Emerging agents for the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma

The characterization of the mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) entity had a major impact on patient management and has played a profound role in improving therapy. Although the prognosis is improving in MCL, there is no definitive proof that the therapies currently available will lead to cure. Few randomized studies have been conducted in MCL patients. In young patients, initial intensive therapy with high-dose cytarabine followed by high-dose chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell reinfusion has resulted in prolonged progression-free survival. In elderly subjects, who always represent a more heterogeneous group of patients, there is no consensus concerning which drugs can be used during induction chemotherapy. New drugs have essentially been evaluated in patients with recurrent disease or refractory to first-line regimens. Recently, two of them (bortezomib and temsirolimus) with different modes of action were registered in MCL. Targeted therapies are also being investigated extensively in MCL and are yielding interesting activities.