Authors' objectives: To assess the available evidence on the efficacy, safety and aspects related to coverage polices of the use of rituximab for the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Authors' recommendations: The evidence found was of very good methodological quality. In the RCTs reviewed, the fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, rituximab (FCR) combined scheme as first-line treatment has shown a slight increase in overall survival. In the clinical context of relapse and refraction, the benefit of adding rituximab is only evidenced in prolonging progression-free survival and rate of CR. However, it is worth mentioning that these benefits were shown in a highly selected population of mainly young patients, with no comorbidities, at early stages of the disease and with no cytogenetic factors of poor prognosis No RCTs were found that assess the efficacy and safety of rituximab in combination with other chemotherapy regimes, therefore, its usefulness is still to be defined within this context. Despite this important limitation, there is consensus among the most important international societies and health insurance companies on considering the FCR scheme as treatment of choice young patients or adults in good general condition treatment-naive or who have relapsed after two years.

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2012

URL for published report: https://www.iecs.org.ar/home-ets/?cod_publicacion=1513&origen_publicacion=publicaciones

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: Argentina

Organisation Name: Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy

Contact Address: Dr. Emilio Ravignani 2024, Buenos Aires - Argentina, C1414 CABA

Contact Name: info@iecs.org.ar

Contact Email: info@iecs.org.ar

Copyright: Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (IECS)