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Rituximab therapy in malignant lymphoma

Abstract

Rituximab is the first monoclonal antibody to have been registered for the treatment of B-cell lymphomas. Randomized studies haves demonstrated its activity in follicular lymphoma (FL), mantle cell lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in untreated or relapsing patients. Non-comparative studies have shown an activity in all other lymphomas. Because of its high activity and low toxicity ratio, rituximab has transformed the outcome of patients with B-cell lymphoma. A combination of rituximab plus chemotherapy, rituximab+cyclophosphamide+doxorubicin+vincristine+prednisolone (R-CHOP), has the highest efficacy ever described with any chemotherapy in DLBCL and FL. Some patients are refractory to rituximab but the precise mechanisms of this refractoriness are not understood.

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Correspondence to B Coiffier.

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Coiffier, B. Rituximab therapy in malignant lymphoma. Oncogene 26, 3603–3613 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1210376

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