Although it is known that rituximab (trade name Rituxan) should be used in combination with chemotherapy to treat patients with indolent lymphoma diseases, there has been no research to demonstrate which chemotherapy regimen was the most effective. Dr Rummel outlines the results of a randomised phase III trial comparing the use of bendamustine plus rituximab with CHOP plus rituximab. This study established that bendamustine plus rituximab had a lower toxicity profile and a clear superiority in efficacy. Despite these positive results and the fact that this combination is already common use in Germany, it has not yet been approved for use in the United States.