A Canadian Perspective on the Subcutaneous Administration of Rituximab in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Abstract

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.

<p>Comparative Cost Analysis Of Intravenous And Subcutaneous Administration Of Rituximab In Lymphoma Patients</p>

“…An advantage attributed to the SC presentation is a lower wastage of doses13 and a higher safety due to avoiding potential mistakes of dosage or preparation and infusion reactions – issues that have not been evaluated in the present work 3,26…”

Mantle cell lymphoma

“…2020; 22 (3): 6-23.   375 мг/м 2 в/в капельно 1 цикл, далее #ритуксимаб* 1400 мг п/к, день 1 [69][70][71][72].  Ибрутиниб* 560 мг/сут внутрь (4 капсулы).…”

“…• Ритуксимаб* 375 мг/м 2 в/в или #ритуксимаб* 1400 мг п/к (кроме первого введения [69][70][71][72]), день 0 или 1 каждого цикла.…”

Pharmacokinetic Comparison of Three Different Administration Routes for Topotecan Hydrochloride in Rats

“…Anticancer drugs are most often administered by intravenous injection, but for some, clinical application has been delivered by other routes of administration including oral, subcutaneous, intramuscular, intraperitoneal, and intrathecal [ 16 ]. In particular, anti-cancer drugs that are delivered subcutaneously include cytarabine [ 17 ], bortezomib [ 18 ], azacitidine [ 19 ], and rituximab [ 20 ], which can also be administered intravenously. As mentioned above, oral and intravenous administration of topotecan has been approved for clinical use.…”