Follicular lymphoma: emerging therapeutic strategies

Expert Rev Hematol. 2010 Aug;3(4):485-95. doi: 10.1586/ehm.10.45.

Abstract

Follicular lymphoma is a diverse disease, both biologically and clinically. Patients may present with indolent, asymptomatic disease or more aggressive, symptomatic disease with high tumor burden. Decision-making to treat in the frontline is based on histology, disease burden and patient symptoms. The general approach should be a combination of rituximab and chemotherapy, traditionally using alkylating agents, with or without an anthracycline, with more recent evidence for the alternative of bendamustine. Relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma carries similar variability in presentation. Therapeutic options include the same regimens traditionally used for first-line therapy; however, they also include agents, such as bendamustine, bortezomib, lenalidomide and anti-CD20 agents (rituximab, ofatumumab and radioimmunotherapy). Finally, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (both autologous and allogeneic) remains a useful treatment strategy, although the optimal timing of such approaches requires further clarification.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / therapeutic use
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
  • Humans
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / drug therapy
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / radiotherapy
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / therapy*
  • Rituximab

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Rituximab