Successful rituximab treatment of an EBV-related lymphoproliferative disease arising after autologous transplantation for angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma

• Published in: The hematology journal : the official journal of the European Haematology Association Vol. 3; no. 6; pp. 317 - 320
• Main Authors: Park, Sophie, Noguera, Maria-Elena, Brière, Josette, Feuillard, Jean, Cayuela, Jean-Michel, Sigaux, François, Brice, Pauline
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 2002
• Subjects: Antibodies, Monoclonal - therapeutic use; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections - complications; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections - etiology; Female; Humans; Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy - complications; Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy - therapy; Lymphoma, B-Cell - etiology; Lymphoma, B-Cell - therapy; Lymphoma, B-Cell - virology; Lymphoma, T-Cell - complications; Lymphoma, T-Cell - therapy; Middle Aged; Neoplasms, Second Primary - etiology; Neoplasms, Second Primary - therapy; Neoplasms, Second Primary - virology; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation - adverse effects; Rituximab; Transplantation, Autologous
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.thj.6200202
• ISSN: 1466-4860

Rituximab treatment of B-cell lymphoproliferative disease following transplantation is being evaluated. We describe an Epstein-Barr virus-related B-cell lymphoma that developed in a 55-year-old woman, one year after autologous transplantation for relapsing angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma. Complete remission was achieved after four cycles of rituximab and reduced-dose CHOP. This case is discussed in the context of severe immunodepression. Monoclonal anti-CD20 antibodies might restore a balance between T-cell immunosurveillance and EBV proliferation in B-cells,