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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Adding rituximab maintenance after ibrutinib-based therapy significantly extends progression-free survival in younger patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), according to a secondary analysis of the TRIANGLE trial. The 4-year PFS improved across all treatment arms with continued rituximab. The catch? It also raised the risk of serious grade 3–5 infections, prompting a careful benefit-risk conversation for clinicians.
Younger patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) who continued rituximab maintenance after ibrutinib-based first-line therapy saw meaningfully longer progression-free survival (PFS), according to a secondary analysis of the TRIANGLE trial published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Researchers say the strategy "may be considered as part of the current standard of care" for this incurable disease.
The analysis looked at 744 patients who achieved partial or complete remission after induction therapy or autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Across all treatment arms, continued rituximab consistently outperformed no maintenance on PFS — though overall survival differences did not reach statistical significance.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: MCL remains incurable, making durable remission a key treatment goal. These findings support rituximab maintenance as an effective tool to extend remission, but the elevated infection risk — particularly in ibrutinib-containing regimens — means clinicians must weigh the trade-offs carefully for each patient.
