Frontline lenalidomide plus rituximab for DLBCL in elderly frail patients

Treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in elderly patients is challenging, especially for those who are not eligible for anthracycline-containing regimens. The phase 2 Italian FIL_ReRi study evaluated the combination of lenalidomide plus rituximab for DLBCL in previously untreated, frail patients aged 70 year or older. The ORR after cycle 6 was 50.8%, with complete response in 27.7%. The two-year duration of response was 64%. The median progression-free survival was 14 months. The treatment was tolerated. The authors conclude that the combination of lenalidomide and rituximab was active in a significant proportion of patients, warranting further exploration of this chemotherapy-free approach for elderly frial DLBCL patients.