Monoclonal antibodies in the management of newly diagnosed, aggressive B-cell lymphoma.

Monoclonal antibodies have been used as a therapeutic option for patients with lymphoma for less than 5 years, but they have already changed our perception of how to treat these patients. In this review, the use of different types of monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is analyzed, particularly the combination of rituximab with chemotherapy as a first-line therapeutic option. The putative role of other monoclonal antibodies is discussed.