Dr. Burke on Treatment Options in Relapsed/Refractory Follicular Lymphoma

John M. Burke, MD, associate chair of the Hematology Research Program for US Oncology and medical oncologist and hematologist at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers, discusses treatment options in relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma.

T​he optimal treatment for ​a patient with relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma is contingent on what treatment they received in the first-line setting, says Burke. 

Although some patients relapse several years ​after remission, others may relapse more quickly​, Burke explains. 

Notably, patients who relapse within a few years ​of remission tend to have a less favorable prognosis, with a median overall survival of 4 or 5 years, ​Burke says.

For these patients, treatment options include additional chemoimmunotherapy, lenalidomide (Revlimid) in combination withrituximab (Rituxan), and PI3​K inhibitors, Burke concludes.