Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40074837›Full record

Observational studyAnnals of hematology2025

Anti-CD20 maintenance strategies to face the challenge of COVID-19 pandemic in follicular lymphoma: results from the R-FolSTOP multicentre Italian study.

Alessia Castellino, Lorenzo Comba, Laura Bertolotti, Carola Boccomini, Michele Clerico, Paolo Nicoli, Anna Vanazzi, Fulvia Fanelli, Tommasina Perrone, Francesco Marchesi and 15 more

Erratum issuedAbstract readMulticenter StudyObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Annals of hematology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

25 authors.

Alessia Castellino *Hematology Unit, Santa Croce E Carle Hospital, Via Michele Coppino, 26, 12100, Cuneo, Italy. castellino.ale@ospedale.cuneo.it.
Lorenzo Comba *Hematology Unit, Santa Croce E Carle Hospital, Via Michele Coppino, 26, 12100, Cuneo, Italy.
Laura BertolottiHematology Unit, Santa Croce E Carle Hospital, Via Michele Coppino, 26, 12100, Cuneo, Italy.
Carola BoccominiHematology Unit, ASO Città Della Salute E Della Scienza Di Torino, Turin, Italy.
Michele ClericoHematology Division U, AOU Città Della Salute E Della Scienza, Turin, Italy.
Paolo NicoliHematology Unit, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital and University, Orbassano, Italy.
Anna VanazziOnco-Hematology Division, IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy.
Fulvia FanelliHematology Unit, San Camillo Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Tommasina PerroneHematology Unit, Policlinico Hospital, Bari, Italy.
Francesco MarchesiHematology Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
Federica CocitoHematology Unit, San Gerardo Hospital Monza, Monza, Italy.
Michele MerliHematolgy Unit, Ospedale Di Circolo ASST Sette Laghi, Varese, Italy.
Sara BigliardiHematology Unit, Ospedale Di Sassuolo, AUSL Modena, Modena, Italy.
Bianca MecacciUniversity of Siena, Siena, Italy.
Valentina BozzoliHematology Unit, Vito Fazzi Hospital, Lecce, Italy.
Gloria Margiotta-CasaluciDivisions of Hematology, Department of Translation Medicine, AOU Maggiore Della Carità, Novara, Italy.
Erika MeliDepartment of Hematology, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy.
Antonella AnastasiaHematology Unit, Ospedali Civili, Brescia, Italy.
Lucia FarinaHematology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy.
Ombretta AnnibaliHematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Università Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy.
Annarita ConconiHematology Unit, Ospedale Degli Infermi, Biella, Italy.
Sara RattottiHematology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
Sara GalimbertiHematology Unit, Santa Chiara Hospital and University, Pisa, Italy.
Claudia CastellinoHematology Unit, Santa Croce E Carle Hospital, Via Michele Coppino, 26, 12100, Cuneo, Italy.
Massimo MassaiaHematology Unit, Santa Croce E Carle Hospital, Via Michele Coppino, 26, 12100, Cuneo, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The SARS-CoV2 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges between temporary or permanent discontinuation of immunosuppressive treatment to protect patients, or disease control prioritization by not interrupting treatment. Maintenance treatment with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) improves progression-free survival (PFS) in follicular lymphoma (FL), but also impairs anti-SARS-CoV2 immune response. This challenge has been addressed in Italy by temporary, definitive or no discontinuation of anti-CD20 treatment. We report the outcome of 539 FL patients receiving anti-CD20 MoAbs (rituximab in 431, obinutuzumab in 108), which were temporarily discontinued in 150 patients (group A), definitively discontinued in 166 (group B), or uninterrupted in 223 (group C). In the overall cohort, the 3-year progression-free survival (3y PFS) and 3-year overall survival (3y OS) rates were 80% and 88%. PFS and OS were significantly better in group A compared to group B and C (p = 0.01). Induction chemoimmunotherapy significantly influenced OS: the 3y OS was 91% vs 85% in CHOP vs bendamustine treated patients (p = 0.04), while the 3y OS was 90% vs 77% in rituximab vs obinutuzumab treated patients (p = 0.002). SARS-Cov2 infection was the main cause of death (67% of cases). Vaccination with multiple doses demonstrated to be clinically helpful, with impact on OS.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic Agents, ImmunologicalAntineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy ProtocolsCOVID-19Lymphoma, FollicularRituximabAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAntibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedAntigens, CD20Bendamustine HydrochlorideCyclophosphamideDoxorubicinFemaleHumansItalyAntibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedAntigens, CD20Antineoplastic Agents, ImmunologicalBendamustine HydrochlorideCyclophosphamideDoxorubicinMethotrexateobinutuzumabPrednisoneR-CHOP protocolRituximabVincristineAnti-CD20COVID-19Follicular lymphomaMaintenance treatmentSARS-CoV-2

Identifiers

PMID40074837
PMCPMC12031816

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.