Brain Tumors Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Brain Tumors, including details on symptoms, benign and malignant tumors, gliomas, screening, treatment.

Intrathecal rituximab treatment for pediatric post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder of the central nervous system.

van de Glind G, de Graaf S, Klein C, Cornelissen M, Maecker B, Loeffen J

Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Centre St Radboud, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) in the central nervous system (CNS) has a poor prognosis. New therapeutic approaches should be explored. We report our experience with intrathecal administration of rituximab in a 10-year-old kidney allograft recipient with PTLD in the CNS. After standard treatment had failed, we tried to treat the patient by administering rituximab directly into the cerebral ventricle through an Omaya reservoir, in addition to conventional intrathecal and systemic chemotherapy. This strategy resulted in a disappearance of clinical symptoms and a negative positron emission tomogram. Intrathecal administration of rituximab may be a feasible approach in children with PTLD in the CNS. However, its specific role in our patient remains uncertain.

Published 25 February 2008 in Pediatr Blood Cancer, 50(4): 886-8.
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