mrtmeo
09-17-2014, 10:36 AM
I found this article that explains that first, Rituximab kills off the b cells within 2 weeks of therapy.
However, the autoantibodies are still alive and take 2-3 months to kill off.
"Rituximab is itself an antibody designed to target and destroy B cells. Mella says that all the B cells are gone within two weeks or so of the treatment, but autoantibodies typically survive in the body for another two or three months. "Washing out these antibodies is the most probable explanation for the time lag in benefits," he says.
"
Chronic fatigue syndrome eased by cancer drug - health - 19 October 2011 - New Scientist (http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21065-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-eased-by-cancer-drug.html)
This may explain why my mom's lymphocytes went to <.02 but came back a couple weeks later to the normal range and dropped back down over the next few weeks.
However, the autoantibodies are still alive and take 2-3 months to kill off.
"Rituximab is itself an antibody designed to target and destroy B cells. Mella says that all the B cells are gone within two weeks or so of the treatment, but autoantibodies typically survive in the body for another two or three months. "Washing out these antibodies is the most probable explanation for the time lag in benefits," he says.
"
Chronic fatigue syndrome eased by cancer drug - health - 19 October 2011 - New Scientist (http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21065-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-eased-by-cancer-drug.html)
This may explain why my mom's lymphocytes went to <.02 but came back a couple weeks later to the normal range and dropped back down over the next few weeks.