Administration

• There are two ways to administer RICE: through a vein in your arm, or through a vein in your chest. The tubes in your arm are removed after each treatment, but a tube placed in your chest will remain there until the end of your last treatment.
  
  

Function

• Rituximab helps your body's defenses identify cancer cells. Ifosfamide, carboplatin and etoposide interfere with a cancer cell's DNA, stopping its growth and division.
  
  

Time Frame

• You receive RICE treatment in 3 cycles, and each cycle lasts 3 weeks. Total treatment time, called a course, generally falls between 3 and 6 months.
  
  

Effects

• Common side effects from RICE include fatigue, infections, bruising, nausea, vomiting, hair loss and skin rashes. In rare cases, RICE causes new cancers to form 5 to 8 years after treatment.
  
  

Considerations

• A stem cell transplant, which helps your bone marrow recover from the drugs, usually accompanies RICE. Ask your doctor about the procedure.