Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: current standard treatment and future perspectives

The current standard treatment for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is R-CHOP administration. This therapeutic protocol began in the first decade of the 21^st century, based on the results of a randomized trial which compared R-CHOP with a CHOP regimen for elderly patients and showed an approximately 20% survival advantage in the R-CHOP arm. Recent developments of new drugs such as monoclonal antibody and molecularly targeted agents have been remarkable and many such agents have been introduced into clinical practice with high expectations. Nevertheless, the standard regimen for DLBCL has not been renewed for more than 15 years. In this article, we consider the types of investigations which have pointed to the conclusion that the R-CHOP regimen remains the current standard for DLBCL patients. Future perspectives are also discussed.