Bortezomib (Velcade), rituximab, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone combination regimen is active as front-line therapy of low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the combination of VRCD (velcade/rituximab/cyclophosphamide/dexamethasone) in chemotherapy-naïve low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma or patients with transplantation-ineligible mantle cells.

METHODS

The patients were treated with velcade, at 1.6 mg/m(2), on days 1, 8, 15, and 22 on every 35-day cycle. Rituximab was given at 375 mg/m(2) on the same days as velcade during cycle 1 and then only on day 1 in subsequent cycles. Dexamethasone was given orally at 40 mg on days 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, and 23. Cyclophosphamide was administered orally at 400 mg/m(2) on days 1-4. The patients had to meet criteria to initiate therapy and had to demonstrate adequate performance status and organ function.

RESULTS

Twelve patients were enrolled, after which the study was closed due to a lack of funding. The median age was 68 years (37-83 years), with 83% having stage III/IV disease. Five patients had marginal zone, 4 had follicular, 2 had small lymphocytic, and 1 had mantle cell histologies. The overall response rate was 90% (complete response, 54%). At a median follow-up of 22 months, 9 (75%) patients remain alive, and the median time to progression has not been reached. A third of the patients required dose reductions after a median of 6.5 cycles. No grade 3 or 4 peripheral neuropathy was witnessed.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the number of studied patients is small, VRCD appears safe and active as front-line therapy for low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Further studies are justified.