Dr. Goy on Rituximab Maintenance Therapy for Patients With MCL

Andre Goy, MD, MS, chairman and director, chief of Lymphoma, and director of Clinical and Translational Cancer Research at John Theurer Cancer Center, discusses phase III results of a study exploring rituximab (Rituxan) as maintenance therapy after autologous stem cell transplantation in younger patients with mantle cell lymphoma.

This research looked at induction therapy with rituximab, dexamethasone, cytarabine, and cisplatin (R-DHAP) followed by high-dose therapy and transplant. Researchers then studied the impact of maintenance therapy with rituximab versus observation. Earlier findings showed an improvement in progression-free survival and lower risk of relapse due to the maintenance therapy.

However, mature data presented at the 2016 ASH Annual Meeting demonstrated a benefit in overall survival. Additionally, another study exploring a similar treatment option showed a survival benefit in these younger patients, as well, Goy explains.