New developments in the treatment of follicular lymphoma

The treatment of follicular lymphoma (FL) continues to evolve. Those patients who present with minimal symptoms often are observed without therapy until significant progression occurs. When treatment is needed, initial options include single agent rituximab (R, anti-CD20), or various forms of chemoimmunotherapy including either R or the newer anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody obinutuzumab (O), with or without maintenance administration. Recent data suggest that the immunomodulatory agent lenalidomide can also be effective in combination with rituximab in both the upfront and relapsed setting. Patients with recurrent disease are frequently treated with chemoimmunotherapy or phosphoinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors. Current information suggests that the most important prognostic feature of FL is the presence or absence of early progression (within 2 years of initial treatment/diagnosis). Ongoing efforts are focused on biomarkers to optimally match treatment to patient populations and further improve clinical outcomes.