Intralesional anti-CD20 antibody for low-grade primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma: Adverse reactions correlate with favorable clinical outcome.
OBJECTIVE
Intralesional injection of anti-CD20 antibody (rituximab) has been described as effective therapeutic option for patients with indolent primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma (PCBL). To date, no parameters that reproducibly predict favorable clinical outcome of this treatment have been identified. The study aims to evaluate the clinical response and adverse effects as well as patients' self-perception of intralesional injection of anti-CD20 antibody for treatment of indolent PCBL compared to other treatment modalities.


METHODS
Eleven patients with PCBL, namely primary cutaneous follicle center lymphoma (n = 9) and primary cutaneous marginal zone lymphoma (n = 2), treated with intralesional anti-CD20 antibody were retrospectively evaluated for response rate and adverse events as well as their self-perception of anti-CD20 antibody therapy and other therapies of PCBL.


RESULTS
Patients treated with intralesional anti-CD20 antibody for PCBL showed complete response or partial response in 45 % or 27 % of patients, respectively. Particularly, patients with marked flu-like symptoms after intralesional injection of rituximab responded very well to rituximab. The majority of patients considered rituximab as best therapy compared to other therapies such as excision or radiotherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Intralesional rituximab is an effective therapy with high patient satisfaction. Strong therapy induced side effects of fever, chills and headache after administration of rituximab might be used as indicator for favorable response.
Department of Dermatology, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany.
Franziska C
FC
Eberle
Department of Dermatology, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany.
Julia
J
Holstein
Department of Dermatology, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany.
Alexander
A
Scheu
Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany.
Falko
F
Fend
Department of Dermatology, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany.
Amir S
AS
Yazdi
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D023341:Chills / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006261:Headache / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D000069283:Rituximab / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000069283:Rituximab