and 3 years (97.4% and 73.5%) was much better than that in rituximab-treated patients (83.1% and 42.8%) (P=0.001). The patients of GCB subtype had better survival compared to the non-GCB subtype, with the 5-year overall survival of 42.3% and 21.4%, respectively (P=0.005).
Rituximab-based salvage regimens are effective and well tolerable, but further clinical trial is warranted.
