Minimal residual disease status is the prognostic determinant following high-dose treatment for patients with multiple myeloma.

Background: The presence of minimal residual disease (MRD+) following autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in multiple myeloma represents a poor prognostic factor for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Methods: At our department, we recommend lenalidomide maintenance for patients who are MRD+ after ASCT, while MRD-negative (MRD-) patients, after information about the national guidelines, were not advised to follow this regimen.

Results: Out of the total 228 patients, 175 received ASCT following first-line induction (MRD- 92 (53%), MRD+ 83 (47%), at 2 months post-ASCT), while 53 underwent ASCT after second-line treatment (MRD- 27 (51%), MRD+ 26 (49%), at the same time point).

Gene expression and copy number profiling of follicular lymphoma biopsies from patients treated with first-line rituximab without chemotherapy.

The Nordic Lymphoma Study Group has performed two randomized clinical trials with chemotherapy-free first-line treatment (rituximab +/- interferon) in follicular lymphoma (FL), with 73% of patients alive and 38% without any need of chemotherapy after 10.6 years median follow-up. In order to identify predictive markers, that may also serve as therapeutic targets, gene expression- and copy number profiles were obtained from 97 FL patients using whole genome microarrays.

Survival by First-line Treatment Type and Timing of Progression Among Follicular Lymphoma Patients: A National Population-based Study in Sweden.

In follicular lymphoma (FL), progression of disease ≤24 months (POD24) has emerged as an important prognostic marker for overall survival (OS). We aimed to investigate survival more broadly by timing of progression and treatment in a national population-based setting. We identified 948 stage II-IV indolent FL patients in the Swedish Lymphoma Register diagnosed 2007-2014 who received first-line systemic therapy, followed through 2020.

Health-related quality of life and chronic fatigue in long-term survivors of indolent lymphoma - a comparison with normative data.

The aims of this study are to describe health-related quality of life (HRQoL, SF-36) and fatigue in long-term indolent lymphoma survivors, compared to normative data, and to examine factors related to impaired HRQoL among the survivors. The participants ( = 136, median follow-up after first line therapy 9.8 years) were included from a follow-up study of two clinical trials, with chemo-free first-line therapy.

Primary refractory follicular lymphoma: a poor outcome entity with high risk of transformation to aggressive B cell lymphoma.

Background: Primary refractory (PREF) follicular lymphoma (FL) has a completely different clinical course from that of FL that responds to front-line treatments. In addition to having poor responses to salvage therapies, it seems that patients with PREF are at increased risk of histological transformation (HT). The Aristotle consortium presented the opportunity of investigating the risk of HT in a very large series of cases.

Absolute B cell counts in blood predict long-term response in follicular lymphoma patients treated with rituximab without chemotherapy.

Rituximab monotherapy is widely used for follicular lymphoma. However, there are no established predictors for response or response duration. We analyzed the long-term prognostic relevance of pre-treatment absolute blood counts of lymphocytes with subsets and monocytes in 265 follicular lymphoma patients, uniformly treated with rituximab without chemotherapy, in two Nordic Lymphoma Group trials.

The simplified follicular lymphoma PRIMA-prognostic index is useful in patients with first-line chemo-free rituximab-based therapy.

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is a heterogeneous disease; therefore, reliable prognostic tools are needed to plan treatment strategies. The FL International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) was developed before the rituximab era, while the PRIMA-PI was built on rituximab chemotherapy. Our objective was to evaluate these two prognostic tools in a cohort of 291 patients with FL treated in two prospective randomised Nordic Lymphoma Group trials with rituximab ± interferon.

M7-FLIPI is not prognostic in follicular lymphoma patients with first-line rituximab chemo-free therapy.

The clinical course of follicular lymphoma (FL) is highly variable. Recently the m7-FL international prognostic index (FLIPI) integrating performance status, FLIPI score and the mutational status of seven genes, was shown to stratify patients into "low-risk" and "high-risk" with respect to 5-year failure-free survival after first-line immunochemotherapy. Our aim was to evaluate the model after rituximab without chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy-Free Initial Treatment of Advanced Indolent Lymphoma Has Durable Effect With Low Toxicity: Results From Two Nordic Lymphoma Group Trials With More Than 10 Years of Follow-Up.

Purpose: For indolent lymphoma, the optimal timing, sequence, and choice of therapeutic regimens remain a matter of debate. In two Nordic Lymphoma Group randomized trials, symptomatic or clearly progressing patients were treated first line with a rituximab-containing regimen without chemotherapy. The purpose of this study was to assess long-term survival, risk of transformation, and need of new therapies.

Rituximab and the risk of transformation of follicular lymphoma: a retrospective pooled analysis.

Background: Histological transformation of follicular lymphoma to aggressive lymphoma is a serious event with a substantial effect on patient outcome. The aim of the Aristotle study was to assess the effect of rituximab on the risk of histological transformation and its outcome.

Methods: 11 cooperative groups or institutions across Europe contributed data to this study.

Follicular lymphoma in Sweden: nationwide improved survival in the rituximab era, particularly in elderly women: a Swedish Lymphoma Registry study.

Treatment for follicular lymphoma (FL) improved with rituximab. In Sweden, first-line rituximab was gradually introduced between 2003 and 2007, with regional differences. The first national guidelines for FL were published in November 2007, recommending rituximab in first-line therapy.