Optic nerve relapse in a child with common acute lymphoblastic leukemia, treated with systemic anti-CD-20 (rituximab)

Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.

We describe a two- year old boy who was diagnosed with pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). He developed a central nervous system (CNS) relapse with optic nerve involvement. Initially he was treated according to the ALL relapse protocol, including CNS radiotherapy. Despite an initial complete reponse, relapse occurred within six weeks of treatment. The leukemic blast cells were CD-20 positive and he was treated with systemic anti CD-20 therapy (rituximab) with no CNS recurrence over a six-month period. He died due to a CD-20 negative bone marrow relapse. This case illustrates a potential role for rituximab in pediatric CD-20 positive malignancies.