Rituximab Provides Durable Remission in a Patient with Refractory Aggressive Diffuse B-cell Lymphoma Failing Salvage Chemotherapy

The outcome of patients with aggressive refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLCL) is generally poor. A 43-year-old female with DLCL, who relapsed after first line chemotherapy (CHOP--cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) and progressed despite salvage chemotherapy (EPOCH--etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin), was treated effectively with 8 cycles of Rituximab. She is without evidence of disease with a follow-up of 32 months. We report this case to bring to attention the possibility of sustained durable remission with single agent Rituximab in refractory DLCL.