CD20, CD38 and Other — Antibody Targets in Blood Cancers

In most cases, the testing is done on the biopsy you have already had. The pathology laboratory stains the tumour sample for specific surface proteins and reports which ones are present. If your original sample was too small or the result is borderline, a repeat biopsy may occasionally be needed before the question can be answered. Ask your oncologist which markers were tested and what the results showed — you are entitled to a clear answer, and those results directly determine which treatment options are open to you.

Yes, and for many blood cancers the combination is the standard approach rather than either treatment alone. Rituximab is almost always given alongside a chemotherapy regimen in B-cell lymphoma; daratumumab in myeloma is used with combinations of other myeloma drugs. The reasoning is that the antibody and the chemotherapy attack cancer cells through different mechanisms, which can deepen the response. Your oncologist will explain exactly which combination applies to your situation and what each drug is expected to contribute.

The most common early effect is an infusion reaction — chills, flushing or fever during the drip — which is managed by slowing the infusion and giving medication beforehand. Over the course of treatment, these drugs can reduce the number of normal white blood cells, which raises the risk of infection. Report any fever, shaking or sudden feeling of being unwell between cycles to your team the same day — do not wait for your next appointment. Fatigue is common. Your team will brief you on side effects specific to your drug before you start.

Yes. Blood cancers are an area where several lines of treatment may be available. If one CD20-directed regimen stops controlling the disease, a drug targeting a different protein or working by a different mechanism may still respond. In myeloma, if a CD38-based regimen stops working, BCMA-directed therapies are among the options that NCCN and ESMO list for later lines of treatment. What is available depends on your cancer type, its biology and what you have already received. Ask your oncologist what the plan would be if the current regimen stops responding — it is a reasonable question to ask upfront.

The first infusion of most antibody drugs takes several hours because it is given slowly to reduce the chance of a reaction. Subsequent infusions are usually faster — often two to three hours or less, depending on the drug and whether there were any reactions earlier. You will be in the day-care unit for the full duration plus a short observation period afterwards. Most people read, watch something on their phone or sleep through it. Your team will give you the expected timing before your first visit so you can plan.

Targeted antibody treatments and immunotherapy are administered as day care at CION centres. Your oncologist will confirm which agents are appropriate for your diagnosis and discuss the full regimen with you before treatment begins. CION does not provide CAR-T or cell therapy; if that is being considered for your situation, you would be referred to a centre that offers it. PET-CT scans to assess your response to treatment are coordinated with partner imaging centres.