Combination Chemotherapy With or Without Monoclonal Antibody Therapy in Treating Older Patients With Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Monoclonal antibodies such as rituximab can locate tumor cells and either kill them or deliver tumor-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. It is not yet known if combination chemotherapy is more effective with or without rituximab for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy with or without rituximab in treating older patients who have non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Sex

All

Minimum age

60 Years

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven intermediate or high grade B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (other than Burkitt's, non-Burkitt's, undifferentiated, or lymphoblastic lymphoma) B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma positive for CD19 and/or CD20 by slide-based immunohistochemistry or flow cytometry No mantle cell or follicular lymphoma Measurable disease, defined by at least one of the following: Physical examination Radiographic findings of at least 2 dimensions Bidimensional measurable defect or mass measuring at least 2 cm in diameter on radionuclide or CT scan Enlarged spleen extending at least 2 cm below the costal margin provided that there is no other likely explanation besides lymphomatous involvement Enlarged liver extending at least 5 cm below the costal margin along with biopsy-proven lymphomatous hepatic involvement No history of transformed lymphoma No known posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorder No CNS involvement CALGB patients 60-65 years of age must not be eligible for any other study of higher priority A new classification scheme for adult non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has been adopted by PDQ. The terminology of "indolent" or "aggressive" lymphoma will replace the former terminology of "low", "intermediate", or "high" grade lymphoma. However, this protocol uses the former terminology.

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: See Disease Characteristics 60 and over Performance status: ECOG 0-3 Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm3 (unless due to lymphoma) Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3 (unless due to lymphoma) Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 3.0 mg/dL Renal: Creatinine less than 2.1 mg/dL OR Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min Cardiovascular: No active heart disease including congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction within the past 3 months, or symptomatic ventricular arrhythmia LVEF at least 45% if prior history of heart disease exists Other: HIV negative No other malignancy within the past 5 years except squamous cell or basal cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: See Disease Characteristics No prior biologic response modifier therapy No prior immunotherapy No prior rituximab Chemotherapy: No prior cytotoxic chemotherapy No concurrent dexrazoxane Endocrine therapy: Prior corticosteroids allowed Radiotherapy: No prior radiotherapy No prior radioimmunotherapy Surgery: Not specified

• RESULTAdvani RH, Chen H, Habermann TM, Morrison VA, Weller EA, Fisher RI, Peterson BA, Gascoyne RD, Horning SJ; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group; Cancer and Leukemia Group B; Southwest Oncology Group. Comparison of conventional prognostic indices in patients older than 60 years with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with R-CHOP in the US Intergroup Study (ECOG 4494, CALGB 9793): consideration of age greater than 70 years in an elderly prognostic index (E-IPI). Br J Haematol. 2010 Oct;151(2):143-51. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2010.08331.x. PMID 20735398
• RESULTWinter JN, Li S, Aurora V, Variakojis D, Nelson B, Krajewska M, Zhang L, Habermann TM, Fisher RI, Macon WR, Chhanabhai M, Felgar RE, Hsi ED, Medeiros LJ, Weick JK, Weller EA, Melnick A, Reed JC, Horning SJ, Gascoyne RD. Expression of p21 protein predicts clinical outcome in DLBCL patients older than 60 years treated with R-CHOP but not CHOP: a prospective ECOG and Southwest Oncology Group correlative study on E4494. Clin Cancer Res. 2010 Apr 15;16(8):2435-42. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-09-1219. Epub 2010 Apr 6. PMID 20371683
• RESULTAurora V, Li S, Horning SJ, et al.: Prognostic significance of p53/p21 expression in DLBCL treated with CHOP or R-CHOP: a correlative study of E4494. [Abstract] J Clin Oncol 25 (Suppl 18): A-8038, 450s, 2007.
• RESULTMorrison VA, Weller EA, Habermann TM, et al.: Maintenance rituximab (MR) compared to observation (OBS) after R-CHOP or CHOP in older patients (pts) with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL): an Intergroup E4494/C9793 update. [Abstract] J Clin Oncol 25 (Suppl 18): A-8011, 443s, 2007.
• RESULTAdvani RH, Chen H, Habermann TM, et al.: Prognostic indices in older DLBCL patients receiving R-CHOP: an analysis of the U.S. Intergroup study (E4494, CALGB 9793). [Abstract] Blood 108 (11): A-813, 2006.
• RESULTHabermann TM, Weller EA, Morrison VA, Gascoyne RD, Cassileth PA, Cohn JB, Dakhil SR, Woda B, Fisher RI, Peterson BA, Horning SJ. Rituximab-CHOP versus CHOP alone or with maintenance rituximab in older patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. J Clin Oncol. 2006 Jul 1;24(19):3121-7. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2005.05.1003. Epub 2006 Jun 5.