Emerging Targeted Therapies in Marginal Zone Lymphoma

Nathan H. Fowler, MD, associate professor in the department of lymphoma/myeloma, at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses emerging targeted therapies for the treatment of marginal zone lymphoma.

Frontline combinations of chemotherapy and immunotherapy have shown response rates as high as 80% to 90%, says Fowler. A number of novel targeted drugs have also demonstrated activity in marginal zone lymphoma. Most recently, ibrutinib (Imbruvica) was approved by the FDA, based on data from a phase II trial. The findings showed response rates around 50% and progression-free survival over 12 months.