Abstract
Rituximab is widely used for the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, being a key component in most therapeutic regimens. Administration of the intravenous (IV) formulation is lengthy and places a significant burden on health care resources and patient quality of life. A subcutaneous (sc) formulation that provides a fixed dose of rituximab is being examined in a number of studies. Results indicate that the pharmacokinetics are noninferior and response rates are comparable to those obtained with the IV formulation. Moreover, the sc formulation is preferred by patients and health care providers and reduces administration and chair time. Additional advantages include a lesser potential for dosing errors, shorter preparation time, reduced drug wastage, and fewer infusion-related reactions. Despite the success of the sc formulation, correct administration is needed to reduce administration-related reactions. By using a careful procedure, the sc formulation can be given safely and effectively, potentially reducing the burden on health care resources and improving quality of life for patients.
Highlights
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is the most common hematologic malignancy in Canadian adults, accounting for 4.5% of all new cancer cases in men and 3.8% in women in 20151
Significant progress has been made since the 1980s in the treatment of nhl, with one of the most important advances being the addition of rituximab to chemotherapy
■■ follicular lymphoma; and
Summary
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (nhl) is the most common hematologic malignancy in Canadian adults, accounting for 4.5% of all new cancer cases in men and 3.8% in women in 20151. The sabrina study compared induction and maintenance therapy using sc rituximab 1400 mg compared with the standard 375 mg/m2 dose of the IV formulation in 127 patients with untreated follicular lymphoma12,a. A sub-analysis that categorized patients by bsa [high: >1.9 m2 (n = 59); medium: 1.7–1.9 m2 (n = 46); low:
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