The medicine 'MabThera'. Instructions for use

The category of antitumor drugs includes the drug "MabThera". The description of the medicament indicates its ability to specifically bind to the transmembrane antigen present in 95% of non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphomas. The active ingredient is rituximab.

The medicine "MabThera". Instruction: indications

The medication is prescribed for B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma:

- chemo-resistant or recurrent, CD20-positive with a low degree of malignancy or follicular;

- follicular third-fourth stage in combination with chemotherapy in untreated patients;

- follicular after reaction to induction therapy as a supporting agent;

- CD20-positive B-large cell in combination with CHOP chemotherapy.

The tool "MabThera" instruction recommends the use of chronic lymphocytic leukemia :

- in combination with chemotherapy in patients not subjected to standard treatment;

- relapsing or chemo-resistant in combination with chemotherapy.

The drug is shown to adults with an active form of rheumatoid arthritis in combination with the drug "Methotrexate" with inadequate responses or intolerance of the therapeutic regimens used.

Contraindications

The tool "MabThera" does not recommend the instruction for individual intolerance.

Caution should be observed when prescribing a drug for patients with arrhythmia, angina, chronic heart failure, high or low blood pressure, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, COPD (due to the likelihood of bronchospasm).

Side effects

With the use of the drug "MabThera", nausea, pain in the abdomen, vomiting are possible. Negative manifestations include orthostatic hypotension, arrhythmia, tachycardia, bradycardia, renal function disorder, peripheral edema, pain in the chest and lumbosacral spine. The drug "MabThera" can cause peripheral neuropathy, neuritis, drowsiness or insomnia, agitation or depression, anxiety, weakness, dizziness, headaches. Adverse events are allergic reactions. The instructions include rhinitis, swelling of the pharynx or tongue, shortness of breath, bronchospasm, skin itching, weight loss, taste disorder, tremor, chills, fever, pain in the neck region and in the site of tumor localization, the development of herpetic Infections.

Dosage

The drug is administered slowly intravenously infusion. When the monotherapy is used once a week for 375 mg for four weeks. The initial rate of the first administration is 50 mg / h. The increase to the maximum (400 mg / h) speed should be carried out gradually.

special instructions

For thirty to sixty minutes before the introduction, premedication (preparation) with analgesics and antihistamines is recommended.

During therapy and within twelve months after its completion, women of childbearing age should use reliable contraceptives.

Hypotensive drugs should be discontinued no less than twelve hours before the introduction of the drug "MabThera."

The efficacy and safety of the drug in children has not been established.

About the drug "MabThera" reviews of experts are more positive. Moreover, during the research it was found that the immediate administration of the drug as monotherapy, as well as the subsequent use of it as a supporting agent for two years, reduces the likelihood of deterioration of the flow of follicular lymphoma.