Long-term treatment with rituximab is feasible in selected patients with B-CLL: response-adjusted low-dose maintenance treatment with rituximab in patients with relapsed B-CLL, who achieved a partial or minimal response to prior rituximab therapy.
The feasibility and efficacy of flexible, response-adjusted rituximab maintenance therapy in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) was investigated in 12 patients with an at least minor response to four weekly cycles of 375 mg/m(2) of rituximab induction therapy. Rituximab maintenance therapy consisted of infusions of 100 mg rituximab every 4 weeks. If disease progression occurred, either the rituximab dose was increased or the time between infusions was shortened. Treatment-related side effects led to discontinuation of rituximab maintenance therapy in three cases. Maintenance therapy was successfully conducted for > or =6 months in seven cases; three of these individuals have been on maintenance therapy for >1 year to 3.5 years so far. Long-term toxicity, as determined based on hematological and immunological parameters, was mild.
Srock
Stefanie
S
Department of Hematology and Oncology, Charité Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany.
Schriever
Folke
F
Neubauer
Andreas
A
Herold
Michael
M
Huhn
Dieter
D
D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000737:chemistry; D016130:Immunophenotyping / Q000379:methods; D015448:Leukemia, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D000069283:Rituximab; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D000069283:Rituximab