Two Cases of Interstitial Pneumonitis Caused by Rituximab Therapy.
10.3904/kjim.2006.21.3.183
- Author:
Yuna LEE
1
;
Sun Young KYUNG
;
Soo Jin CHOI
;
Soo Mee BANG
;
Seong Hwan JEONG
;
Dong Bok SHIN
;
Jae Hoon LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon Medical School, Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea. smbang@hanmail.net
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Rituximab;
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma;
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma;
Follicular lymphoma;
Interstitial pneumonitis
- MeSH:
Prednisolone/therapeutic use;
Methylprednisolone/therapeutic use;
Male;
Lung Diseases, Interstitial/*chemically induced/diagnosis/drug therapy;
Humans;
Antineoplastic Agents/*adverse effects;
Antibodies, Monoclonal/*adverse effects;
Aged
- From:The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine
2006;21(3):183-186
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Rituximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody directed against CD20, has become a part of the standard therapy for patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma either in combination with other drugs or as a single agent. The CD20 antigen is expressed on 95% of B-cell lymphoma cells and normal B-cells but, is not found on precursor B-cells or stem cells. Rituximab is now approved for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma when combined with standard CHOP chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone) or patients with follicular lymphoma who have failed first line chemotherapy. The monoclonal antibody is generally well tolerated. Most of the adverse events are infusion-associated, mild to moderate non-hematological toxicities. Severe respiratory adverse events have been infrequent. Here, we report two patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in whom interstitial pneumonitis developed with rituximab therapy.
