title: Rituximab as in vivo purging agent in autologous stem cell transplantation for relapsed B-NHL.
abstract: In vivo purging may avoid relapse after high dose therapy (HDT) for relapsed lymphoma. Therefore, we have evaluated feasibility and efficacy of Rituximab as in vivo purging agent included into a sequential salvage protocol for CD20+ B-NHL in chemosensitive relapse or induction failure. Thirty seven patients were treated within this protocol and in 36/37 a stem cell product could be acquired with rare NHL contamination. Overall, due to the intensity of treatment there has been a substantial morbidity, including high rates of viral reactivation. However, only one patient died during treatment due to sepsis. Response rates were favourable with an overall response rate of 97% (with 30/35CR). With a maximum follow up of 3.5 years, 15 patients relapsed. Overall, the treatment protocol has proven feasible with high purging efficiency and encouraging remission rates in this unfavourable patient group.
authors.affiliation: III. Department of Medicine, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Flohr
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Derigs
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D001781:Blood Component Removal / Q000379:methods*; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000628:therapy*; D036102:Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D000069283:Rituximab; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000069283:Rituximab