In a nutshell
This study compared the quality of life between indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients who are treated with obinutuzumab plus bendamustine or bendamustine alone. The study concluded that patients treated with obinutuzumab plus bendamustine experience prolonged quality of life compared to patients treated with bendamustine alone.
Some background
Indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (iNHL) includes follicular lymphoma (FL) and other types of slow-growing lymphomas. iNHL is often treated with rituximab plus chemotherapy. Some patients will relapse after treatment, or not respond to treatment (refractory). These patients must be treated with second line treatments. Some of these treatments include obinutuzumab (GAZYVA) plus bendamustine (G-B) and bendamustine alone (B).
While both treatments are effective, it is also important to understand how patients are feeling while being treated. Health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) is a way to measure how patients are feeling while being treated. More HRQoL research is needed for G-B and B treatments for patients with iNHL.
Methods & findings
396 patients participated in this study. 81% of patients had FL. 194 patients were randomized to G-B. 202 patients were randomized to B alone. All patients received initial treatment for 6 cycles. The G-B group received G maintenance for 2 years. The B alone group was observed for 2 years. Patient HRQoL was measured with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Treatment-Lymphoma (FACT-Lym) questionnaire.
The average progression free survival time (time from treatment to disease progression) was significantly longer for patients being treated with G-B compared to B alone.
At the beginning of treatment, both groups had similar FACT-Lym scores. At the end of initial treatment, before maintenance, both groups had improved and similar FACT-Lym scores.
During maintenance therapy, both groups had lower FACT-Lym scores, indicating a reduced quality of life. Patients on the B-only regimen experienced a decrease in HRQoL quicker than patients on the G-B regimen. It took an average of 4.6 months for B-only patients to experience a decreased HRQoL. It took an average of 8 months for G-B patients to experience a decreased HRQoL.
The bottom line
The authors concluded that patients on the G-B regimen have a longer progression free survival and a longer time with improved quality of life.
Published By :
Annals of Hematology
Date :
Feb 01, 2017
