title: Clinical activity of rituximab in gastric marginal zone non-Hodgkin's lymphoma resistant to or not eligible for anti-Helicobacter pylori therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Preliminary results using rituximab in extranodal marginal zone (MALT) non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients seem to indicate a relevant clinical activity. Aim of the present study is to investigate the efficacy of conventional weekly treatment using rituximab in gastric MALT NHL patients resistant/refractory or not suitable for eradication treatment, and to evaluate the relevance of the t(11; 18)(q21; q21) translocation and its possible role as a predictive criteria of response.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven patients presenting with gastric MALT NHL at any stage, relapsed/refractory to initial treatment or not suitable for eradication were treated with rituximab in a weekly conventional schedule and evaluated for response and relapse. Flourescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis for the presence of 18q21 translocation was performed in 21 patients and was evaluated with clinical outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 26 evaluated patients, 20 (77%) achieved an objective response. Twelve patients (46%) had a pathological and clinical complete remission, and eight (31%) had a partial response. With a median follow-up of 33 months, only two patients relapsed at 26 and 14 months, respectively. No correlation was founded between FISH analysis and response or relapse.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our experience seems to confirm the clinical activity of rituximab in gastric MALT NHL patients resistant/refractory to antibiotics treatment or not presenting with clinical evidence of Helicobacter pylori infection. The t(11; 18)(q21; q21) translocation seems not to be a predictive marker to response or to subsequent relapse.
authors.affiliation: European Institute of Oncology, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martinelli
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Laszlo
authors.forename: Andrés J M
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ferreri
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pruneri
authors.forename: Maurilio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ponzoni
authors.forename: Annarita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Conconi
authors.forename: Cristiano
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Crosta
authors.forename: Ennio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pedrinis
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bertoni
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Calabrese
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zucca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D018442:Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069283:Rituximab; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000069283:Rituximab