rituximab + dexamethasone + cytarabine

Rituximab + dexamethasone + cytarabine is a chemoimmunotherapy combination regimen, often referred to as the **HARD** (High-dose Aracytine, Rituximab, and Dexamethasone) or **R-DHA** regimen, primarily utilized for the salvage treatment of B-cell malignancies. The regimen combines the targeted activity of **rituximab**, a chimeric monoclonal antibody that binds to the CD20 antigen on B-lymphocytes to trigger immune-mediated cell lysis, with the cytotoxic effects of **cytarabine** (Aracytine), a nucleoside analog that inhibits DNA polymerase and DNA synthesis. **Dexamethasone**, a potent synthetic glucocorticoid, is included to induce apoptosis in malignant lymphoid cells and reduce inflammation. This triplet combination is frequently employed as a platinum-free alternative to the standard R-DHAP (Rituximab, Dexamethasone, Aracytine, and Cisplatin) regimen, particularly for elderly or fragile patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) or relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), to mitigate the risk of platinum-induced nephrotoxicity and other severe adverse effects.

Brand names

HexadrolCytosar-UDepoCyt

Other names

HARD regimenR-DHArituximab + dexamethasone + AracytineRituximab-Dexamethasone-Cytarabine