Rituximab Monotherapy for Previously Untreated Follicular Lymphoma: Which Approach Is Better?

Responses were greater with subcutaneous than with intravenous administration in patients with asymptomatic, low-tumor-burden disease.

Patients with asymptomatic, low-tumor-burden follicular lymphoma (FL) can be managed by a watch-and-wait strategy or, as shown in several clinical trials, by single-agent intravenous (IV) rituximab; this second approach has the intent of delaying time to disease progression and cytotoxic chemotherapy. Investigators now report a phase 3, multicenter, randomized trial comparing industry-supplied rituximab IV with subcutaneously administered rituximab in 202 patients with previously untreated FL (stage II–IV; grade 1, 2, or 3a) and with low tumor burden by GELF (Groupe d'Etude des Lymphomes Folliculaires) criteria.

The two treatment arms were IV rituximab 375 mg/m² weekly for 4 weeks or a subcutaneous regimen, which started with one IV rituxima…

Reviewing Author

Michael E. Williams, MD, ScM

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAbbVie; AstraZeneca; Beigene; Janssen; Pharmacyclics

Grant/Research SupportJanssen

Editorial BoardsAmerican Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Hematology Longitudinal Knowledge Approval Committee

Michael E. Williams, MD, ScM

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAbbVie; AstraZeneca; Beigene; Janssen; Pharmacyclics

Grant/Research SupportJanssen

Editorial BoardsAmerican Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Hematology Longitudinal Knowledge Approval Committee

Rituximab Monotherapy for Previously Untreated Follicular Lymphoma: Which Approach Is Better?

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Reviewing Author