German Experience With Bendamustine Treating Relapsed/Refractory Indolent B-Cell and Mantle Cell Lymphomas

Bendamustine is a chemotherapeutic agent that has been used in Germany for the past three decades in the treatment of several hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. Bendamustine has both nitrogen mustard and antimetabolite activity, which is thought to be responsible for its activity in cell lines that are refractory to conventional alkylating agents such as cyclophosphamide. This has provided the rationale for evaluating bendamustine in lymphoma patients previously treated with alkylating agents. In the monograph, recent experience with bendamustine, both as monotherapy and in combination with rituximab, in indolent lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma is discussed. The design of an ongoing phase III clinical trial designed to compare bendamustine-rituximab to CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) plus rituximab (CHOP-R) in this patient population is also addressed.