Maintenance rituximab plus bortezomib for mantle cell lymphoma

This study investigated the safety and effectiveness of rituximab (Rituxan) plus bortezomib (Velcade) for patients with mantle cell lymphoma after stem cell transplant. This study concluded that this combination is a safe and effective regimen in these patients.

The standard treatment for younger patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is chemotherapy followed by stem cell transplantation. Maintenance therapy is often given before or after the transplant to keep the cancer from coming back.

Previous research has shown that maintenance therapy with rituximab or bortezomib improves survival outcomes after transplantation. However, whether rituximab and bortezomib together lead to better outcomes in MCL patients after stem cell transplant remains unclear.

This study involved 23 patients with mantle cell lymphoma. 87% of patients had stage 3 – 4 disease. All patients underwent stem cell transplantation before this study. Patients received rituximab and bortezomib treatment for 2 years after the transplant. The average follow-up period was 35.9 months.

For all patients, two-year disease-free survival (patients alive without signs or symptoms of cancer) was 90.2%. Two-year overall survival (patients still alive 2 years later) was 94.7%.

Severe to life-threatening side effects were reported. The most common included low white blood cell count (74%) and low lymphocyte count (35%). Pneumonia and low red blood cell count (9%) were also reported. Low platelet count (cells involved in blood clotting) and skin infections (4%) were also reported. 56.5% of patients also had mild to moderate tingling or numbness in the hands or feet.

This study concluded that combined bortezomib and rituximab maintenance therapy is effective and well-tolerated in patients with mantle cell lymphoma after stem cell transplant.

The patient population in this study was quite small. Also, this study did not have a control group as a source of comparison.