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Summary: To further improve outcome in young high‐risk patients with diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) the number of rituximab (R) infusions was doubled in combination with standard CHOEP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, etoposide, vincristine, prednisone) chemotherapy. Seventy‐seven patients (aged 18–60 years) with an age‐adjusted International Prognostic Index of 2–3 received 12 × R (375 mg/m2) on days 0, 1, 4, 8, 15, 22, 29, 43, 57, 71, 85 and 99 together with eight cycles of CHOEP‐14. Results were retrospectively compared to those of patients receiving 6 × R and 8 × CHOEP‐14 in the standard arm of the randomized R‐MegaCHOEP trial. Two‐year overall survival (OS) was 82% [95% confidence interval (CI) 73%–92%]; 2‐year event‐free (EFS) and progression‐free survival (PFS) was 69% (95% CI 59–80%) and 76% (95% CI 66%‐–6%), respectively. Comparing 12 to six doses of R revealed no differences (univariate/multivariate) in EFS (at 2 years: 69% vs. 71%), PFS (76% vs. 75%) and OS (82% vs. 85%), with P = 0·766, P = 0·871 and P = 0·843, respectively. Doubling the number of R infusions concomitant to CHOEP did not improve treatment outcomes. Nonetheless, OS and PFS of young high‐risk patients who received only six infusions of R combined with CHOEP remain excellent and were confirmed in an independent cohort of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Analysis of the efficiency and toxicity of cyclophosphamide-based stem cell mobilization in patients with relapsed multiple myeloma ( RMM). Methods Peripheral blood stem cells ( PBSCs) were mobilized with high dose cyclophosphamide (2 g/m2 daily on days 1 and 2) and G- CSF plus pre-emptive/rescue plerixafor in RMM patients (first to third relapse) treated within the Re LApsE trial of the German-Speaking Myeloma Multicenter Group ( GMMG). Results Mobilization was initiated with high-dose cyclophosphamide (HD-CY) and G- CSF in 30 patients. Fifteen patients received additional pre-emptive/rescue administration of plerixafor. Stem cell collection was successful (≥2×106 CD34+ cells per kg bw) in 77% (23/30 patients). Patients with prior high-dose melphalan collected a significantly lower median total number of PBSCs than patients without prior high-dose melphalan (3.3×106 vs 17×106 CD34+ cells/kg bw). Toxicity of HD-CY was frequent with 12 serious adverse events ( SAE) in 37% of patients (11/30 patients). Infections accounted for the majority of SAE reports. In two patients, SAEs were lethal (septic shock). Conclusions These data proof feasibility of PBSC collection at relapse but emphasize the importance of collection and storage of additional PBSC transplants during first-line treatment when mobilization is more efficient and less toxic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]