Combination Chemotherapy With or Without Rituximab in Treating Patients With Previously Treated Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Summary

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and mitoxantrone, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Monoclonal antibodies, such as rituximab, can block cancer growth in different ways. Some block the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread. Others find cancer cells and help kill them or carry cancer-killing substances to them. Giving combination chemotherapy together with rituximab may kill more cancer cells. It is not yet known whether giving combination chemotherapy together with rituximab is more effective than combination chemotherapy alone in treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying how well giving combination chemotherapy with or without rituximab works in treating patients with previously treated chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Timeline

Start

2005-07

Primary completion

—

Completion

2011-03

Publications

• Results Hillmen P, Cohen DR, Cocks K, Pettitt A, Sayala HA, Rawstron AC, Kennedy DB, Fegan C, Milligan DW, Radford J, Mercieca J, Dearden C, Ezekwisili R, Smith AF, Brown J, Booth GA, Varghese AM, Pocock C; NCRI CLL Sub-Group. A randomized phase II trial of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and mitoxantrone (FCM) with or without rituximab in previously treated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Br J Haematol. 2011 Mar;152(5):570-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2010.08317.x. Epub 2011 Jan 14.

Drugs

Indications