Intrathecal Rituximab in Treating Patients With Recurrent CNS Lymphoma

OBJECTIVES: Primary * Determine the safety and pharmacokinetics of intrathecal rituximab in patients with recurrent CNS lymphoma arising from CD20+ B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Secondary * Determine the efficacy of intrathecal rituximab. * Determine the molecular pathogenesis of lymphomatous meningitis. * Determine the molecular basis for response or lack of response to rituximab. * Identify molecular markers specific for lymphomatous meningitis that will be useful for prognostic evaluation of peripheral lymphomas. * Determine the quality of life of patients treated with intrathecal rituximab. OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation, multicenter study. Patients receive rituximab intrathecally over 10 minutes on day 1 in week 1 and on days 1 and 4 in weeks 2-5 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients achieving at least a partial response with no rituximab-related neurotoxicity may continue to receive treatment beyond 5 weeks. Cohorts of patients receive escalating doses of rituximab until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose at which fewer than 1/3 of patients experience dose-limiting toxicity. Quality of life is assessed at baseline and at the completion of study treatment. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed periodically for 5 years. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 10 patients will be accrued for this study.