Fabbri Alberto, Gozzetti Alessandro, Lazzi Stefano, Lenoci Mariapia, D'Amuri Alessandro, Leoncini Lorenzo, Lauria Francesco
Division of Hematology and Transplants, Policlinico S. Maria alle Scotte, and University of Siena, Italy.
Clin Lymphoma Myeloma. 2006 May;6(6):496-9. doi: 10.3816/CLM.2006.n.033.
We describe the case of a 61-year-old patient with refractory splenic marginal zone lymphoma and secondary autoimmune hemolytic anemia, both successfully treated with rituximab. This case demonstrates that rituximab monotherapy might also be a valid therapeutic approach in marginal zone lymphoma and autoimmune hemolytic anemia after failure of first-line treatment. Maintenance therapy, although expensive, could be useful to improve event-free survival in patients with unfavorable clinical behavior.