Dr. Nastoupil on Pembrolizumab Plus Rituximab in Relapsed Follicular Lymphoma

Loretta J. Nastoupil, MD, associate professor, Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses high response rates with prembrolizumab (Keytruda) in combination with rituximab (Rituxan) in patients with relapsed follicular lymphoma.

There has been a phase II study investigating rituximab in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with rituximab-sensitive follicular lymphoma, explains Nastoupil. Most patients have had a median of 2 lines of prior therapy.

The primary endpoint of this study was overall response rate (ORR), states Nastoupil. The secondary endpoints included progression-free survival, overall response, duration of response, and safety. The interim analysis concluded that the ORR was 65%, although most patients saw a complete response.