The optimal first-line regimen for patients with follicular lymphoma in 2015

Abstract

Indolent lymphoma are a group of lymphoid malignancies, whose common feature is slow, usually long-term clinical course. The most frequent of these is follicular lymphoma (FL) and therefore the treatment of patients with FL is best defined. The current standard of care for patients with FL in early clinical stages (limited non-bulky stage I or II) is radiotherapy limited to the involved fields at a dose of 24 Gy. In asymptomatic patients with FL and with the other indolent lymphoma in advanced stages (III and IV) with low-tumor burden, observation (“watch and wait”) remains the optimal strategy. Upon occurrence of the indications for treatment, immunochemotherapy with rituximab should be used. The optimal treatment regimen for indolent lymphoma has not been established so making treatment decisions one should take into account disease status, efficacy and toxicity of the regimen as well as patient-related factors (age, performance status, comorbidities) and the impact of treatment on quality of life.