I have low grade nonhodgkins lymphoma (B-cell, marginal)and my spleen is huge. I am scheduled to have Rituxan treatments in hopes my spleen will shrink. Any info. on success rate for this approach and on the risk of spleen rupture and need to remove it?

Hello

Thanks for your post and question.

I do not know stats on removal of a spleen when it is quite enlarged. But I have been assured SMZL is treatable. My doctor said removal of spleen was first choice years ago and is still a choice for certain patients. I understand the success of Rituxan has made this drug the first choice of treatment for most SMZL patients.

My name is Leon Webber and I was diagnosed with SMZL October 2008. I had my first round of chemo February 2009. Six infusions of Rituxan and Decadron every Monday.

I am new to the SMZL world and interested in talking with others with same diagnosis. I have three more rounds to go. Every six months, four weekly infusions.

I wish you well and hope your treatments go smoothly. I did not like the Decadron, but it is apparently necessary. My doctor said they could lower the amount of Decadron next round. If I were to do it again for the first time, I would ask to go home with a prescription that would counter the Decadron. I plan to do that next round. Good luck.

Best

Leon Webber

My spleen was the size of a ream of copy paper, it almost took up half my abdomen and pushed my GI tract to the right side of my body. I had difficulty swallowing. I don't play football, hockey or other contact sports so it would have taken something like an accident to rupture my spleen.

Chemo was prescribed and after the first treatment my spleen had shrunk considerably, the doctor say it was back to normal size. The chemo I had was CVP-R. It gave me a week-long minor hangover but otherwise none of the significant side effects one associates with chemo.