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After completing this course, the reader will be able to:1. Describe the effect of the addition of rituximab to standard CHOP chemotherapy on the outcome of patients with primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma.2. Explain potential changes in the use of radiotherapy and aggressive chemotherapy in the rituximab era.This article is available for continuing medical education credit at CME.TheOncologist.com. CME CME

The oral, outpatient pulsed CTD regimen is associated with significant activity in patients with previously treated multiple myeloma. The incidence of deep-vein thrombosis and peripheral neuropathy appears to be lower than expected when thalidomide is being administered on a continuous basis.

Background. R-CHOP can cure approximately 75% of patients with primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMLBCL), but prognostic factors have not been sufficiently evaluated yet. Rda-EPOCH is potentially more effective but also more toxic than R-CHOP. Reliable prognostic classification is needed to guide treatment decisions.Materials and Methods. We analyzed the impact of clinical prognostic factors on the outcome of 332 PMLBCL patients ≤65 years treated with R-CHOP AE radiotherapy in a multicenter setting in Greece and Cyprus. Results. With a median follow-up of 69 months, 5-year freedom from progression (FFP) was 78% and 5-year

Transplant‐ineligible relapsed/refractory (rr) diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients represent an unmet medical need. Polatuzumab vedotin (Pola), an anti‐CD79b antibody‐drug‐conjugate (ADG), with bendamustine‐ rituximab(BR) has recently gained approval for these patients, both in the USA and Europe, based on the GO29365 phase IIb trial. Real‐life data with Pola are extremely limited. We report the outcomes of 61 Greek patients, who received Pola‐(B)R mainly within a compassionate use program. Treatment was given for up to six 21‐day cycles. Bendamustine was omitted in three cases due to previous short‐lived responses. Fourty‐nine rrDLBCL(efficacy cohort‐EC) and 58 rr aggressive B‐NHL (safety cohort‐SC) patients received at least 1 Pola‐BR cycle. Twenty‐one (43%) patients of the EC responded with 12/49 (25%) CR and 9/49 (18%) PR as best response. Median progression–free survival, overall survival and duration of response were 4.0, 8.5, and 8.5 months respectively, while 55% of patients experienced a grade ≥3 adverse event, mainly hematologic. Treatment discontinuations and death during treatment were mainly due to disease progression. Twenty‐two (41%) patients received further treatment; 11/22 are still alive, including one after CAR‐T cells, and two after stem cell transplantation. Our data confirm that Pola‐BR is a promising treatment for rrDLBCL patients, inducing an adequate response rate with acceptable toxicity. Pola‐BR could be used as bridging therapy before further consolidative treatments.