ARTICLE LINKS: THE EFFICACY OF RITUXIMAB IN HIGH-GRADE PEDIATRIC B-CELL LYMPHOMA/LEUKEMIA: A REVIEW OF AVAILABLE EVIDENCE.HEMATOLOGY AND ONCOLOGY Current Opinion in Pediatrics.February 2008.Attias, Dina a; Weitzman, Sheila b _ ABSTRACT: Purpose of review: This review evaluates whether rituximab has efficacy in high-grade pediatric B-cell lymphoma/leukemia.Pediatric protocols for CD20+ B-cell lymphoma/leukemia significantly improve survival, but with major morbidity.Assess whether rituximab has efficacy in very high-grade pediatric disease, all published data on rituximab therapy for Burkitt's lymphoma/B acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-ALL) and pediatric patients with relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma were reviewed.Three trials in adult Burkitt's/B-ALL showed a significant survival advantage when rituximab was added to standard chemotherapy.Pediatric data have been published, but 19 children with mature B-cell lymphoma/B-ALL received rituximab, alone or inbination with chemotherapy, as salvage therapy, after failure of intensive chemotherapy.Of 19 (79%) responded, 12 (63%) remained alive in continuousplete remission at 5+ to 48+ months of follow-up.Patients were alive in partial remission.Died, four of progressive disease.One patient had no response to rituximab.Has demonstrated efficacy in Burkitt's disease in adults.Positive reporting bias is suspected, it appears that rituximab, even as monotherapy, has efficacy in heavily pretreated pediatric patients with high-grade B-lymphoma/B-ALL.Use can be justified in a prospective controlled chemotherapy dose-reduction study.Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.Copyright 2008, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.Reserved.By Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.Read more Copd patient benefits from treatment with seretide
Get more Seattle genetics earns milestone payment from initiation of sgn-40 phase ib clinical trial in combination with rituxan for non-hodgkin lymphoma
