Retrospective clinical analysis of fludarabine and cyclophosphamide with or without rituximab for the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia / 中国肿瘤临床

ABSTRACT

Objective:This study aimed to compare the clinical efficacy and prognosis between rituximab plus fludarabine and cyclophosphamide (FCR) and fludarabine and cyclophosphamide (FC) regimens for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Methods:The clinical data of 58 patients with CLL treated with FCR or FC regimens from December 2002 to January 2012 were analyzed retrospectively. Therapy efficacy and prognosis were compared between the two groups. Results:Among the 58 pa-tients, 27 (44.4%) experienced complete remission (CR) in the FCR group and 31 patients (19.4%) experienced CR in the FC group (P=0.039). The overall response rate (ORR) of the FCR group was higher than that of the FC group (81.5%and 51.6%, respectively, P=0.017). Fourteen patients achieved MRD-negative rating after therapy. PFS and OS in MRD-negative patients were superior compared with the MRD-positive group (P=0.000, 0.003). The proportion of MRD-negative patients in the FCR group was higher than that in the FC group (37.0%and 12.9%, respectively, P=0.032). PFS in high-risk genetic patients was lower than that in low-risk genetic patients (P=0.011, 0.027). The OS time between the two groups did not exhibit any difference. Conclusion:FCR produced a high CR and ORR in patients with CLL. Many patients in the FCR group were responsive to the treatment. Thus, FCR could be a more effective regimen than FC for patients with CLL.