Efficacy analysis of lenalidomide combined with rituximab in recurrent follicular lymphoma

WANG Xiao-ping; LI Hui; JI Xiao-chun; ZHANG Yong-jiang; YANG Hai-ping

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1001-9448.2017.21.034

Abstract：Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of lenalidomide combined with rituximab in recurrent follicular lymphoma .Methods A randomized controlled trial on 23 patients with recurrent follicular lymphoma were con-ducted, with follow-up until April 2016.The participants were divided into two groups , simple treatment group (lenalidomide 15mg/d alone) and combination group (lenalidomide 15 mg/d plus rituximab 375 mg/m2/week).Results Ten cases were assigned into Simple treatment group , and 13 into combined treatment group .Amogn them, 8 (80%) cases in simple treatment group and 10 (76.9%) cases in combined treatment group completed 12 cycles of treatment .There was no significant difference of clinical remission between the two groups (70% vs.84.6%, P=0.401).Adverse reactions included neutropenia (80% vs.76.9%, P=0.704), fatigue (40% vs.46.2%, P=0.768), thrombosis (60% vs. 15.4%, P=0.026).An average follow-up of 3 years showed that in simple treatment group the time of progress was (2.1 ±0.15) years, which was (3.5 ±0.21) years in combined treatment group (P<0.001).The survival in simple treatment group was (3.2 ±0.46) years, which was (4.7 ±0.32) years in combined treatment group (P=0.36).Conclusion The combination of lenalidomide with rituximab in treatment of recurrent follicular lymphoma is more effective and safer , providing prolonged survival and slow disease progression than lenalidomide alone.