Drug Rituximab can delay the Onset of Chemotherapy in Cancer Patients

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NEW YORK (GaeaTimes) — A recent survey by a team of scientists have found out that a drug called rituximab can delay the appearance of symptoms in patients suffering from follicular lymphoma. Follicular lymphoma is a type of slowly developing cancer of the lymphatic system which is incurable and according to the latest discovery use of this drug can delay the need of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

For the first time in the history of biological treatment, a drug has proven successful in diagnosis of cancer over any surgical treatment. Follicular lymphoma is characterized by appearance of a swelling in the neck, armpit or groin as outward symptoms. Usually doctors advise the patients who are attacked by this incurable disease to ‘watch and wait’ until the symptoms appear. This approach led to patients needing to undergo chemotherapy after three years.

A UK based study conducted on 462 patients has revealed that using this drug rituximab cuts the proportion needing chemotherapy in three years to nine per cent. This study will be a great benefit to many patients suffering from follicular lymphoma as For many patients it is important to delay the onset of chemotherapy. The drug rituximab, which kills cancerous cells by aiding the body’s antibodies, is already used in conjunction with chemotherapy and as a “maintenance” therapy afterwards. It costs about 600 a month.