Multiply relapsing hairy cell leukemia responsive to repeated courses of rituximab: a case report.
While cladribine is a highly effective therapy for patients with symptomatic hairy cell leukemia (HCL), up to 37% of patients ultimately relapse and incompletely responding patients relapse more frequently. Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody against CD20 that has been shown to be effective in patients with relapsed HCL. We present an unusual case of successful multiple re-treatments with rituximab in a patient with heavily pre-treated HCL and briefly review the relevant literature.
Buckstein
Rena
R
Toronto Sunnybrook Regional Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ont., Canada, M4N 3M5. rena.buckstein@sw.ca
Patel
Harshna
H
Chesney
Alden
A
Reis
Marciano
M
Imrie
Kevin
K
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D017338:Cladribine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007943:Leukemia, Hairy Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012074:Remission Induction; D000069283:Rituximab; D016879:Salvage Therapy
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D017338:Cladribine; D000069283:Rituximab