Long-term follow-up of rituximab maintenance in young patients with mantle-cell lymphoma included in the LYMA trial

The phase 3 LYMA trial in France and Belgium randomized younger (18-65 years of age) patients with previously untreated mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) after immunochemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation to rituximab maintenance or observation. Primary analysis of the trial found that EFS and PFS were superior with rituximab maintenance compared to observation. Long-term follow-up (median 7.5 years) found that EFS (HR 0.39; p<0.0001) and PFS (HR 0.36; p<0.0001) remained statistically significant superior in favor of rituximab over observation. Seven-years OS estimate was 83.2% versus 72.2% (HR 0,63; p=0.088). Cause of death was not significantly distinct between the two groups, with a very low rate of infection-related death. The authors conclude that among younger patients after first-line immunochemotherapy and autoSCT, rituximab maintenance was safe and effective.