Bendamustine plus rituximab (B-R) versus CHOP plus rituximab (CHOP-R) as first-line treatment in patients with indolent and mantle cell lymphomas (MCL) Updated results from the StiL NHL1 study

SUMMARY: This is an updated analysis of a study initially presented at ASH 2009 meeting. TREANDA® (Bendamustine) is an alkylating agent presently indicated for the treatment of patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) as well as Indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) that has progressed during 
or within six months of treatment with RITUXAN® (Rituximab) or a RITUXAN® containing regimen. In this randomized phase III trial, TREANDA® plus RITUXAN® (B-R)was compared to R-CHOP as first line treatment for patients with indolent or MCL. The primary endpoint was Progression Free Survival (PFS). With a median follow up of 45 months, patients on B-R had a PFS of 69.5 months vs 31.2 months for R-CHOP (HR =0.58; P<0.001). This benefit was seen in all age groups and all histological subtypes except marginal zone lymphoma. B-R was better tolerated than R-CHOP. There was no difference in the overall survival between the two groups. It should be noted however that close to 50% of the patients on R-CHOP whose disease progressed, were permitted to cross over to B-R and this could have impacted the overall survival results. Rummel MJ, Niederle N, Maschmeyer G, et al. J Clin Oncol 30, 2012 (suppl; abstr 3)