title: Four cases of rituximab-associated melanoma.
abstract: Biological agents have transformed the management of inflammatory and proliferative disorders. Safety issues have been raised, particularly the increased risk of opportunistic infections and secondary cancers. We report four cases of melanoma worsening or occurring after rituximab treatment for associated B-cell lymphoma, and discuss the accountability of the molecule in this process. In three cases, melanoma was diagnosed before or at the same time as a B-cell lymphoma treated with rituximab associated with chemotherapy and we observed rapid metastatic progression. In the last case, melanoma appeared after 5 years treatment with rituximab for a follicular lymphoma. Although it is premature to conclude on the role of rituximab in melanoma, careful follow-up and registration of such cases are important to gain further insight on this topic.
authors.affiliation: Departments of aDermatology bHemato-oncology cAnatomo-pathology, Saint Louis Hospital, Paris Cedex 10, France.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Velter
authors.forename: Cécile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pagès
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Amélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Osio
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brice
authors.forename: Céleste
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lebbé
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069283:Rituximab; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000069283:Rituximab