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About non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL)

Important Safety Information

The 4 Stages of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

The stage of your non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) is a way to describe how far and where the NHL has spread in your body. Only your doctor or nurse can tell you the stage of your NHL and what it means for your treatment.

About the stages

Chart: How much NHL you have and where it is in your body

Chart: How much NHL you have and where it is in your body

Stage 1:
This is the earliest stage. In stage 1, the lymphoma only involves a single lymph node group.
Stage 2:
In this stage, 2 or more lymph node groups are involved, but on the same side of the diaphragm. This means the lymph nodes are all in the chest or higher. Alternatively, the lymph nodes can all be in the abdomen. So in stage 2, all the involvement is on one side of the diaphragm.
Stage 3:
There is involvement of lymph nodes on both sides of the diaphragm such as in the chest and in the abdomen.
Stage 4:
This means there is invasion of lymphoma into an organ. So if an organ like the liver, the lungs, the kidneys, or the bone marrow is involved, that's stage 4. The most common organ involved is the bone marrow.

This information does not take the place of talking with your doctor. Discuss with your doctor any questions you have about your medical condition or your treatment.

 

Indications and Important Safety Information

RITUXAN® (Rituximab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with:

  • Relapsed or refractory, low-grade or follicular, CD20-positive, B-cell NHL as a single agent
  • Previously untreated follicular, CD20-positive, B-cell NHL in combination with CVP chemotherapy
  • Non-progressing (including stable disease), low-grade, CD20-positive, B-cell NHL, as a single agent, after first-line CVP chemotherapy
  • Previously untreated diffuse large B-cell, CD20-positive NHL in combination with CHOP or other anthracycline-based chemotherapy regimens

People with serious infections should not receive RITUXAN.

Important Safety Information:

  • RITUXAN can cause serious side effects that can lead to death, including: infusion reactions, tumor lysis syndrome (TLS; kidney failure due to fast breakdown of cancer cells), severe skin and mouth reactions, and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML; a rare, serious brain infection).
  • RITUXAN has also been associated with serious and life-threatening side effects, including: the return of active hepatitis B virus infection with sudden and serious liver problems including liver failure, and death, other serious infections that can lead to death, heart problems, kidney problems, and stomach and serious bowel problems including blockage and tears in the bowel that can sometimes lead to death.
  • The most common side effects of RITUXAN seen in patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma were infusion reactions, fever, chills, low white blood cells, infections, body aches, and tiredness. Before starting treatment with RITUXAN it is important to talk to your doctor about your medical history.
  • Tell your doctor about any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all of the possible side effects with RITUXAN. For more information, ask your doctor

Please see full Prescribing Information, including Medication Guide.