Purpose: People with hematologic malignancies have a significantly higher risk of developing severe and protracted forms of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to immunocompetent patients, regardless of vaccination status.
Results: We describe two cases of prolonged SARS-CoV-2 infection with multiple relapses of COVID-19 pneumonia in patients with follicular lymphoma treated with bendamustine and obinutuzumab or rituximab. The aim is to highlight the complexity of SARS-CoV-2 infection in this fragile group of patients and the necessity of evidence-based strategies to treat them properly.
Conclusions: Patients with hematological malignancies treated with bendamustine and anti-CD20 antibodies had a significant risk of prolonged and relapsing course of COVID-19. Specific preventive and therapeutic strategies should be developed for this group of patients.
Keywords: Anti-CD20; Bendamustine; COVID-19; Immunosuppressed patient; Lymphoma; Obinutuzumab; Rituximab; SARS-CoV-2.
© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.