Dr. Villa on Rationale for Examining BR as Induction Therapy in Transplant-Eligible MCL

Diego Villa, MD, MPH, clinical associate professor in the Division of Medical Oncology of the Department of Medicine at The University of British Columbia, discusses the rationale for a retrospective analysis evaluating bendamustine plus rituximab(Rituxan; BR) as induction therapy in patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).

The rationale for a retrospective analysis conducted at The University of British Columbia came from the phase 3 STiL-1 trial, in which the combination demonstrated excellent response rates and progression-free survival compared with the previous standard, rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP), says Villa.

However, it is important to note that STiL-1 was done in transplant-ineligible patients. The question of whether to use BR in transplant-eligible patients was still unknown. Other advantages to BR include that it does not cause alopecia or severe nausea, vomiting, or peripheral neuropathy associated with R-CHOP, concludes Villa.