Improved survival for patients with large B-cell lymphoma after introduction of rituximab

• Published in: Netherlands journal of medicine Vol. 67; no. 8; pp. 355 - 358
• Main Authors: RODENBURG, E. M, MAARTENSE, E, POSTHUMA, E. F. M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Alphen aan den Rijn Van zuiden 01-09-2009
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antibodies, Monoclonal - therapeutic use; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - administration & dosage; Biological and medical sciences; Confidence Intervals; Cyclophosphamide - administration & dosage; Databases, Factual; Disease Progression; Doxorubicin - administration & dosage; Female; General aspects; Heart Rate; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Humans; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Leukemias. Malignant lymphomas. Malignant reticulosis. Myelofibrosis; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse - drug therapy; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse - mortality; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse - radiotherapy; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Prednisone - administration & dosage; Prognosis; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; Retrospective Studies; Rituximab; Time Factors; Vincristine - administration & dosage; Antineoplastic agent; Diffuse; Human; Drug combination; (R-) CHOP; Rituximab; Patient; Malignant hemopathy; Large cell lymphoma; Monoclonal antibody; Malignant tumor; Non Hodgkin lymphoma; Survival; Immunomodulator; Medicine; Treatment; Diffuse large cell lymphoma; Lymphoproliferative syndrome; Immunotherapy; Diffuse large B cell lymphoma; Immunosuppressive agent; Therapeutic protocol; Diffuse large B-cell malignant lymphoma (DLBCL); Cancer
• ISSN: 0300-2977; 1872-9061

To determine whether the reported increase in survival of patients with diffuse large B-cell malignant lymphoma (DLBCL) after the introduction of rituximab is also seen in a non-academic hospital in the Netherlands. A retrospective study.
A dataset was made containing all newly diagnosed patients with DLBCL in a period of 2.5 years before until 2.5 years after introduction of rituximab in the standard treatment. Total follow-up time was 6.5 years with a minimal follow-up of 18 months.
The study population consisted of 65 patients; 32 in the prerituximab group (median follow-up time 60 months) and 33 in the postrituximab group (median follow-up time 29 months). Progression-free survival increased significantly in the postrituximab group (hazard ratio 0.31; 95% CI 0.12 to 0.78; p=0.013; log rank p=0.008). The overall survival also showed a significant increase (p=0.048). The 18-month progression-free survival increased from 59.4 to 81.8%; the overall survival at 18 months showed an increase from 65.5 to 81.8%.
The introduction of rituximab in the treatment of DLB CL with CHOP chemotherapy has resulted in a significantly better prognosis for patients with DLBCL, treated in the Reinier de Graaf Gasthuis in Delft.