The role of rituximab in autologous and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
The addition of rituximab to chemotherapy has substantially changed the treatment strategies for patients with B-cell lymphomas. Rituximab, combined with standard chemotherapy regimens, shows consistently improved results compared with chemotherapy alone and has been extensively employed in both newly diagnosed and relapsed patients with B-cell lymphoma. Because of its low toxicity profile and its potent antilymphoma activity mediated through direct apoptotic and indirect effector mechanisms, rituximab also has been actively incorporated into stem cell transplantation (SCT) protocols to attain a state of minimal disease, provide a safe and effective method for in vivo purging prior to autologous SCT, and promote graft-versus-lymphoma effects in allogeneic SCT. This review compiles the still immature but rapidly growing data on this combined modality.
Naparstek
Elizabeth
E
Department of Hematology and BMT, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 64239, Tel-Aviv, Israel. enaparstek@tasmc.health.gov.il
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016465:Bone Marrow Purging / Q000379:methods*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery*; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D000069283:Rituximab; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000379:methods*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000069283:Rituximab