title: Rituximab in cutaneous B-cell lymphoma: a report of two cases.
abstract: We report two patients with primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma who were treated with rituximab, a new anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody. The first patient, who had a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the lower leg, achieved an 85% improvement. The second patient, who had a primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma, which had undergone high-grade transformation and systemic spread, achieved a minor response of approximately 30%. Both patients subsequently relapsed. The first patient achieved complete clearance with a second course of rituximab given with systemic chemotherapy, but again relapsed. Treatment with rituximab has been reported to produce response rates of 48% in relapsed systemic low-grade or follicular lymphoma, but there are no previous reports of the use of rituximab in primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma.
authors.affiliation: Skin Tumour Unit, St John's Institute of Dermatology, St Thomas' Hospital (GKT), London SE1 7EH, U.K.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Sabroe
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Child
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Woolford
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Spittle
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Russell-Jones
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000276:immunology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D000069283:Rituximab; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000069283:Rituximab