rituximab + cyclophosphamide + doxorubicin + vincristine + prednisone + cytarabine

The combination of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone, and cytarabine is a highly intensive chemoimmunotherapy regimen primarily utilized in the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). This regimen is most famously administered as the 'Nordic MCL2' protocol, which alternates cycles of dose-intensified R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) with R-cytarabine (rituximab and high-dose cytarabine). It is designed as an induction therapy for younger, fit patients with newly diagnosed MCL, typically followed by consolidation with high-dose chemotherapy (such as BEAM) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). The regimen combines the anti-CD20 targeted action of rituximab with the cytotoxic effects of alkylating agents, anthracyclines, microtubule inhibitors, corticosteroids, and antimetabolites to maximize tumor cytoreduction and achieve deep molecular remissions.

Other names

Nordic MCL2Nordic MCL2 protocolNordic MCL2 regimenR-CHOP/R-Ara-CR-CHOP/R-Ara-C regimenR-CHOP/R-cytarabineR-CHOP/R-cytarabine regimenalternating R-CHOP and R-Ara-Calternating R-CHOP and R-cytarabine