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Single-agent bortezomib (B) has shown activity in heavily pretreated patients with relapsed/refractory indolent lymphoma. On the basis of these findings, we performed a phase II study of B combined with rituximab (R) in patients with relapsed follicular lymphoma (FL). Forty-five patients with fairly good prognostic profiles were enrolled from 2007 to 2011 and received a total of 6 cycles of the B+R combination. The endpoints were the overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), duration of remission (DoR), overall survival (OS), and toxicity evaluation. When considering all the enrolled patients the ORR was 64%. At 5 years, the estimated PFS, DoR, and OS were 34, 49, and 70%, respectively. After excluding the 7 R-naïve patients, the ORR was 58%, with a PFS of 19 months. The most common grade >2 toxicities were thrombocytopenia (18%), peripheral neuropathy (13%), and neutropenia (2%). Our study shows the feasibility, long-term efficacy, and excellent tolerability of the B+R combination. We are aware that our study has specific limitations, such as the small sample size consisting of patients with a relatively good prognostic profile. However, because FL patients will be treated with subsequent chemotherapy regimens, a well-tolerated and effective chemotherapy-free therapy could be considered an additional tool for long-term disease control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the survival rate of the patients with folicular lymphoma under new treatment options. It says that patients were treated with bleomycin, epidoxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone (BACOP) plus fludarabine, mitoxantrone, and dexamethasone (FND). Under the treatment, the complete remission rate for BACOP/FND was 62% ad its failure-free survival (FFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 53% and 77% respectively.

A 41-year-old man with advanced Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia (WM) associated with the hyperviscosity syndrome, massive splenomegaly and with IgM concentration of 10 g/dl, was treated in January 1984 with plasmapheresis, systemic chemotherapy (M2 protocol) and splenic radiotherapy. He rapidly improved and was discharged 1 month later. Fourteen months later he underwent splenectomy since a mild splenomegaly persisted though the normalization of bone marrow, peripheral blood and electrophoresis with an IgM concentration of 140 mg/dl. However, at this time immunofixation and immunoelectrophoresis showed a small IgM-κ monoclonal component. The histological and immunohistochemical analysis showed minimal splenic involvement by WM. Two months after splenectomy, immunofixation and immunoelectrophoresis showed no monoclonal component. The spleen was the probable site of minimal residual disease. The patient was treated with monthly chlorambucil and prednisone for 2 years. Subsequently clinical and laboratory tests persisted within normal limits. The last control performed in January 2002 showed that the patient was in good health; bone marrow examination (aspiration, biopsy with immunohistochemical analysis) and immunofixation persisted normally. This interesting case report, with advanced WM, alive, in good health and without signs of disease 18 years from diagnosis, is presented here and the role of splenectomy is debated.Copyright © 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study that investigated the use of rituximab in combination with interferon-alpha in the treatment of two patients with relapsed and refractory diffuse large b-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Background on rituximab; Medical history of the patients; Analysis of the effectiveness of rituximab.