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Measurable Residual Disease Guided De-Intensification of Bendamustine and Rituximab for the Treatment of Indolent Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Trial Status: temporarily closed to accrual

This phase II trial studies how well measurable residual disease (MRD) detection works as a tool to reduce the amount (de-intensification) of bendamustine and rituximab in treating patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma that tends to grow and spread slowly, and has few symptoms (indolent). Patients with indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma are given at least 6 cycles of treatment therapy as standard-of-care. However, some patients have a good response to treatment after a few cycles (less than 6 cycles). It might be helpful for these patients to reduce the number of treatment cycles and begin the observation period sooner and safely wait to start the next round of therapy. This trial uses new laboratory tests that can measure small amounts of circulating tumor cells (called CTCs) and circulating tumor deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that are released from the tumor into the blood, called MRD. Changes in MRD levels have been found to be related to whether tumors are getting bigger or smaller. Chemotherapy drugs, such as bendamustine, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody. It binds to a protein called CD20, which is found on B cells (a type of white blood cell) and some types of cancer cells. This may help the immune system kill cancer cells. MRD-guided de-intensification of bendamustine and rituximab may be able to reduce potential long-term harmful side effects of the repeated treatment for indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma.