Dr. Younes on 2016 ASH Highlights in Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Anas Younes, MD, chief of the Lymphoma Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer, discusses highlights from the 2016 ASH Annual Meeting focused on the area of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).

Most data presented in this field, he explains, were early and were in phase I/II. However, findings of one randomized study will likely change standard practice. This study compared the outcomes of young patients who received autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) with either rituximab (Rituxan) maintenance for 3 years or observation. The patients who were on the rituximab arm had improved progression-free survival, event-free survival, and overall survival.

This is likely to change the standard of care for patients with MCL who are receiving ASCT, Younes says.