Phase 2 study of a combined immunochemotherapy using rituximab and fludarabine in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Addition of rituximab to fludarabine may prolong progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia: an updated retrospective comparative analysis of CALGB 9712 and CALGB 9011

“…Rituximab also has single-agent activity in CLL. [7][8][9] Additionally, several large phase 2 studies combining rituximab with fludarabine 10,11 or the combination of fludarabine and cyclophosphamide 12 have demonstrated a much higher complete response rate than previously observed with any other therapeutic approaches used in CLL before this time. To date, comparative studies of rituximab and fludarabine combinations to fludarabine monotherapy have not been performed.…”

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Recent Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment

“…Rituximab has been added to the fludarabine [47] and fludarabine plus cyclophosphamide (FCR) [48] regimens, as well as the pentostatin plus cyclophosphamide (PCR) regimen [49] (Table 1). The addition of rituximab to fludarabine (FR regimen) has been shown to produce higher overall and complete response rates [50], as well as longer disease-free and overall survival times in previously untreated CLL patients [51]. The FCR regimen produces a high complete remission rate in both previously untreated [52] and relapsed CLL patients [53].…”

International standardized approach for flow cytometric residual disease monitoring in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

“…rituximab or alemtuzumab) or autologous transplantation are associated with improved response rates with 50-70% of patients achieving an National Cancer Institute (NCI)-complete remission. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] In addition, these approaches have been associated with eradication of detectable disease in a significant proportion of patients. Several studies demonstrate that chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) patients achieving eradication of detectable minimal residual disease (MRD), determined by a highly sensitive technique, have prolonged survival and that morphological response criteria are not sufficiently sensitive to assess outcome.…”