A team of Norwegian researchers headed by Deputy Director and Professor Carmen Scheibenbogen of the Institute of Medical Immunology, at Berlin Charité University Hospital, had their first Chronic Fatigue Syndrome breakthrough treatment using an anti-cancer agent rituximab. This trial study was published on Oct. 19, 2011, in PLoS ONE scientific journal and is promising news for the 300,000 people who suffer from this disease in Germany.

In a new study conducted at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway, the 30 patients, who were randomly selected, were given rituximab developed for lymph gland cancer chemotherapy. Two-thirds of these patients observed over twelve months showed an improvement in health condition.

Approximately one million people in the US suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. For several years, CFS was not recognized by doctors as a regular diagnosis, but today it is becoming more commonplace and strikes more people than those afflicted with multiple sclerosis, lupus and a number of forms of cancer.

Although people of either sex or age can develop CFS, it occurs four times more in women than men in their 40s and 50s. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is less common in children and occurs in all racial and ethnic groups and countries around the world and there may be a genetic link.