Management of relapsed mantle cell lymphoma: still a treatment challenge

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a distinct subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that remains incurable, and is associated with a median survival of approximately 5 years. Management of patients with relapsed or refractory disease is challenging. The major therapeutic goal in MCL management is to improve survival and quality of life whenever possible. Progress has been made in MCL therapy in the past decade based on clinical experimentation with novel agents and combinations. There is a growing list of conventional and novel agents in our armamentarium, consisting of not only additional chemotherapy combinations including high-dose approaches, but also biologically targeted reagents such as the monoclonal antibody rituximab, the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib, the mTOR inhibitor temsirolimus, immunomodulatory and antiangiogenic agents including thalidomide and lenalidomide, and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, as well as a renewed interest in older compounds such as bendamustine and metronomic regimens. Efficacy evaluations for individual agents and rational combinations are in various stages of development, while treatment selection based on molecular and clinical prognostic scores is yet to be tested. In the absence of evidence demonstrating relative survival advantages of various second-line options, management of relapsed and refractory disease should be individualized. Involvement of a lymphoma center participating in clinical trials of novel MCL treatments is encouraged.