Rituximab Maintenance Added to Ibrutinib-Containing Therapy in Younger, Untreated Patients With Mantle Cell Lymphoma: Results From the TRIANGLE Trial

M Marco Ladetto (1University of Eastern Piedmont, Department of Translational Medicine, Novara, Italy) K Katja Gutmair (2Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry, and Epidemiology (IBE), LMU University, Munich, Germany) R Rita Tavarozzi (4Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) A Alexandra Pawlikowski (Department of Medicine III, LMU University Hospital, Munich, Germany) M Michael Schomaker (Department of Statistics, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, Munich, Germany) J Jeanette Doorduijn (13Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Hematology, on behalf of the Lunenburg Lymphoma Phase I/II Consortium – HOVON/LLPC, Rotterdam, Netherlands) E Eva Giné M Mats Jerkeman J Jan Walewski (16Department of Lymphoid Malignancies, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland) M Martin Hutchings (15Department of Haematology, Rigshospitalet and University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark) U Ulrich Mey (17Kantonsspital Graubuenden, Oncology and Hematology, for the Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK), Chur, Switzerland) J Jon Riise (16Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway) M Marek Trneny V Vibeke K.J. Vergote (Department of Hematology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium) N Netanel A. Horowitz (The Department of Hematology and BMT, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel) M Maria Gomes Da Silva (22Departamento Hematologia, Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil, Lisboa, Portugal) S Sirpa Leppä L Linmiao Jiang (Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry, and Epidemiology (IBE), LMU Medizin, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany) S Stephan Stilgenbauer (Division of CLL, Department of Internal Medicine III, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany) A Andrea Kerkhoff (7Medizinische Klinik A, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany) R Ron D. Jachimowicz G Georg Hess (4Department of Hematology/Oncology, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Mainz, Germany) T Tom van Meerten S Stefan Wirths P Peter Herhaus (4Clinic and Policlinic for Internal Medicine III, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany) U Urban Novak (4Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research, Bern, Switzerland) J Judith Dierlamm (9University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany) M Mathias Hänel (7Department III of Internal Medicine, Klinikum Chemnitz, Chemnitz, Germany) C Christine Hanoun (Department of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany) K Kristina Sonnevi (17Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska, Sweden) C Carlo Visco (University of Verona, Verona, Italy) C Claudia Castellino (3Division of Hematology, Azienda Ospedaliera S. Croce e Carle, Cuneo, Italy) R Roberto Massimo Lemoli (Department of Internal Medicine (DiMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy) V Vittorio Ruggero Zilioli (12Division of Hematology, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy) C Carola Boccomini (Azienda Ospedaliero–Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy) C Christiane Pott (6University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Department of Internal Medicine II, Kiel, Germany) W Wolfram Klapper C Christian Schmidt (Medical Research Council Prion Unit at University College London, University College London Institute of Prion Diseases) M Martin Dreyling (LMU Hospital, Munich, Germany) E Eva Hoster (24Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry, and Epidemiology (IBE), Munich, Germany)

Abstract

The TRIANGLE trial established an ibrutinib-containing therapy without autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) as the new standard for younger, treatment-naïve patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). However, the benefit of rituximab maintenance (RM) within this novel standard is unclear. We investigated whether RM improves progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) with acceptable toxicity when added to the experimental arms of TRIANGLE. This secondary analysis of TRIANGLE included patients randomly assigned to ibrutinib-containing therapy without (I) or with (A + I) ASCT who responded to induction/ASCT. RM was given per national and center practice. PFS and OS of patients with and without RM were compared with inverse probability of treatment weighted Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests. Among responders after induction/ASCT (I: 274; A + I: 237), RM was given to 61% (I) and 64% (A + I). RM prolonged PFS in ibrutinib-containing treatment arms (I: log-rank test: P = .003, 4-year PFS probability RM v no RM, 85% v 73%; A + I: P < .001, 90% v 75%). There were trends toward prolonged OS in RM groups. RM groups were at higher risk of grade 3 to 5 infectious toxicity (I: 34% v 11%; A + I: 41% v 18%). Our findings support adding RM to BTK inhibitor treatments in younger, untreated patients with MCL to achieve prolonged remission.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 1, Issue 1
Published July 14, 2026
ISSN 0732-183X
Publisher Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Journal Info

Journal of Clinical Oncology

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

ISSN: 0732-183X Health Sciences

Authors (40)

M

Marco Ladetto

1University of Eastern Piedmont, Department of Translational Medicine, Novara, Italy

K

Katja Gutmair

2Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry, and Epidemiology (IBE), LMU University, Munich, Germany

R

Rita Tavarozzi

4Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

A

Alexandra Pawlikowski

Department of Medicine III, LMU University Hospital, Munich, Germany

M

Michael Schomaker

Department of Statistics, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, Munich, Germany

J

Jeanette Doorduijn

13Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Hematology, on behalf of the Lunenburg Lymphoma Phase I/II Consortium – HOVON/LLPC, Rotterdam, Netherlands

E

Eva Giné

M

Mats Jerkeman

J

Jan Walewski

16Department of Lymphoid Malignancies, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland

M

Martin Hutchings

15Department of Haematology, Rigshospitalet and University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

U

Ulrich Mey

17Kantonsspital Graubuenden, Oncology and Hematology, for the Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK), Chur, Switzerland

J

Jon Riise

16Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway

M

Marek Trneny

V

Vibeke K.J. Vergote

Department of Hematology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

N

Netanel A. Horowitz

The Department of Hematology and BMT, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel

M

Maria Gomes Da Silva

22Departamento Hematologia, Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil, Lisboa, Portugal

S

Sirpa Leppä

L

Linmiao Jiang

Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry, and Epidemiology (IBE), LMU Medizin, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany

S

Stephan Stilgenbauer

Division of CLL, Department of Internal Medicine III, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany

A

Andrea Kerkhoff

7Medizinische Klinik A, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany

R

Ron D. Jachimowicz

G

Georg Hess

4Department of Hematology/Oncology, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Mainz, Germany

T

Tom van Meerten

S

Stefan Wirths

P

Peter Herhaus

4Clinic and Policlinic for Internal Medicine III, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany

U

Urban Novak

4Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research, Bern, Switzerland

J

Judith Dierlamm

9University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany

M

Mathias Hänel

7Department III of Internal Medicine, Klinikum Chemnitz, Chemnitz, Germany

C

Christine Hanoun

Department of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany

K

Kristina Sonnevi

17Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska, Sweden

C

Carlo Visco

University of Verona, Verona, Italy

C

Claudia Castellino

3Division of Hematology, Azienda Ospedaliera S. Croce e Carle, Cuneo, Italy

R

Roberto Massimo Lemoli

Department of Internal Medicine (DiMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy

V

Vittorio Ruggero Zilioli

12Division of Hematology, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy

C

Carola Boccomini

Azienda Ospedaliero–Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy

C

Christiane Pott

6University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Department of Internal Medicine II, Kiel, Germany

W

Wolfram Klapper

C

Christian Schmidt

Medical Research Council Prion Unit at University College London, University College London Institute of Prion Diseases

M

Martin Dreyling

LMU Hospital, Munich, Germany

E

Eva Hoster

24Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry, and Epidemiology (IBE), Munich, Germany