Necrotizing fasciitis following rituximab therapy

Rituximab has considerably modified thetherapeutic strategy for B-cell lymphoproliferative malignancies, most notably non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). Rituximab, alone or in combination with chemo-therapy, is being used to treat NHL with limited toxicity. We report two cases, one fatal, of necrotizing fasciitis following the use of rituximab in patients with NHL. No obvious predisposing factors were noted in either case. Practitioners need to beaware of this rare side effect and take prompt and aggressive action at the first onset of symptoms.