Abstract
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in the most common type of non-Hodgkin's
lymphoma (NHL) in developed world, so far and approximately 60,000 new
non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) cases and 20,000 deaths have been estimated
in the United States for 2010. In spite of novel therapeutic options have been
suggested and successfully tried in patients with lymphoproliferative disorders,
the standard first- line treatment for DLBCL has remained the same combination
of chemotherapy and CD20 (activated-glycosylated phosphoprotein) targeting
monoclonal antibody rituximab (R) with 30% to 40% chance of relapse after first
line R-CHOP treatment. Several clinical trials have been designed to evaluate safety,
efficacy and superior clinical benefit by adding novel agents, intensifying cycles of
treatment or substituting rituximab with new CD20 targeting immunotherapies.