Lights and Shadows of Rituximab in Dermatology
Ashok Kumar
Department of DVL, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, India.
Geo Danny
Department of DVL, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, India.
Sane Roja Renuka
*
Department of DVL, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, India.
Arisha Salam
Department of DVL, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Rituximab is a CD 20 monoclonal antibody drug used in various spectrum of diseases today. It has proven to be a boon, especially in the field of dermatology. Although Rituximab was initially introduced as a novel method to treat B-cell Non Hodgkin Lymphoma, its use has rapidly expanded to include a number of other Lymphomas and Autoimmune diseases.This review is to give a bird’s eye view of updates on rituximab.
Conclusion: With its horizons expanding in dermatology, and with better information regarding its efficacy and safety profile, Rituximab has now become an approved first‑line therapy for pemphigus. In conclusion, Rituximab has proven to be a substantial boon for dermatologists in difficult to treat cases.
Keywords: Monoclonal antibodies, CD20, Lymphoma protocol, Rheumatoid arthritis protocol, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), pemphigus vulgaris (PF), Pemphigus foliaceous (PF), RTX (Rituximab)