[Current therapeutic advances in the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma].
Lymphoma is a lymphoid cell cancer that originates in lymphoid tissues. Non Hodgkin (NHL) type represents 90% of cases. In Mexico, NHL constitutes the third most common cancer in males and the sixth among females. NHL treatment has achieved significant advances in the last decade and NHL is currently becoming a disease with a high probability of cure. Rituximab has become an alternative for the treatment of NHL. Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody that targets the CD20 antigen expressed in the mature malignant B cells. It induces NHL B cells destruction by complement-mediated citotoxicity, apoptosis and sensitization to the toxic effect of chemotherapy. Rituximab has revolutionized treatment results by offering patients with aggressive NHL a higher possibility of cure and in the case of the intractable forms of NHL it increases the disease free period. The standard treatment for a patient with NHL is rituximab-CHOP (immunotherapy). In addition, rituximab has pharmacoeconomic advantages as shown in various cost-utility and cost-effectiveness studies.
Hernández-Rivera
Gabriela
G
Agrupación Mexicana para el Estudio de la Hematología, México D.F., México. gahernanrivera@hotmail.com
Aguayo-González
Alvaro
A
Cano-Castellanos
Raúl
R
Loarca-Piña
Luis Martín
LM
D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy*