A. J. Grillo-Lopez, MD

The impact of anticancer therapy on quality of life has been receiving increasing attention, particularly with diseases such as low-grade non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), where palliation rather than cure is the primary objective of therapy. The

Rituximab (Rituxan) is a chimeric monoclonal antibody that targets the CD20 anti-gen on normal and malignant non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) cells. It has been shown to produce immediate, severe, and specific B-cell depletion in

Treatment of low-grade or follicular non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) is associated with a high rate of initial response, followed invariably by relapse. Subsequent remissions occur at a progressively lower rate and with progressively shorter

Possible mechanisms of action of the chimeric CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab (Rituxan) involve complement- and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Because granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF [Neupogen])

Ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin) consists of an anti-CD20 murine IgG1 kappa monoclonal antibody covalently bound to tiuxetan (MX-DTPA), which stably chelates yttrium-90 for therapy. Ibritumomab tiuxetan therapy involves pretreatment with

Ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin) is a murine anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody covalently bound to the chelator tiuxetan, which can securely chelate yttrium-90. We performed a randomized controlled trial

We conducted a phase I/II trial to evaluate the toxicity and response rate of the chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab (Rituxan) in patients with a clinical diagnosis of immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) who had failed

Ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin) is an anti-CD20 murine IgG1 kappa monoclonal antibody covalently bound to tiuxetan, which forms a strong chelate with the pure beta-emitting isotope yttrium-90. We conducted an open-label trial of

Rituximab (IDEC-C2B8 [Rituxan]) is a chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (MoAb) that was recently approved by the FDA for the treatment of patients with low-grade or follicular B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Its potential efficacy in other B-cell malignancies is currently being explored. This article reviews the mechanisms of action of rituximab, as well as preclinical data and results of the clinical trials that led to its approval. Also discussed are the mechanics of administering rituximab on the recommended weekly ´ 4 outpatient schedule. Finally, the article describes ongoing and planned trials of rituximab in other dosage schedules, in other B-cell neoplasms, and in conjunction with chemotherapy. As the first MoAb to gain FDA approval for the treatment of a malignancy, rituximab signals the beginning of a promising new era in cancer therapy. [ONCOLOGY 12(12):1763-1770, 1998]