Follicular lymphoma (FL) is the most common B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and typically follows an indolent disease course. While some patients do not require treatment until certain criteria are met, others may progress to an aggressive lymphoma phenotype requiring a different treatment approach. The current standard initial treatment for FL consists of chemo-immunotherapy in which cytotoxic chemotherapy is combined with an anti-CD20 antibody. In general, this treatment strategy is highly effective, significantly delaying disease progression and postponing the need for additional therapy for many years. However, a proportion of patients may experience chemotherapy-related toxicities, while others prove to be chemotherapy-refractory. For these patients, an effective chemotherapy-free treatment approach is sought. This article provides a concise overview of the mechanisms of action of potential targeted therapies for FL and briefly discusses the available clinical trial data.1
