Early or Delayed Fludarabine and Rituximab in Treating Patients With Previously Untreated Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Status:
Terminated
Trial end date:
2016-06-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as fludarabine, work in different ways to stop
the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing.
Monoclonal antibodies, such as rituximab, can block cancer growth in different ways. Some
block the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread. Others find cancer cells and help kill
them or carry cancer-killing substances to them. Giving fludarabine together with rituximab
may kill more cancer cells. Sometimes the cancer may not need treatment until it progresses.
In this case, observation may be sufficient. It is not yet known whether giving fludarabine
together with rituximab early is more effective than giving fludarabine and rituximab after
observation in treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying fludarabine and rituximab to compare how
well they work when given early or after observation in treating patients with previously
untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia.