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Markovic, Svetomir N.

Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic

Citations 1

The immunologic balance: three cases of rituximab-associated melanoma

Melanoma Research | November 16, 2021 | Volume: 32 | Issue: 1 | Pages: 67-70

10.1097/cmr.0000000000000799 | PMID 34783721

Currently, there is no known clinical evidence that rituximab increases the rate of subsequent primary malignancies; however, some studies have raised the question of increased melanoma risk following rituximab treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. We report three interesting cases of suspected rituximab-induced melanoma. We hypothesize that this association is secondary to rituximab-driven shifts in the immunologic balance. Based on these cases, it is possible that the number of post-rituximab melanoma cases is underreported. Further mechanistic research into individual cases and population-level studies are required to better define association and risk; however, given the increasing prevalence of oncologic and nononcologic rituximab use, awareness across all fields is essential.