Optimization of rituximab for the treatment of DLBCL: increasing the dose for elderly male patients.

Male sex is associated with unfavourable pharmacokinetics and prognosis in elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We investigated higher rituximab doses for elderly male DLBCL patients. Elderly patients (61-80 years) received 6 cycles CHOP-14 (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone at 14-day intervals) and were randomized to 8 cycles rituximab (males 500 mg/m , females 375 mg/m ) every 2 weeks or according to an upfront dose-dense schedule.

Association of NADPH oxidase polymorphisms with anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity in the RICOVER-60 trial of patients with aggressive CD20(+) B-cell lymphoma.

Aim: To identify gene variants responsible for anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity.

Patients & Methods: Polymorphisms of the NADPH oxidase subunits and of the anthracycline transporters ABCC1, ABCC2 and SLC28A3 were genotyped in elderly patients (61-80 years) treated for aggressive CD20(+) B-cell lymphomas with CHOP-14 with or without rituximab and followed up for 3 years.

Results: The accumulation of RAC2 subunit genotypes TA/AA among cases was statistically significant upon adjustment for gender, age and doxorubicin dose in a multivariate logistic regression analysis (OR: 2.

Suboptimal dosing of rituximab in male and female patients with DLBCL.

To determine the effect of gender on outcome, the male hazard ratio for progression-free survival (HRPFS-male) was determined in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). In young patients (MapThera International Trial study), HRPFS-male was 1.3 (P = .

The role of sex and weight on rituximab clearance and serum elimination half-life in elderly patients with DLBCL.

Pharmacokinetics of 8 doses of rituximab (375 mg/m(2)) given in combination with 2-week cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone/prednisolone (CHOP-14) was determined by ELISA in 20 elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) 10 minutes before and after each infusion and 1 week and 1, 2, 3, 6, and 9 months after the last infusion. Population pharmacokinetic modeling was performed with nonlinear mixed-effect modeling software (NONMEM VI). Concentration-time data were fitted into an open 2-compartment model and total clearance, central compartment volume, intercompartment clearance, and volume of distribution at steady-state (Vd(ss)) were investigated.