CHOP Chemotherapy plus Rituximab Compared with CHOP Alone in Elderly Patients with Diffuse Large-B-Cell Lymphoma

Abstract

The addition of rituximab to the CHOP regimen increases the complete-response rate and prolongs event-free and overall survival in elderly patients with diffuse large-B-cell lymphoma, without a clinically significant increase in toxicity.

Improved survival for non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients in New South Wales, Australia

“…However, the improved survival over time was seen for both older and younger patients (Figure 1), although it was less for those very old (75+ years). This is consistent with evidence from clinical trials: survival increased for both older (60-80 years) [23] and younger (18-60 years) patients [35] after the addition of rituximab to standard chemotherapy for aggressive B-cell lymphomas, the commonest NHL subtype.…”

“…This was approximately when rituximab was approved by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration for clinical use in Australia for the two commonest NHL subtypes, namely low grade or follicular lymphoma (June 1998) [3] and diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (February 2002) [4]. These results are consistent with the beneficial effects of rituximab on cancer survival observed in clinical trials [23-25]. …”

“…Indeed, the therapeutic monoclonal antibody, rituximab, was introduced into clinical use in Australia initially for patients with relapsed or refractory indolent B-cell NHL (follicular or small lymphocytic subtypes) in 1998, and then for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (the commonest type of aggressive NHL) in early 2002. The use of rituximab for treating B-cell NHL has been wide spread in Australia (Figure 3) as universal health coverage is available and, consistent with findings from clinical trials, the improved survival was mainly seen in B-cell lymphomas and was of a similar magnitude to that reported in the trials [23,39]. It is likely that these 5-year relative survival estimates in 2000-2004 derived by period analysis underestimate the true later observed relative survival [40] given the rapid increase in the use of rituximab for treatment of NHL in Australia.…”

A unique case of primary effusion lymphoma‐like lymphoma showing disappearance and recurrence of the body cavity effusion

“…It has been reported that etoposide, prednisolone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin (DA‐EPOCH therapy or CDE therapy), or ganciclovir is effective for PEL,8, 9 but treatment‐based evidence for PEL and PEL‐LL has not yet been established. Expecting an effect of rituximab to CD20 antigen, we performed R‐CHOP therapy 10. There was no recurrence of the body cavity effusion after chemotherapy, and it seemed that a constant effect was provided.…”

Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma treated with a variety of chemotherapy

“…Ifosfamide (IFM) administered at 1.8 mg/m 2 on days 1–3 of the 21‐day cycle was selected as a third‐line chemotherapeutic agent because it is a standard cytotoxic agent for the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma,11, 12 and CHOP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, prednisolone), which is a standard regimen for malignant lymphoma,13, 14 was selected as a fourth‐line chemotherapy treatment. However, despite this treatment, disease rapidly progressed.…”