Description
Mabthera 500mg
Mabthera 500mg a is used alone or with other chemotherapeutic agents to treat Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (cancers of the lymph tissue that affects a type of white blood cell called B-lymphocytes). It is also used along with methotrexate to treat symptoms of adult rheumatoid arthritis (a disease of the joints) and with steroid medicines to treat certain rare disorders such as granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis (diseases which cause inflammation of blood vessels and other tissues in the body).
MabThera 500 mg contains an antibody (rituximab). This is a particular type of protein.Rituximab binds to the surface of certain white blood cells, the B cells. If Rituximab binds to the surface of this cell, leads to the death of the cell.
Mabthera 500 mg can be used for the treatment of three different conditions. Your doctor may prescribe Mabthera 500 mg for the treatment of the following diseases:
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
The Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a disease of the lymphatic system, and B-cells are involved in the cause of some disease symptoms that you may have. Mabthera 500 mg can be used either as monotherapy or in combination with other prescribed by your doctor drugs to induce an improvement in your condition. MabThera 500 mg can be used as maintenance therapy (maintenance therapy) over a period of 2 years in patients who have responded to the initiation of treatment.
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
In chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common form of leukemia in adults. In the CLL a certain type of lymphocyte is concerned, the so-called B-cells, which are formed in the bone marrow and mature in the lymph nodes. Patients with CLL have too many abnormal lymphocytes, which primarily accumulate in the bone marrow and in the blood. The proliferation of these abnormal B lymphocytes is the cause of the symptoms that you may have. Mabthera 500mg in combination with chemotherapy destroys these cells which are gradually removed by biological processes of the body.
- Rheumatoid arthritis
Mabthera 500 mg is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease of the joints. B-cells are involved in the cause of some of your symptoms. Mabthera 500 mg is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis used in patients who have been previously treated with other drugs already, but either no longer do these have demonstrated sufficient efficacy or causes side effects. Mabthera 500 mg is usually called together with another medicine called methotrexate applied.
Mabthera 500mg slows the joint damage caused by rheumatoid arthritis and improves physical function for the normal daily activities.
The best response to Mabthera 500mg is achieved in patients who have a positive blood test for rheumatoid factor (RF) and / or anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCP).Both tests are commonly positive in rheumatoid arthritis and support the confirmation of the diagnosis.
