Reduction of Chemotherapy in Aggressive Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma with Favorable Prognosis

Background: Six cycles of R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone) or R-CHOP-like chemotherapy are the standard treatment for aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. We hypothesized that four cycles of CHOP plus six applications of rituximab (4x R-CHOP+2xR) are non-inferior to six cycles of R-CHOP in a population with favorable prognosis. Methods: We randomized patients 18 to 60 years of age, stage I-II disease, normal serum lactate dehydrogenase concentration, good ECOG performance status 0-1, without bulky disease (maximal tumor diameter