Analysis: Cancer drug linked to brain virus that proves fatal

Rituximab is a popular drug that is used for treating brain cancer. Rituximab is the most important and widely used cancer drug for lymphoma. It is also approved for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and is widely used off-label to treat multiple sclerosis, lupus and auto-immune anaemias. However, a recent study seems to indicate that the drug is linked in some way to a fast acting and fatal brain infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalitis (PML). The infection causes the brain to degenerate, and can cause death. The study does not conclusively link the drug to the brain infection, but should seed the ground for further studies to determine this linkage (link to article):

A brain biopsy and a spinal tap confirmed the diagnosis of a swiftly moving and often fatal viral brain infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalitis (PML) that attacks the brain's white matter. Both had lymphoma and had been taking the popular cancer drug rituximab (brand name Rituxan) before they developed the brain infection.
Bennett reports on 57 cases from 1997 to 2008 in which patients with anemia, rheumatoid arthritis or lymphoma developed the fatal brain disease after taking rituximab. They died an average of two months after being diagnosed, said a Northwestern release. Bennett said the brain infection is often overlooked and undiagnosed because it is so subtle at first. "People may think it's early Alzheimer's disease or depression," he said. "Many of these patients have cancer and when they die, people assume it's the cancer that killed them."

It is useful for people having brain cancer to know more about the impact of the drug.