What the trial was testing
The trial enrolled 68 patients with lymphoma. The study was sponsored by National Cancer Institute (NCI) and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
It was mid-stage testing (phase 2/3). Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.
What the results showed
95–100% of patients were alive and cancer-free after 6–7 years on this gentler regimen.
The New England journal of medicine · 2013 · NCT00006436
These findings — that nearly all patients survived long-term with this gentler chemotherapy approach — were published in the The New England journal of medicine and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 68 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with lymphoma, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
This was a mid-stage study showing promising results with EPOCH-R. The treatment combines several existing chemotherapy drugs with rituximab in a lower-intensity approach. These drugs are FDA-approved for various lymphomas, and this combination may be available through specialized cancer centers. Ask your oncologist whether this regimen or similar approaches are options for your situation.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open lymphoma trials
A Study to Investigate Ronde-cel Versus Investigator's Choice CD19 CAR T-Cell Therapy
This Phase 3 study compares rondecabtagene autoleucel (ronde-cel), a dual-targeting CD19/CD20 CAR T-cell therapy, with investigator's choice of CD19 CAR T-cell therapy in patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma in the second-line setting.
VMD-928 Monotherapy and in Combination With Pembrolizumab to Treat TrkA Overexpression Driven Solid Tumors or Lymphoma
This is a multicenter, open-label, Phase 1/2 study of orally administered VMD-928 monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab in adult subjects with advanced solid tumors or lymphoma that have progressed or are non responsive to available therapies and for which no standard or available curative therapy exists