Rituximab (chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody) is the first widely available and effective antibody in the treatment of non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHL). In the submitted paper the authors describe retrospectively their experience with its administration in treatment of CD20 positive B-cell, mainly indolent NHL. A total of 29 patients were treated with rituximab. Individual doses were 375 mg/m2. Four doses were administered slowly by intravenous infusion. In 16 patients (55%) rituximab was administered during the first or second partia remission of the disease (PR), incl. 7 patients (24%) where eradication of residual disease after autologous transplantation of peripheral stem cells was the indication. The response to treatment with rituximab was recorded in 23 (79%) patients. In 14 patients (48%) complete remission of the disease was achieved (CR). In 5 patients with follicular lymphom bcl-2/IgH positive cells disappeared from the peripheral blood stream (PCR reaction), in 4 also from bone marrow. By the date of evaluation a total of 8 patients (35% of the responding subjects) relapsed or progressed. The median of the period of relapse/progression of the disease was 6 months (3–20 months). In general however the median of persistence of the response in responding patients was not attained so far, the median of the follow up of the group was 12 months. The results confirmed the great effectiveness of rituximab and its low toxic profile. Early initiation of treatment increases the percentage of responses and the ratio of CR, its potential is particularly high in the eradication of minimal residual disease.

        Key words: autologous transplantation, bcl-2, minimal residual disease, monoclonal antibody, non-Hodgkin lymphomas, rituximab