Influence of rituximab (R) on survival of patients (pts) with grade 1 and 2 follicular lymphoma (FL 1-2) over the past three decades.

e18509 Background: Advanced stage FL 1-2 is considered incurable with conventional therapies. Randomized trials over the past decade have demonstrated a survival advantage associated with the use of R in combination with chemotherapy compared to chemotherapy alone. We performed an analysis of pts in the Nebraska Lymphoma Study Group database to evaluate the impact of the use of R on survival over the past three decades. Methods: All pts diagnosed with FL 1-2 between June 1981 and January 2008 were included. Patient and treatment related variables were collected for analyses. Treatment related variables included the use of radiation therapy, use of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), and use of R. Pts were classified as having never received R (R-N), those who received R with salvage (R-S), and those who received R with initial therapy (R-I). Overall survival was calculated from the date of diagnosis to date of death from any cause. Univariate comparison of survival probability was conducted using...