A brisk peripheral T-cell reaction following rituximab treatment for follicular lymphoma

Bone marrow reactive T-cell infiltrates have been frequently observed in patients affected by follicular lymphoma after rituximab treatment. In some studies, bone-marrow T-cell expansion has been associated with an effective anti-tumor response and favorable prognosis. In this manuscript, we report on a particularly brisk CD4+ T-cell reaction occurring after rituximab treatment for follicular lymphoma and involving the peripheral blood in addition to the bone marrow. Peripheral blood T-cell reaction was mainly composed of effector-memory CD4+ T cells and may reflect the expansion of an effective anti-tumor immunity.