News Health & Medicine Drug aids destruction of lymphoma cells By Nathan Seppa October 27, 2004 at 5:05 pm - More than 2 years ago Share this:Share Share via email (Opens in new window) Email Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Share on X (Opens in new window) X Print (Opens in new window) Print In the cancer called diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, certain white blood cells—B cells—in the lymph tissues proliferate out of control. These malignant immune cells crowd out their healthy comrades and impair a person’s ability to fight disease. Standard chemotherapy sends this lymphoma into remission only in 30 to 40 percent of patients. Scientists in Europe now report that a drug called rituximab, or Rituxan, boosts the remission rate significantly.