Dr. Goy Highlights Research From the 2012 ASCO Meeting

Andre Goy, MD, MS, chief, Lymphoma Division, chairman, John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center, highlights hematologic oncology research that will be presented at the 2012 ASCO Annual Meeting, which also includes advances in novel small biological agents, antibody drug conjugates, and vaccines.

One study that Goy highlights compares the combination of bendamustine plus rituximab to R-CHOP in patients with indolent and mantle cell lymphomas. This follow up data suggests that bendamustine and rituximab may be superior to R-CHOP alone.

The second trial that Goy highlights is a small 26-patient NCI study examining the use of idiotype vaccines following DA-EPOCH-rituximab in patients with mantle cell lymphoma. After an 11-year follow up the median progression-free survival benefit was found to be 24 months and the overall survival benefit was 104 months.

Goy notes that the 11-year follow up shows the importance of commitment to a trial and explains this type of follow up presents a challenge but is needed in order to find the long-term benefit of treatment.

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