title: Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma receiving chemotherapy containing rituximab.
abstract: Rituximab enhances treatment efficacy of B-lineage lymphoma by targeting CD20+ B-cells. Such target therapies may compromise the immune system and render patients susceptible to opportunistic infections. We report 2 cases of lymphoma complicated with Pneumocystis jiroveci (previously known as P. carinii) pneumonia (PCP) while being treated with rituximab-containing chemotherapy regimens. In both cases, PCP developed during the neutropenic period. With timely diagnosis and proper management, both were treated successfully. We searched the literature and found that such opportunistic infection occurred only infrequently in lymphoma patients, and it has not been reported in the large-scale clinical trials of rituximab. Such cases demonstrate the importance of taking PCP into diagnostic consideration in lymphoma patients receiving similar therapies.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: Hung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Huei-Chung
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Yung-Cheng
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Ming-Hsun
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000209:etiology*; D000069283:Rituximab
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000069283:Rituximab