Bendamustine in Indolent Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: A Practice Guide for Patient Management

The document reviewed the efficacy and management of bendamustine, particularly when combined with rituximab, for treating indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). It cited results from clinical trials, such as the German Stil NHL-1 2003 and the BRIGHT phase III trials, showing that bendamustine plus rituximab (BR) is at least as effective as standard treatments like R-CHOP or R-CVP for first-line therapy and may offer a better therapeutic index and improved quality of life. The review provided dosage recommendations, including a common first-line treatment dose of 90 mg/m² for indolent NHLs, with adjustments for toxicity. It also noted ongoing trials and potential new drug combinations. The document concluded that bendamustine is well-tolerated and effective for NHL, MCL, and CLL, with a recommended maximum of four cycles for relapsed disease. The review was supported by Mundipharma International Ltd, with authors disclosing relationships with pharmaceutical companies.