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Maintenance Rituxan

eknowles
eknowles CSN Member Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1
What drives the decision to start the maintenance Rituxan regimen? Is it some pathological or physiological change or condition? Or is it just a decision reached between you and the oncologist? Thanks in advance.
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  • JOHN39
    JOHN39 CSN Member Posts: 9
    #2
    I believe it's the pharmacutical company's pushing it so the doctor's can get a kick back.
    It cost appox $15000 per treatment. I had the same decision to make in nov 2003. I took 8 treatments of chop therapy and my oncoligist wanted me to do rituxin as a maintenance therapy for the next 18 months. I talked to my specialist and he said that their is no data to show weather it helps or not. I decided not to do the rituxin . I told the oncoligist that I would waitful watch. My specialist also told me that if you take to much rituxin or chemo that you may become immunne to it when you need it most.
    Good luck,
    John
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  • benita
    benita CSN Member Posts: 13
    #3
    Hey, I have a doctor in my hometown and a specialist at Vanderbit in Nashville. I asked my specialist about maintenance Rituxan and he told me about the same as John39, that is, that there is not a lot of data supporting the benefit of it and that you could run the risk of becoming immune to it. Hope this helps.
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