Rituximab or rituximab plus chlorambucil for translocation (11;18)-negative gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma: a monocentric non-randomized observational study

Abstract

To assess the effectiveness and safety of rituximab alone or in combination with chlorambucil for the treatment of translocation (11;18)-negative gastric MALT lymphoma, we included 71 patients in a retrospective case–control study, 54 treated with rituximab alone and 17 with combination therapy. There was no difference between the groups in complete remission or overall response rates at weeks 25 and 52. After a median follow-up period of 5.8 years (range, 3.3 − 9.7 years), the 5-year progression-free survival probabilities were 60% and 88% in patients treated with rituximab monotherapy and combination therapy, respectively (p = .05). Adverse events were reported in 13 (18%) patients and were more frequent in the combination therapy group (p < .001). Combination therapy may be a preferable choice in patients with gastric MALT lymphoma irrespective of t(11;18) status. Further studies should assess benefit of stopping chlorambucil in early good-responder patients.

Keywords:

• MALT
• rituximab
• chlorambucil
• t(11;18) translocation
• gastric MALT lymphoma

Author contributions

Conception and design of the study: ML, AAm. Generation, Collection, Assembly, Analysis and/or Interpretation of data: ML, JD, CC, EI, IS, CH, AAm. Drafting or revision of the manuscript: ML, JD, CC, IS, EI, CH, AAm. Approval of the final version of the manuscript: ML, JD, CC, EI, IS, CH, Aam.

Disclosure statement

Corinne Haioun received consulting fees and/or travel accommodations from Novartis, Servier/Pfizer and Gilead Sciences as well as advisory board fees from Roche, Celgene, Janssen-Cilag, Gilead Sciences, Miltenyi Biotec, Abbvie, ADC therapeutics and Takeda. Aurelien Amiot received consulting fees from Abbvie, Tillotts pharma, Janssen, Hospira, Takeda, Fresenius Kabi, Pfizer and Gilead as well as lecture fees and travel accommodations from Abbvie, Janssen, Biocodex, Hospira, Ferring, Biogen, Tillotts pharma, Fresenius Kabi, Takeda and MSD. None for the remaining authors.