MacDonald D, Crosbie T, Christofides A, Assaily W, Wiernikowski J
Division of Hematology, Dalhousie University, and QEII Health Sciences Centre, Halifax, NS.
The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON.
Curr Oncol. 2017 Feb;24(1):33-39. doi: 10.3747/co.24.3470. Epub 2017 Feb 27.
Rituximab is widely used for the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, being a key component in most therapeutic regimens. Administration of the intravenous (IV) formulation is lengthy and places a significant burden on health care resources and patient quality of life. A subcutaneous (sc) formulation that provides a fixed dose of rituximab is being examined in a number of studies. Results indicate that the pharmacokinetics are noninferior and response rates are comparable to those obtained with the IV formulation. Moreover, the sc formulation is preferred by patients and health care providers and reduces administration and chair time. Additional advantages include a lesser potential for dosing errors, shorter preparation time, reduced drug wastage, and fewer infusion-related reactions. Despite the success of the sc formulation, correct administration is needed to reduce administration-related reactions. By using a careful procedure, the sc formulation can be given safely and effectively, potentially reducing the burden on health care resources and improving quality of life for patients.
利妥昔单抗广泛用于治疗非霍奇金淋巴瘤，是大多数治疗方案的关键组成部分。静脉注射制剂的给药过程冗长，给医疗资源和患者生活质量带来了巨大负担。一种提供固定剂量利妥昔单抗的皮下注射制剂正在多项研究中接受检验。结果表明，其药代动力学不劣于静脉注射制剂，且缓解率与之相当。此外，皮下注射制剂更受患者和医护人员青睐，还能减少给药时间和候诊时间。其他优点包括给药错误的可能性较小、准备时间较短、药物浪费减少以及输液相关反应较少。尽管皮下注射制剂取得了成功，但仍需要正确给药以减少与给药相关的反应。通过采用谨慎的操作程序，皮下注射制剂可以安全有效地给药，有可能减轻医疗资源负担并改善患者生活质量。
