title: Rituximab in the treatment of EBV-positive low grade B-cell lymphoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Following infection of B lymphocytes by Epstein Barr virus (EBV), the viral genome remains in the nucleus, and a latency phase is established, during which only a small proportion of the viral genes are expressed. Among them, LMP1 is essential for transformation. Rituximab is a potent agent used in the treatment of low grade B-cell lymphomas and is also widely used for the treatment of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders caused by EBV. The effect of rituximab treatment on the latent EBV infection in non-transplant patients with lymphoproliferative disorders has never been studied to our knowledge.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied, the effect of rituximab-based immunochemotherapy on the EBV status of 44 patients with leukemic low grade B-cell lymphoma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After three cycles of rituximab-based treatment, only 1/17 patients was still positive for EBV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that rituximab used in the treatment of EBV-positive low-grade lymphoma is efficient in eradicating the virus from the peripheral blood, a fact with potential implications in the course and prognosis of the disease.
authors: Hematology Unit, First Department of Internal Medicine Laikon General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece. noravi@med.uoa.gr.
authors: Panagiotis T
authors: PT
authors: Diamantopoulos
authors: Katerina
authors: K
authors: Polonyfi
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Sofotasiou
authors: Vasiliki
authors: V
authors: Papadopoulou
authors: Fani
authors: F
authors: Kalala
authors: Theodoros
authors: T
authors: Iliakis
authors: Kostantinos
authors: K
authors: Zervakis
authors: Gerassimos
authors: G
authors: Tsilimidos
authors: Panagiotis
authors: P
authors: Kouzis
authors: Marie-Christine
authors: MC
authors: Kyrtsonis
authors: Theodoros
authors: T
authors: Vassilakopoulos
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Angelopoulou
authors: Marina
authors: M
authors: Siakantaris
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Vayopoulos
authors: Panagoula
authors: P
authors: Kollia
authors: Gerassimos
authors: G
authors: Pangalis
authors: Nora-Athina
authors: NA
authors: Viniou
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000069283:Rituximab
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000069283:Rituximab
keywords: Epstein Barr virus; low-grade B-cell lymphoma; rituximab