Rituxin

My wife has just been diagnosed with stomach cancer (Maltoma) and the Doctor has recommended taking treatments of the drug Ritoxin. It is an IV infused treatment taking four hours once a week. Was wondering if anybody has had this treatment and your take on it. Also would like to know if you had any side effects from it.

I was given Rituxin in Jan and Feb 2006 for Lymphoma. I am very pleased with the results. The Rituxin along with other chemo drugs put my cancer into remission. I am now in the process of getting a stem cell transplant in hopes for a permanent cure. Every cancer is different and there are specific chemo drugs and regiments for treatment. I had no side effects from the Rituxin. The worst possible side effect would be an allergic reaction. The staff is well aware of this and will start the infusion rate very slow during the first treatment and watch your wife very closely for this and any other reaction. They will increase the rate at specific intervals as her vital signs are good and she does well at the low rate. Rituxin is a GREAT drug!

I have been getting Rituxan for three years for lymphoma. My lymphoma is in my lymph nodes. It sounds like your wife has MALT (Mucosa Associated Lymphoid Tissue) which is basically lymphoma outside of the lymph nodes - in your wife's case it is in the stomach (it can also be in other organs, but stomach is the most common site). This is a great link that explains what MALT lymphoma is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MALT-lymphoma It is very important that your wife (and you and your family) be tested for the bacteria Helicobacter Pylori. This is a bacteria that can cause MALT lymphoma as well as regular gastric cancer. In the case of MALT lymphoma, eradicating the Helicobacter Pylori infection with antibiotics can sometimes cure the MALT lymphoma. (if the MALT is only in the stomach and if H.Pylori is present, 70-80% of patients will be cured of the MALT by curing the H.Pylori.) There is a blood and a breath test for H.Pylori. The commonly prescribed antibiotic regimen for H.Pylori is called a "Previpac". Rituxan is not like most other types of chemotherapy. For example, it does not cause your hair to fall out. Rituxan is a molecule that binds to a special area called the CD20 receptor. If your wife's MALT lymphoma cells have this receptor, the Rituxan will bind to it, which marks them for destruction by the body's own immune system. Your wife's oncologist probably has a biopsy report that says that your wife's MALT lyphoma is "CD20 positive" and that is why he is suggesting Rituxan. Some people who have a lot of lymphoma in their body can have problems with the first dose of Rituxan. When Rituxan is given to these people, alot of cancer cells die all at once. As the body tries to process and clean up the dead cells and toxins, especially sensitive organs such as the kidneys can be damaged. With MALT lymphoma, the lymphoma is usually just a little patch of lymphoma in the stomach - not anywhere near enough to cause that particular side effect. Some people can be allergic to Rituxan. This allergic reaction can manifest itself as a skin rash or wheezing. It can be severe, even life threatening. Luckily, this is very rare. Except for the first-dose-side-effect mentioned above, the great majority of people who take Rituxan have few or no side effects. Here are two good Rituxan links: http://www.lymphomation.org/rituxan.htm http://www.rituxan.com/rituxan/patient/expect/common/ Good luck and best wishes to you and your wife.

I am not a doctor but I did just finish 2 years of Rituxin treatments.  So my comments are as a cancer victem in remission and a patient who has had Rituxin.

If your doctor says take it (and insurance will cover it) take it!  Rule #1 is do what the doc says----if you have faith in your doctor.  If not, get another doctor.

 I had no side effects to the Rituxin.  The doctor may give anti-nausea pills which help and other things to ward off alergic reactions.  I my case the Rituxin didn't bother me at all.  The benedryl that I was given to fend of reactions made me sleep all day.

 But the Rituxin did not bother me at all.