Rituximab plus chlorambucil as first-line treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia: Final analysis of an open-label phase II study.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Most patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are elderly and/or have comorbidities that may make them ineligible for fludarabine-based treatment. For this population, chlorambucil monotherapy is an appropriate therapeutic option; however, response rates with chlorambucil are low, and more effective treatments are needed. This trial was designed to assess how the addition of rituximab to chlorambucil (R-chlorambucil) would affect safety and efficacy in patients with CLL.

Patients and methods

Patients with first-line CLL were treated with rituximab (375 mg/m(2) on day 1, cycle one, and 500 mg/m(2) thereafter) plus chlorambucil (10 mg/m(2)/d all cycles; day 1 through 7) for six 28-day cycles. For patients not achieving complete response (CR), six additional cyc

SUBMITTER: Hillmen P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4876343 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature