Review of rituximab in primary CNS lymphoma

Pawan K Singh; Edward Pan

doi:10.1016/j.jns.2019.116649

Review of rituximab in primary CNS lymphoma

J Neurol Sci. 2020 Mar 15:410:116649. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2019.116649. Epub 2019 Dec 25.

Authors

Pawan K Singh¹, Edward Pan²

Affiliations

¹ University of California, Irvine, USA.
² University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, USA. Electronic address: edward.pan@utsouthwestern.edu.

PMID: 31901591
DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2019.116649

Abstract

Primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare intracranial tumor. Several treatment regimens exist, but there is no one established standard of care regimen. This article reviews the effects of the addition of rituximab to induction chemotherapy for PCNSL patients. The addition of rituximab in phase II trials seems to increase the overall response rates (ORR) of PCNSL patients, especially when they receive consolidation therapy after rituximab-based induction chemotherapy regimens. Upfront rituximab added to MBVP chemotherapy did not improve overall survival in PCNSL patients, but it may benefit specific subpopulations of PCNSL patients. This review highlights the potential benefit of rituximab as part of induction chemotherapy with consolidation treatment.

Keywords: Clinical trials; Methotrexate; Primary CNS lymphoma; Rituximab.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols
Central Nervous System Neoplasms* / drug therapy
Humans
Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin*
Methotrexate / therapeutic use
Rituximab / therapeutic use

Substances

Rituximab
Methotrexate