ASCO 2017 | Relapsed follicular lymphoma: hope from a non-chemotherapy regimen of lenalidomide and obinutuzumab

Nathan Fowler, MD from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX provides an overview of the results of a Phase I/II study measuring the activity of lenalidomide combined with obinutuzumab (NCT01995669) presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2017 Annual Meeting held in Chicago, IL. Prof. Fowler highlights the promising results of the trial which included patients with relapsed/refractory follicular and low grade lymphoma, for which there are very few options left. The initial phase of escalating doses of lenalidomide with obinutuzumab resulted in no significant dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), leading to expansion of the trial. The combined regimen has shown encouraging results in a difficult cohort of patients who have already received aggressive therapy, with 30% being rituximab refractory. A 100% oveall response rate and a complete remission rate (CRR) of 70% has been achieved. Follow up of patients still continues; however, at 2 years, progression-free survival (PFS) is approximately 60%.