In a nutshell
This study looked at the use of lenalidomide (Revlimid) treatment for patients with relapsed mantle cell lymphoma. The authors concluded that lenalidomide is generally safe and effective for treating patients with advanced stage relapsed or difficult to treat mantle cell lymphoma.
Some background
Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. MCL is difficult to treat, and patients often have multiple relapses after treatment. The average overall survival (time from treatment to death from any cause) for patients with relapsed or refractory (difficult to treat) MCL is 1 to 2 years. Lenalidomide was approved to treat relapsed or refractory MCL in 2013. Lenalidomide is a targeted therapy that stops the growth of and kills MCL cancer cells. Lenalidomide can be used to treat patients who have already received many previous treatments. More research is needed about the long term effects and safety of lenalidomide treatment.
Methods & findings
The medical records of 206 patients were reviewed. All patients had relapsed or refractory MCL and were treated with lenalidomide. Most patients received 3 or more previous treatments for their MCL.
The complete response rate (no detectable cancer) was 11%. 22% of patients achieved a partial response (decrease in tumor, but still detectable cancer). Patients responded to the treatment after 2.2 months on average. The length of their response was 16.6 months on average. The average overall survival (time from treatment to death from any cause) was 24.4 months for all patients.
59% of patients had to reduce or pause their lenalidomide therapy due to adverse events (AE; negative effects that occur during treatment). 13% of patients stopped taking lenalidomide because of an AE. The most common significant AE was bone marrow problems (myelosuppression). These include reduced red and white blood cells and reduced platelets.
The bottom line
The study concluded that lenalidomide was safe and effective in previously treated mantle cell lymphoma.
Published By :
American Journal of Hematology
Date :
Oct 01, 2017
