Advances in the treatment of follicular lymphoma

Abstract

Introduction: Follicular lymphoma, the most common of the indolent non-Hodgkin lymphomas, exhibits a highly variable clinical course. The disease is characterized by a high response rate to therapy, but due to repeated relapses additional treatment options are necessary.

Areas covered: The rediscovered chemotherapeutic agent, bendamustine, has demonstrated remarkable efficacy and tolerability when paired with rituximab and has been established as a front-line regimen. More recently, a number of new targeted therapies have been developed, directed against intrinsic drivers of malignant B-cell proliferation and survival, and extrinsic factors such as the tumor microenvironment and escape from the immune response. For the first time, a targeted oral agent, idelalisib, is now FDA approved for the treatment of this disease.

Expert opinion: The promise of these new therapies has enabled us to move forward with multi-targeted biologic regimens and toward a future of individualized treatment without traditional chemotherapy.

Keywords:

• antibody drug conjugate
• follicular lymphoma
• immunomodulatory agent
• mAb
• small molecule inhibitor

Declaration of interest

BD Cheson is a consultant to and has received research funding from, Genetech, Celgene, Gilead, Pharmacyclics (PYC), Astellas, Astra-Zenexa, MedImmune, Pfizer and Seattle Genetics. Research funding has also been received from Teva. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Notes

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