Jane N. Winter, MD, professor of medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, discusses the importance of identifying and treating patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) who experience progression of their disease.
Follicular lymphoma is a rapidly changing field, Winter explains. More recently, there is evidence showing the majority of FL patients will do well, however, 20% of patients will progress within the first 2 years. These patients will have a 5-year overall survival (OS) of 50%, compared to most patients who will have a median OS measured in decades.
There is currently no way of identifying which patients will have disease progression. In addition to being able to identify these patients from the start, alternative treatment approaches are also needed for these patients, Winter says.
