Maintenance Rituximab Useful in Advanced Indolent Lymphoma

Maintenance rituximab (Rituxan) following CVP therapy (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone) improves progression-free survival in patients with stage III/IV indolent lymphoma, according to a phase III study published online ahead of print in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (March 2, 2009).

Researchers looked at 311 patients with stable or responding disease after CVP therapy. At 2 years, an improved disease response was seen in 22% of rituximab-treated patients vs just 7% of control subjects. Toxic effects were minimal in both groups. Three-year progression-free survival was also higher in the maintenance rituximab group: 68% vs 33% in controls.