Moving towards the chemo-free treatment of lymphoma: hype or reality?

Abstract

A new generation of novel, effective targeted drugs and cellular therapies include monoclonal antibodies directed at the cell surface, such as the anti-CD-19 tafasitamab which, combined with lenalidomide, is the first therapy approved by the Food and Drug Administration for second-line treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Other agents interfere with pro-survival intracellular signaling pathways including drugs that inhibit Bruton tyrosine kinase, phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3-kinase), and bcl-2. An increasing number of therapies impact the microenvironment, notably checkpoint inhibitors and bispecific antibodies. Chimeric antigen receptor-T cell therapy has improved the outcome of patients with a variety of histologies of lymphoma. Whereas in the past, such therapies would be used inrelapsed and refractory settings, they are now being evaluated as initial treatment in selected patients. With an improved ability to individualize treatment approaches, chemo-free will be a reality for lymphoma patients.