Onkologie. 2010:4(3):196-201

Maintenance therapy with rituximab for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma - opportunities in 2010

David Belada

Univerzita Karlova v Praze, LF a FN Hradec Králové, II. interní klinika –, oddělení klinické hematologie

Rituximab in combination with chemotherapy is considered a standard treatment approach for first line setting in most of non-

Hodgkin´s lymphomas. Although most patients can reach complete of partial remission after this treatment, about 30 % of patients with

aggressive lymphoma and almost all patients with advanced stage indolent lymphomas inevitably develop a relaps. The maintenance

therapy with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, rituximab, represents one of the options how to extend disease-free interval in lymphoma

patients. The aim of this article is to summarize information about the rituximab maintenance therapy of lymphoma, with respect to the

current approved indications as well as to future directions, including potentially risks of this approach.

Keywords: lymphoma, maintenance therapy, rituximab

Published: July 1, 2010  Show citation