An Open-label Phase II Study of the Efficacy and Safety of the Combination of Fludarabine, Cyclophosphamide and Rituximab in Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia Who Are Newly Diagnosed, Have Relapsed or Are Resistant to First-Line Treatment
An Open-label Phase II Study of the Efficacy and Safety of the Combination of Fludarabine, Cyclophosphamide and Rituximab in Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia Who Are Newly Diagnosed, Have Relapsed or Are Resistant to First-Line Treatment
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as fludarabine and cyclophosphamide, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Monoclonal antibodies, such as rituximab, can block cancer growth in different ways. Some block the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread. Others find cancer cells and help kill them or carry cancer-killing substances to them. Giving fludarabine together with cyclophosphamide and rituximab may kill more cancer cells.
PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying giving fludarabine together with cyclophosphamide and rituximab to see how well it works in treating patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
OBJECTIVES:
Primary
Secondary
OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study.
Patients receive fludarabine IV over 30 minutes or orally and cyclophosphamide IV or orally on days 1-3 and pegfilgrastim subcutaneously on day 4. Starting on course 2, patients receive rituximab IV on day 1. Treatment repeats every 28 days for up to 6* courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
NOTE: *Patients achieving negative minimal residual disease receive 4 courses of treatment.
Blood samples are collected periodically for biomarker analysis. Samples are analyzed for protein expression (i.e., CD38, CD20, and ZAP70) by flow cytometry; quantitative immunoglobulins, β2-microglobulin, and T-cell subsets by electrophoresis; IgVH mutation status; and cytogenetics (i.e., +12, del 13q, del 11q, and del 17p) by FISH.
After completion of study therapy, patients are followed every 6 months for 5 years and then annually until 10th January 2019.
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
Diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia
PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: