Treatment of primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma with rituximab.
BACKGROUND
Rituximab is a genetically engineered antibody directed against the CD20 antigen. Intravenous administration of rituximab has been used for the treatment of patients with low-, intermediate-, and high-grade B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and is a registered treatment modality for this indication. Treatment of primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma (CBCL) with intralesionally or systemically administered rituximab has been described only in a few cases.


OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to assess the efficacy of rituximab in the treatment of CBCL.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective study on 9 patients with CBCL who were treated with intralesional or systemic administration of rituximab.


RESULTS
Two patients treated with systemic rituximab achieved complete remission. Complete remission could be observed in 6 of 7 patients after 1 to 8 cycles of intralesional treatment with rituximab. In one patient one of two lesions showed a partial remission after 4 cycles of treatment, whereas the second showed complete remission. A local recurrence was observed in one patient after 27 months of follow-up and in two patients recurrences developed at other body sites after 12 and 14 months of follow-up. No severe side effect occurred except for slight pain during intralesional injection.


CONCLUSIONS
Rituximab therapy is a well-tolerated and effective treatment for primary CBCL. In comparison to intravenous administration, intralesional application of the drug allows the use of lower dosages. Intralesional therapy with rituximab deserves further investigation and comparison to systemic administration of the drug in controlled multicenter studies.
Fink-Puches
Regina
R
Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Wolf
Ingrid H
IH
Zalaudek
Iris
I
Kerl
Helmut
H
Cerroni
Lorenzo
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000069283:Rituximab; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D000069283:Rituximab