| Inclusion Criteria: | 1) Patients with symptomatic macroglobulinemic lymphoma who have had no prior treatment, or whose prior treatment has been limited to steroids and/or alpha-interferon, are eligible. Macroglobulinemic lymphoma includes patients with either biopsy proven clonal lymphocytic or lymphoplasmacytic proliferation and monoclonal IgM. Also included are symptomatic patients with clonal proliferation producing a pathologic monoclonal IgM that causes cryoglobulinemia, peripheral neuropathy or cold agglutinin hemolytic anemia.
2) Patients must have acceptable liver function (total bilirubin < 2.5mg/dL) and renal function (creatinine < 2.0mg/dL). Patients with impaired renal function will only be included if the renal failure is secondary to macroglobulinemic lymphoma (i.e. Bence Jones proteinuria, cryoglobulinemia, ureteral obstruction due to mass) that might reverse with improvement of disease.
3) Female subject is either post-menopausal or surgically sterilized or willing to use an acceptable method of birth control (i.e., a hormonal contraceptive, intra-uterine device, diaphragm with spermicide, condom with spermicide, or abstinence) for the duration of the study.
4) Male subject agrees to use an acceptable method for contraception for the duration of the study.
5) Patients must voluntarily sign an informed consent form indicating that they are aware of the investigational nature of the study, with the understanding that consent may be withdrawn by the subject at any time without prejudice to future care.
6) Patient has a heart rate (HR) of greater than or equal to 50 bpm. |