Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in adults, accounting for about a third of all cases. Standard treatment combines chemotherapy with rituximab, curing more than half of patients. For people whose lymphoma returns or doesn't respond, newer targeted therapies and CAR T-cell treatment have changed outcomes substantially in the past five years.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing CAR T-cell therapy earlier in treatment, antibody-drug conjugates that deliver chemotherapy directly to lymphoma cells, bispecific antibodies that redirect immune cells to attack cancer, and combinations that may cure more people upfront. Researchers are also studying ways to predict which patients need more aggressive treatment from the start.
CAR T-cell therapy timing
Trials are testing whether CAR T-cell therapy works better as second-line treatment rather than waiting until the lymphoma has relapsed multiple times. Early results suggest this timing may cure more people.
Bispecific antibodies
These antibodies connect a patient's T-cells directly to lymphoma cells, forcing an immune attack. Several are now FDA-approved for relapsed disease, and trials are testing them in earlier treatment lines.
Antibody-drug conjugates
These drugs attach chemotherapy to antibodies that seek out lymphoma cells, delivering treatment more precisely. Polatuzumab vedotin is already approved, and trials are testing similar drugs and new combinations.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on how many prior treatments you've had, how well your lymphoma responded, your overall health, and sometimes specific genetic features of the lymphoma cells.
What types of trials are currently open
- First-line treatment trials — Testing whether adding new drugs to standard chemotherapy plus rituximab can cure more people upfront, especially those at high risk of relapse.
- CAR T-cell trials — Studies testing CAR T-cell therapy earlier in treatment or comparing different CAR T products to see which works best.
- Targeted therapy trials — Testing bispecific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and other drugs designed to attack specific features of lymphoma cells.
- Combination trials — Testing whether combining different targeted therapies or adding them to chemotherapy improves outcomes.
- Maintenance trials — Studies of treatments given after initial therapy to prevent the lymphoma from returning.
Recently added Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma trials
Take a modified chemotherapy regimen for relapsed lymphoma
This Phase III randomized controlled trial evaluates the effectiveness and toxicity profile of a modified DHAP regimen compared to the standard DHAP regimen in adult patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The DHAP regimen (cisplatin, cytarabine, dexamethasone) is widely used as salvage therapy but is associated with significant toxicities, including renal dysfunction and severe myelosuppression. The modified DHAP protocol fractionates cisplatin and cytarabine administration to reduce nephrotoxicity, improve tolerability, and potentially allow outpatient treatment. A total of 74 patients will be randomized (37 per arm) to receive either the modified or standard DHAP regimen. The primary endpoint is overall response rate (ORR) assessed by RECIL 2017 criteria. Secondary endpoints include progression-free survival (PFS), toxicity incidence and severity graded by CTCAE, and quality of life measured by EORTC QLQ-C30. The study anticipates that the modified DHAP regimen will demonstrate comparable or superior efficacy with reduced severe toxicities, shorter hospital stays, and improved patient satisfaction. Findings may support transitioning DHAP into outpatient administration, optimizing healthcare resource utilization in Pakistan.
Take an experimental immune therapy for B-cell lymphoma
This study is to assess safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamic (PD), and preliminary efficacy of ARC-02.
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