Rituximab After Autologous Stem Cell Transplant for Relapsed B-cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2003-03-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Conventional therapy is effective for diffuse aggressive lymphomas and low grade lymphomas,
but is limited by relapse occurs in 40 to 50% of subjects.
This study assesses autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) supplemented with high-dose
therapy increases the event-free survival in diffuse aggressive lymphomas and low grade
lymphomas, as an alternative to the limitations of conventional therapy.
Preliminary studies with rituximab in low grade lymphomas indicate a response rate of about
50% with very little toxicity. Rituximab is hypothesized to be a candidate for
post-transplant therapy because the majority of malignant lymphomas express the CD20 antigen;
rituximab has impressive independent anti-tumor activity; and the antibody has little
toxicity outside of the acute administration.