Long-term treatment with rituximab is feasible in selected patients with B-CLL: response-adjusted low-dose maintenance treatment with rituximab in patients with relapsed B-CLL, who achieved a partial or minimal response to prior rituximab therapy.

The feasibility and efficacy of flexible, response-adjusted rituximab maintenance therapy in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) was investigated in 12 patients with an at least minor response to four weekly cycles of 375 mg/m(2) of rituximab induction therapy. Rituximab maintenance therapy consisted of infusions of 100 mg rituximab every 4 weeks. If disease progression occurred, either the rituximab dose was increased or the time between infusions was shortened.

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related lymphoma: simultaneous treatment with combined cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone chemotherapy and highly active antiretroviral therapy is safe and improves survival--results of the German Multicenter Trial.

Background: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has improved the survival of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related lymphoma (ARL). The German ARL Study Group investigated whether HAART administered concomitantly with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) chemotherapy compromised the course of immune parameters during and after chemotherapy and exerted a positive effect on remission and survival.

Methods: From 1997 to 2001, 72 patients with ARL were stratified prospectively into a standard-risk group (n = 48 patients) and a high-risk group (n = 24 patients) with either 0-1 or 2-3 of the following risk factors: CD4 < 50/microL, prior opportunistic infection, and/or a World Health Organization performance status > or = 3.

Imatinib in Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic phase CML patients: molecular and cytogenetic response rates and prediction of clinical outcome.

Previous clinical trials with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib in chronic-phase Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) resulted in 95% of hematologic and 60% major cytogenetic remissions in patients who failed a previous interferon-alpha-containing regimen. In an identical clinical trial setting with 39 chronic-phase CML patients we achieved comparable cytogenetic response rates after a median follow up of 30.1 weeks, with an almost identical toxicity profile.

Treatment options of AIDS-related lymphoma.

Recently, the median survival of patients with AIDS-related lymphoma has changed significantly. This effect is mainly because of changes in the use of antiviral (highly active antiretroviral therapy; HAART) or chemotherapy regimens. Several novel treatment options have been explored in patients with lymphoma.

New directions in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is the most common leukaemia of adults in Western countries. It is a systemic haematological malignancy that originates from B cells (B-CLL) in 95% of patients, while only a minority are derived through malignant transformation of T cells (T-CLL). Although B-CLL is classified as a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, several issues make this leukaemia a unique entity among malignant lymphoma.

The combination of fludarabine and cyclophosphamide results in a high remission rate with moderate toxicity in low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

We undertook a prospective study to evaluate the role of the combination of fludarabine and cyclophosphamide in patients with low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Twenty-seven patients with low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were treated with i.v.

Phase 2 study of a combined immunochemotherapy using rituximab and fludarabine in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

This multicenter phase 2 trial investigated safety and efficacy of a new immunochemotherapeutic regimen combining rituximab (R) and fludarabine (F) in patients with fludarabine- and anthracycline-naive chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The rationale for using R + F includes single-agent efficacy of both drugs, in vitro synergism of R and F, and no apparent overlapping toxicity. Of 31 eligible patients with B-CLL enrolled, 20 were previously untreated and 11 relapsed.