[Development and prospects of molecular targeted agents for malignant lymphoma]

It has been 20 years since the clinical introduction of rituximab, a monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody. Rituximab combination chemotherapy has substantially improved the prognosis of nearly all B-cell malignancies. Twenty years following the clinical introduction of rituximab, the era of molecular targeted agents and development of novel molecular targeted agents, including monoclonal antibody based on the molecular pathology, has been promoted. In recent years, CAR-T therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors have been introduced in the clinical practice of malignant lymphoma. On the other hand, there are many histopathological subtypes that cannot directly receive the benefits of immunotherapy, and sufficient improvement in the prognosis of these subtypes is not seen. Therefore, further elucidation of molecular pathology and development of novel molecular targeted agents are crucial for the improvement of their prognosis. In this review, molecular targeted agents introduced into clinical practice in recent years, which revolutionized the treatment of malignant lymphoma, and molecular targeted agents expected to be introduced in clinical practice in the near future are discussed.