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Loss of CD20 expression following treatment with rituximab (chimaeric monoclonal anti‐CD20): a retrospective cohort analysis
Author(s) -
Foran James M.,
Norton Andrew J.,
Micallef Iva. M.,
Taussig David C.,
Amess John A. L.,
Rohatiner Ama Z. S.,
Lister T. Andrew
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2141.2001.03019.x
Subject(s) - cd20 , rituximab , immunophenotyping , medicine , lymphoma , retrospective cohort study , bone marrow , monoclonal , pathology , immunology , monoclonal antibody , flow cytometry , antibody
A retrospective analysis of CD20 expression following rituximab for B‐cell non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma demonstrated a significant change in immunophenotype in 6/25 (24%) patients with persistent bone marrow (BM) infiltration. In three out of six patients, the B cells were uniformly CD20 − /CD79α + , consistent with frank loss of CD20 expression. In the remaining three cases, the BM infiltrate was predominantly (> 80%) CD20 − /CD79α + . Two of the former but none of the latter three cases achieved a clinical response. In three further cases, the post‐treatment BM infiltrate was composed entirely of benign or reactive CD3 + T cells. Frank loss of CD20 was not seen in 25 post‐treatment lymph node biopsies. Immunophenotyping is therefore an important adjunct in the diagnosis of BM infiltration following rituximab.