Real-world efficacy and safety of bendamustine with or without rituximab in treatment-naïve older patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia: Retrospective analysis by age group from a German registry

Purpose: Bendamustine, a unique alkylating agent with a multifaceted mechanism of action, is effective front-line therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The cytotoxic activity of bendamustine against CLL-derived cell lines is synergized by rituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody. This retrospective analysis assessed real-world efficacy and safety of bendamustine alone and combined with rituximab (BR) in 3 age groups of older treatment-naïve CLL patients from a large registry.