Phase III, Multicentre, Randomised Study of Fludarabine/Cyclophosphamide Combination With or Without Rituximab in Patients With Untreated Mantle Cell Lymphoma

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as fludarabine and cyclophosphamide, 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. It is not yet known whether giving combination chemotherapy together with rituximab is more effective than combination chemotherapy alone in treating mantle cell lymphoma. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. * Arm I: Patients receive fludarabine phosphate IV or orally once daily and oral cyclophosphamide once daily on days 1-3. Treatment repeats every 28 days for up to 8 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. * Arm II: Patients receive rituximab IV on day 1 and fludarabine phosphate IV or orally once daily and oral cyclophosphamide once daily on days 1-3. Treatment repeats every 28 days for up to 8 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients undergo bone marrow and blood sample collection periodically for molecular studies. Samples are analyzed for morphology; sIgM, sIgD, CD19, CD20, CD5, CD10, CD23, bcl-1, bcl-6 via immunophenotyping and immunohistochemistry; and t(11,14) translocation via interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) mutational analysis. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed every 3 months for 2 years, every 6 months for 3 years, and then annually thereafter. This trial follows on from the Phase II randomised study of fludarabine/cyclophosphamide combination with or without Rituximab in patients with untreated mantle cell lymphoma. ISRCTN number: NCT00053092 Peer Reviewed and Funded or Endorsed by Cancer Research UK