title: Rituximab and its role as maintenance therapy in non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
abstract: Since rituximab, a chimeric monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody, was introduced into clinical practice in 1997, data regarding its benefit in terms of response rate, quality of response, progression-free survival and overall survival in B-cell lymphoid malignancies continues to expand. Rituximab has proven to be a relatively well-tolerated drug, with its major side effects being infusion related. Rituximab was approved initially by the US FDA and the European Medicines Agency for relapsed or refractory low-grade or follicular CD20+ B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Subsequently, its use has been extended to include first-line therapy in low-grade lymphoma as well as the treatment of more aggressive histological subtypes such as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. In this article, we review the landmark trials that have impacted clinical practice in follicular and diffuse large B-cell lymphomas and the emerging data for use of rituximab as maintenance therapy in non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
authors.affiliation: Tulane University School of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Medical Oncology, Tulane Cancer Center, 1430 Tulane Avenue, SL-78, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA. bcollin1@tulane.edu
authors.forename: Bridgette
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Collins-Burow
authors.forename: Edgardo S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Santos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000276:immunology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001855:Bone Marrow Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005544:Forecasting; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D007127:Immunoglobulin Constant Regions / Q000235:genetics; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000188:drug therapy; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000188:drug therapy; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051379:Mice; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D012074:Remission Induction; D000069283:Rituximab; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C496124:FCGR3A protein, human; D007127:Immunoglobulin Constant Regions; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D000069283:Rituximab; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone