TriangleHEALTH PROFESSIONAL · SOURCE READING
Rituximab alone or in combination with cytotoxic agents used in front-line therapy
Source: Indolent B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Treatment (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: May 14, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
Selected source text with whitespace normalised. This Triangle page is not an NCI PDQ summary. Independent clinical review is pending.
Rituximab results in a 40% to 50% response rate in patients with relapsed indolent B-cell lymphomas.[9-13] Rituximab can also be combined with combination chemotherapy.[14,15]
Evidence (rituximab):
In three randomized, prospective studies involving previously treated patients with relapsed indolent lymphoma, patients were randomly assigned to rituximab maintenance after re-treatment with combination chemotherapy (with or without rituximab during induction) or rituximab alone.[16-18]
In three randomized, prospective studies involving previously treated patients with relapsed indolent lymphoma, patients were randomly assigned to rituximab maintenance after re-treatment with combination chemotherapy (with or without rituximab during induction) or rituximab alone.[16-18]
All trials showed prolongation of response duration.[16-18] One trial with a median follow-up of 39 months demonstrated improvement in median progression-free survival (PFS) (3.7 years vs. 1.3 years, P < .001) and 5-year OS rate (74% vs. 64%, P = .07), favoring maintenance rituximab.[17]
Publication references
Read the original reference and check its publication notices.
Preserved source evidence · Independent clinical review pending · Not medical advice