Background: Splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) with or without villous lymphocytes is an indolent lymphoma that typically affects elderly patients. Treatment is required in symptomatic cases. Splenectomy remains one of the first-line options in patients fit for surgery. The best therapeutic strategy has not yet been identified. Among different possible chemotherapeutic approaches, purine analogues, alone or in association with rituximab, seem to be a valid therapeutic choice.
Patients and methods: Fifty SMZL patients were treated with cladribine with or without anti-CD20 mAb.
Results: Forty-six of 50 patients were assessable for response. Overall response rate was 87%: 24 of 46 patients (52%) achieved a complete hematological response (CR), 16 of 46 (35%) a partial response and 6 (13%) were unresponsive. Interestingly, 15 of 24 cases (62%) in CR also achieved a molecular remission.
Conclusions: The present results indicate that this schedule is a valid therapeutic approach in SMZL. Addition of rituximab significantly improved quality of response and consequently the outcome of the disease.