Evaluation Of Myeloablative Therapy Followed By Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation In First Remission In Patients With Advanced Stage Follicular Lymphoma After Initial Immuno-Chemotherapy (R-CHOP) Or Chemotherapy Alone: Analysis Of 940 Patients Treated In Prospective Randomized Trials Of The German Low Grade Lymphoma Study Group (GLSG)

The anti-CD20 antibody rituximab has dramatically changed the treatment paradigms for advanced stage follicular lymphoma (FL) and has improved overall survival. The question whether myeloablative treatment followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in first remission may add further benefit in the era of initial rituximab-chemotherapy induction remains currently unsolved.

We report on the long-term outcome of 940 patients, randomized for treatment with ASCT versus IFN-alpha maintenance in first remission after initial therapy with MCP, CHOP or R-CHOP in two consecutive randomized trials for patients with advanced stage FL of the GLSG .

A total of 472 patients, (38 with initial MCP therapy, 199 with initial CHOP therapy and 224 with initial R-CHOP therapy, 13 not documented), were randomized to receive ASCT. The remaining 468 patients were randomized for IFN-maintenance (39 with MCP, 201 with CHOP and 219 with R-CHOP, 7 not documented). The patient characteristics, the initial therapy and the quality of remission were well balanced between ASCT and IFN-maintenance. After a median follow up of 8.3 years 454 pts randomized for IFN-maintenance and 445 pts randomized for ASCT were evaluable for treatment failure. The estimated failure free survival at 10 years was 32% (95% CI 0.26-0.37) for IFN-alpha maintenance and 51% (95% CI 0.45-0.57) for ASCT. For patients assigned to CHOP or MCP (no rituximab during induction) the estimated failure free survival after 10 years was 18% for IFN-maintenance and 45% for ASCT (hazard ratio 0.49, 95% CI 0.39-0.61). Among the 423 evaluable patients assigned to R-CHOP the estimated failure free survival at 10 years was 53% for IFN-maintenance and 58% for ASCT (hazard ratio 0.77, 95% CI 0.56-1.07).

After a median follow up of more than 6 years in 423 patients assigned to R-CHOP, only a small improvement in time to treatment failure could be observed for ASCT compared to IFN-alpha maintenance. This is in strong contrast to patients treated with chemotherapy only (figure 1). The promising results for ASCT observed in the pre-rituximab era cannot be confirmed after initial immuno-chemotherapy. Since the use of ASCT is hampered by relevant toxic side effects, the actual data suggest that ASCT for patients with follicular lymphomas in first line therapy is of questionable benefit.

Figure 1

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Time to treatment failure after start of chemotherapy induction (left) or immunochemotherapy (right)

Figure 1

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Time to treatment failure after start of chemotherapy induction (left) or immunochemotherapy (right)

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Hiddemann:Roche: Honoraria, Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Dreyling:Roche: Honoraria, Research Funding. Hoster:Roche: Honoraria, Travel Support Other. Unterhalt:Roche: Travel Support Other.