Concomitant statin use does not impair the clinical outcome of patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma treated with rituximab-CHOP

Ann Hematol. 2010 Aug;89(8):783-7. doi: 10.1007/s00277-010-0926-0. Epub 2010 Mar 5.

Abstract

Preclinical data indicated a detrimental effect of statins on the anti-lymphoma activity of rituximab. We evaluated the impact of concomitant statin medication on the response and survival of patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) receiving rituximab-cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone (R-CHOP) as first-line therapy. Medical histories of patients with DLBCL who were treated with R-CHOP as first-line therapy were assessed for concomitant statin use, response after completion of chemotherapy, event-free survival (EFS), and overall survival (OS). Furthermore, 2-[(18)F]fluor-2-deoxyglucose (FDG)-PET/CT results after completion of first-line therapy were compared between the groups. Overall, 145 patients with DLBCL treated with R-CHOP from January 2001 to December 2009 were analyzed. Twenty-one (15%) patients received statins throughout therapy. Five-year EFS was 67.3% in patients without statins compared with 79% in patients receiving statins during R-CHOP (HR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.15-1.54, p = 0.2). Five-year OS was 81.4% for patients without statins compared with 93.3% for patients taking statins (HR, 0.58; 95% CI 0.07-4.55, p = 0.6). There were no statistically significant differences in the rates of complete remissions between the two groups (75% in the non-statin group versus 86% in the statin group, p = 0.45). A trend toward a lower rate of complete metabolic responses in FDG-PET/CT after chemotherapy was seen in patients without statin medication compared with the patients taking statins (84% versus 92%, p = 0.068). Concomitant statin use had no adverse impact on response to chemotherapy, EFS, and OS in patients treated with R-CHOP for DLBCL.

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Cyclophosphamide / therapeutic use
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Doxorubicin / therapeutic use
  • Drug Interactions
  • Humans
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / drug therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prednisone / therapeutic use
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Rituximab
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vincristine / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
  • Rituximab
  • Vincristine
  • Doxorubicin
  • Cyclophosphamide
  • Prednisone

Supplementary concepts

  • CHOP protocol