[Monoclonal antibody therapy with mabtera of patients with b-cell low grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma]

The data on monoclonal antibody monotherapy (mabtera, rituximab) in 44 patients with B-cell low grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were assessed. Thirty-four of them had received several courses of second- or third line chemotherapy: mabtera was used as first-line therapy in 10. Mabtera was administered in a dose of 375 mg/m2 body surface, once a week, by slow intravenous infusion, 4-14 times depending on effect. Each relapsing patient received, on the average, 4 infusions, while each refractory one--8 weekly infusions. Overall response in the first group was 44%. Median overall relapse-free survival was 9 months. Apparenti effect of treatment was reported in 50% of primary patients (median overall relapse-free survival--15 months). Therapy was well tolerated. Fever and shivering stage I and II were among the most frequent post-infusion effects. High level of CD-20+B-lymphocytes should be used as prognostic indicator for effectiveness of therapy.