Level of CD 20-expression and efficacy of rituximab treatment in patients with resistant or relapsing B-cell prolymphocytic leukemia and B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Abstract

Rituximab (IDEC C2B8) is a chimeric human-mouse monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody that has been proven to be effective for the treatment of patients with CD20 positive leukemia and lymphoma. The level of CD20-expression in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) is low in comparison to other B-cell lymphomas and normal B-cells. Previous experience with rituximab treatment in small series of patients with B-CLL suggest that it is less effective in B-CLL than in follicular lymphomas. We analyzed the correlation between CD20-expression level and efficacy of rituximab treatment in eight patients with refractory or relapsed B-CLL and two patients with B-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (B-PLL). We could not identify any correlation between CD20-expression and efficacy of rituximab treatment.

• Authors: Jolanta Perz, Julian Topaly, Stefan Fruehauf, Manfred Hensel, Anthony D Ho
• Journal: Leukemia & lymphoma (Leuk Lymphoma) Vol. 43 Issue 1 Pg. 149-51 (Jan 2002) ISSN: 1042-8194 [Print] United States
• PMID: 11908720 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
• Antigens, CD20
• Antineoplastic Agents
• Biomarkers
• Rituximab

Topics

• Aged
• Antibodies, Monoclonal (administration & dosage, therapeutic use, toxicity)
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
• Antigens, CD20 (metabolism)
• Antineoplastic Agents (standards, therapeutic use, toxicity)
• Biomarkers (analysis)
• Disease-Free Survival
• Drug Evaluation
• Flow Cytometry
• Humans
• Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell (diagnosis, drug therapy, mortality)
• Leukemia, Prolymphocytic (diagnosis, drug therapy, mortality)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Rituximab
• Salvage Therapy
• Survival Rate
• Therapeutic Equivalency
• Treatment Outcome