Clinical experience of bendamustine treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia in Spain

Bendamustine is a alkylating agent with a purine-like benzamidazole ring currently approved in Europe for indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and multiple myeloma. Our aim was to analyze retrospectively the efficacy and toxicity of bendamustine in NHL and CLL in Spain in the bendamustine Compassionate Use Program. Patients with relapsed/refractory NHL or CLL were eligible. Any regimen containing bendamustine was eligible. 109 patients were included from 22 institutions. Forty-nine patients had indolent NHL, 18 aggressive NHL and 42 CLL, being 44 patients (40%) refractory to previous treatment. 63% of patients had adverse events grade 3-4, mainly hematological. Overall response rate (ORR) was 66%, complete responses 30%. ORR observed in refractory patients was 45%. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 13 months. Outcome was influenced by histology, number of previous treatments, resistance to previous chemotherapy and type of response achieved with bendamustine. Alone or in combination, bendamustine shows a meaningful clinical antitumor activity in patients with relapsed or refractory NHL or CLL, with an acceptable toxicity profile.