Emerging therapies for the treatment of relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Oncology
• Clinical Therapeutics

Background:

• Follicular lymphoma (FL) lacks a standard treatment for relapsed or refractory disease, necessitating new therapeutic strategies.
• Early relapse or treatment resistance in FL patients indicates a poor prognosis, highlighting the urgent need for novel approaches.
• Evolving upfront treatments, such as bendamustine and rituximab, complicate decisions for subsequent therapies in relapsed/refractory FL.

Approach:

• This paper reviews emerging novel therapies for relapsed and refractory follicular lymphoma.
• Evidence for monoclonal antibodies, immunoconjugates, immunomodulatory agents, and signal transduction inhibitors is summarized.
• Recommendations for subsequent treatment are proposed based on remission duration after induction and maintenance therapy.

Key Points:

• Novel therapies including monoclonal antibodies and signal transduction inhibitors show promise for relapsed/refractory FL.
• Treatment selection requires careful consideration of prior therapies, remission duration, and patient-specific factors.
• Emerging evidence guides personalized treatment strategies in this challenging patient population.

Conclusions:

• The complexity of treatment decisions for relapsed and refractory FL is increasing.
• Evidence-based recommendations are crucial for optimizing patient outcomes.
• Further research into novel therapeutic agents and treatment sequencing is warranted.