Info

Rituximab

is a monoclonal Ab directed at ↣ the B-cell Ag CD-20. Efficacy has been shown w/ both single-agent & combination Rx

  • Rituximab monotherapy (4 weekly doses) is → used 1° in pts w/ low volume disease. ORR ~70-75%, CR ~40-45% in untreated pts (JCO 2005;23:1103)
  • Rituximab plus chemotherapy is → more often used.
    • Standard regimens include
      • R-CHOP,
      • R-Bendamustine,
      • R-CVP.
    • Addition of rituximab to chemotherapy
      • improves RR, PFS, & OS over chemo alone.
    • No single regimen is → preferred, & individual pt factors guide choice

see also: Treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus 󰒖

  • ITP, AIHA, refractory SLE
  • Infusion reaction / serum sickness, PML, infection