Rituximab
This page contains brief information about rituximab and a collection of links to more information about the use of this drug, research results, and ongoing clinical trials.
Rituxan
Ruxience
Truxima
FDA label information for this drug is available at DailyMed.
Use in Cancer
Rituximab is approved to be used in alone or with other drugs to treat:
- Acute lymphoblastic leukemia or acute myeloid leukemia that is advanced and CD20 positive. Rituximab is used with chemotherapy in children aged 6 months and older whose cancer has not been treated. This use is approved for the Rituxan brand of rituximab.
- B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that is CD20 positive. Rituximab is used:
- Alone in adults with follicular lymphoma or low-grade lymphoma that has relapsed or is refractory (doesn’t respond to treatment).
- With first-line chemotherapy in adults whose NHL has not been treated.
- Alone as maintenance therapy in adults who are having a complete or partial response to rituximab and chemotherapy.
- Alone in adults with low-grade NHL that has not progressed after first-line therapy with cyclophosphamide, vincristine sulfate, and prednisone (CVP).
- With anthracycline combination chemotherapy in adults with diffuse large B-cell NHL (DLBCL) that has not been treated.
- With chemotherapy in children aged 6 months and older with DLBCL or Burkitt lymphoma that is advanced and has not been treated.
Use in adults is approved for the Riabni, Rituxan, Ruxience, and Truxima brands of rituximab. Use in children is approved for the Rituxan brand of rituximab.
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) that is CD20 positive. Rituximab is used with fludarabine phosphate and cyclophosphamide in adults. This use is approved for the Riabni, Rituxan, Ruxience, and Truxima brands of rituximab.
Rituximab is also being studied in the treatment of other conditions and types of cancer.
Rituximab is also available in a different form, combined with hyaluronidase. For more information, see the Drug Information Summary for Rituximab and Hyaluronidase Human.
More About Rituximab
Definition from the NCI Drug Dictionary - Detailed scientific definition and other names for this drug.
MedlinePlus Information on Rituximab - A lay language summary of important information about this drug that may include the following:
- warnings about this drug,
- what this drug is used for and how it is used,
- what you should tell your doctor before using this drug,
- what you should know about this drug before using it,
- other drugs that may interact with this drug, and
- possible side effects.
Drugs are often studied to find out if they can help treat or prevent conditions other than the ones they are approved for. This patient information sheet applies only to approved uses of the drug. However, much of the information may also apply to unapproved uses that are being studied.
Research Results and Related Resources
For Hairy Cell Leukemia, Drug Combination Leads to Long-Lasting Remissions
Clinical Trials Accepting Patients
Find Clinical Trials for Rituximab - Check for trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials now accepting patients.