Editorial
Copyright ©2011 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Oncol. Jul 10, 2011; 2(7): 281-288
Published online Jul 10, 2011. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v2.i7.281
Rituximab maintenance in follicular lymphoma patients
Luca Arcaini, Michele Merli
Luca Arcaini, Michele Merli, Division of Hematology, Department of Oncohematology, University of Pavia Medical School, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, 27100, Pavia, Italy
Author contributions: Arcaini L and Merli M contributed to the writing and development of this manuscript; Arcaini L was responsible for preparing the final version of the manuscript; Arcaini L and Merli M have read and agree with the final version of the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Luca Arcaini, MD, Division of Hematology, Department of Oncohematology, University of Pavia Medical School, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Italy. luca.arcaini@unipv.it
Telephone: +39-0382-501308 Fax: +39-0382-502250
Received: October 28, 2010
Revised: February 13, 2011
Accepted: February 20, 2011
Published online: July 10, 2011
Abstract

Rituximab maintenance (RM) therapy following successful induction has recently emerged as a highly effective treatment for follicular lymphoma (FL). Randomized trials analyzing the impact of RM compared to observation alone have demonstrated a significantly better outcome in terms of progression-free survival (but not overall survival) in patients (pts) who received as first-line treatment single-agent rituximab, standard chemotherapy (CVP) and recently also immunochemotherapy (R-CHOP, R-CVP or R-FND), as shown by preliminary results of the PRIMA trial. Also in the setting of relapsed disease, RM has shown significant benefit either after chemotherapy or immunochemotherapy. RM has been generally well tolerated, and treated pts developed only mild toxicity, mainly a small increased rate of neutropenia, hypogammaglobulinaemia and self-limiting upper-respiratory tract infections. Moreover, no cumulative or unexpected toxicities were observed and quality of life was not affected. These data have established RM therapy as an important part of multi-modal therapeutic strategies in patients affected by FL.

Keywords: Follicular lymphoma; Immunochemotherapy; Maintenance; Rituximab