Impact of rituximab (Rituxan) on the treatment of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is the most common hematological malignancy in adults, with B-cell lymphomas accounting for 85% of all NHLs. The most substantial advancement in the treatment of B-cell malignancies, since the advent of combination chemotherapy, has been the addition of the monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody rituximab (Rituxan). Since its initially reported single-agent activity in indolent lymphomas in 1997, the role of rituximab has expanded to cover both indolent and aggressive lymphomas. This article focuses on the impact of rituximab on the treatment, survival, and long-term outcomes of patients with indolent and aggressive lymphomas over the past two decades.