High anti-lymphoma activity of bendamustine/mitoxantrone/rituximab in rituximab pretreated relapsed or refractory indolent lymphomas and mantle cell lymphomas. A multicenter phase II study of the German Low Grade Lymphoma Study Group (GLSG)

On the basis of a preceding phase I study, the current trial explored bendamustine in combination with mitoxantrone and rituximab (BMR) in patients with stage III/IV relapsed or refractory indolent lymphomas and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) with or without prior rituximab containing chemo-immunotherapy (R-chemo) treatment. Therapy consisted of bendamustine 90 mg/m(2) days 1 + 2, mitoxantrone 10 mg/m(2) day 1, rituximab 375 mg/m(2) day 8. Treatment was repeated on day 29 for a total of four cycles. Between 3 April and 04 July, 57 patients were recruited from 24 participating institutions, 39% of whom had received prior R-chemo therapy. Median age was 66 years (40 - 83). Lymphoma subtypes were …