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Autografting

A phase II trial of rituximab as adjuvant to intensive sequential chemotherapy in patients under 60 years with untreated poor-prognosis diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 38, pages 217–222 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

The potential benefit of rituximab as adjuvant to high-dose therapy (HDT) has been investigated in patients under 60 years with poor-risk (age-adjusted international prognostic index at 2–3) CD20+ diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The treatment consisted of four cycles of high-dose CEOP (cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, vincristine, prednisone), plus etoposide and cisplatin during the two last cycles. Peripheral blood stem cells were collected after cycle 1, and reinfused after cycles 3 and 4. Four weekly rituximab infusions were subsequently delivered. Among the 36 patients included, 30 could complete chemotherapy schedule, and 24/36 received rituximab. A complete response occured in 26/36 patients (72%). With a median follow-up of 30 months, the estimated 5-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) rates (mean±s.d.) were 65±16 and 63±15%, respectively. For the 24 patients who received both chemotherapy and rituximab, the estimated 5-year OS and EFS rates were 86±14 and 82±15%. These data suggest that rituximab after HDT is feasible. Both complete remission rate and survival curves compare favorably with the poor outcome usually observed in high-risk DLBCL patients managed with HDT without rituximab.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hematology, Cancer Center Institut J Paoli - I Calmettes, Marseille Cedex, France

    D Coso, J Rey, T Aurran, C Chabannon, L Xerri, B Chetaille, B Esterni, V Ivanov, A M Stoppa, J M Schiano de Collela, J A Gastaut, D Maraninchi & R Bouabdallah

  2. Department of Medicine, Cancer Center Léon Bérard, Lyon, France

    C Sebban & P Biron

  3. Department of Medicine, Hopital La Durance, Avignon, France

    O Boulat

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  1. D Coso
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  2. C Sebban
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  7. C Chabannon
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  9. B Chetaille
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  10. B Esterni
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  11. V Ivanov
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  12. A M Stoppa
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  13. J M Schiano de Collela
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  14. J A Gastaut
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  15. D Maraninchi
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  16. R Bouabdallah
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Correspondence to R Bouabdallah.

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Coso, D., Sebban, C., Boulat, O. et al. A phase II trial of rituximab as adjuvant to intensive sequential chemotherapy in patients under 60 years with untreated poor-prognosis diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Bone Marrow Transplant 38, 217–222 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1705414

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1705414

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