Gemcitabine Hydrochloride, Cyclophosphamide, Vincristine Sulfate, Prednisolone, and Rituximab in Treating Patients With Newly Diagnosed Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

OBJECTIVES: * To determine whether rituximab, in combination with non-cardiotoxic chemotherapy comprising gemcitabine hydrochloride, cyclophosphamide, vincristine sulfate, and prednisolone, is efficacious in a group of patients who are unfit for CHOP chemotherapy. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients receive gemcitabine hydrochloride IV over 30 minutes on days 1 and 8; cyclophosphamide IV, vincristine sulfate IV, and rituximab IV on day 1; and oral prednisolone once daily on days 1-5. Treatment repeats every 21 days for up to 6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed every 3 months for 1 year, every 4 months for 1 year, and then every 6 months for 1 year.