Publication Date:
2014-12-06
Description:
The combination of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and rituximab (FCR) is still currently regarded as the standard regimen for treatment of physically fit patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). This therapy can be associated with significant toxicity, and patient adherence to the protocol may often be difficult outside of clinical trials. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of FCR therapy in the real life setting, with particular focus on the influence of dose reduction on treatment outcome. A total of 132 CLL patients (≤70 years of age) treated with FCR as frontline therapy from 10 medical centers, were reviewed. The majority of patients were males (73.5%, n=97) and younger than 60 years (78%, n=103). Eleven patients had Binet stage A (8.3%), 72 (54.5%) were stage B and 49 (37.1%) had Binet stage C. Results of FISH analysis were available for 99 patients, with high risk cytogenetics of del(11q) in 21 patients (21.2%) and del(17p) in 9 cases (9.1%). The majority (56.5%, n=74) received rituximab at a dose of 500mg/m2 and the rest 375mg/m2. Almost half of the patients (49.2%, n=65) were given a reduced dose of chemotherapy (
Print ISSN:
0006-4971
Electronic ISSN:
1528-0020
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
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