Adding rituximab to a reduced-intensity transplant conditioning regimen in chemotherapy-sensitive patients with follicular lymphoma can result in 2-year overall survival of 83%, according to a multi-center phase II trial of transplants between 2009 and 2012. The trial, conducted through the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN), studied 62 adults who underwent allogeneic HCT following reduced-intensity conditioning with fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and high-dose rituximab (FCR regimen).
Patients were heavily pre-treated prior to allogeneic transplant: 77% received ≥3 prior regimens with 32% having received ≥5 prior regimens. No patients experienced graft failure and at a median follow up of 2 years, the overall response rate after transplant was 94%, with 90% achieving a complete remission (CR), including 24 patients not in CR prior to transplantation. Two-year overall and progression-free survival were 83% and 75%, respectively.