title: Level of CD 20-expression and efficacy of rituximab treatment in patients with resistant or relapsing B-cell prolymphocytic leukemia and B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
abstract: Rituximab (IDEC C2B8) is a chimeric human-mouse monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody that has been proven to be effective for the treatment of patients with CD20 positive leukemia and lymphoma. The level of CD20-expression in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) is low in comparison to other B-cell lymphomas and normal B-cells. Previous experience with rituximab treatment in small series of patients with B-CLL suggest that it is less effective in B-CLL than in follicular lymphomas. We analyzed the correlation between CD20-expression level and efficacy of rituximab treatment in eight patients with refractory or relapsed B-CLL and two patients with B-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (B-PLL). We could not identify any correlation between CD20-expression and efficacy of rituximab treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine V, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perz
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Topaly
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fruehauf
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hensel
authors.forename: Anthony D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000378:metabolism*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D015463:Leukemia, Prolymphocytic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069283:Rituximab; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D015996:Survival Rate; D013810:Therapeutic Equivalency; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D000069283:Rituximab