The purpose of this trial was to evaluate efficacy and safety of adding Rituximab to dose-dense and High-Dose Chemotherapy (HDC) with Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation (ASCT) as first line treatment in young patients with DLBCL at Intermediate-High and High risk aaIPI score

Inclusion Criteria:

• previously untreated aggressive B-cell lymphoma (Diffuse Large B-Cell,
• Primary Mediastinal,
• Follicular grade III b Lymphoma);
• age 18 to 60;
• III-IV Ann Arbor stage;
• 0-2 Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS);
• intermediate-high (IH) and high (H) risk score according to age-adjusted International Prognostic Index (IPI).
• Patients with Primary Mediastinal Lymphoma were included only if they had advanced stage III or IV disease.

Exclusion Criteria:

• HIV,
• hepatitis B or C virus seropositivity;
• CNS involvement at diagnosis;
• abnormal renal, pulmonary and hepatic function;
• left ventricular ejection fraction less than 45%;
• pregnancy.