The rationale for and background of radioimmunotherapy: an emerging therapy for B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
OBJECTIVE
To present the rationale for and development of radioimmunotherapy (RIT) for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), which culminated in the FDA's approval of yttrium 90 (90Y) ibritumomab tiuxetan in February 2002.


METHODS
Published clinical trials of 90Y ibritumomab tiuxetan and secondary literature on immunotherapy, RIT, and NHL.


CONCLUSIONS
Monoclonal antibodies to the CD20 antigen have become an accepted therapy for NHL. Factors such as the poor vascularization of some tumors and the variable expression of the antigen can mitigate the efficacy of monoclonal antibodies, which prompted the development of a new strategy, RIT.


CONCLUSIONS
Knowledge of the background and development of RIT is essential for nurses to educate and manage patients with NHL.
Riley
Mary Beth
MB
Division of Hematology/Oncology, Robert H Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
Byar
Katherine
K
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018849:Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D016499:Radioimmunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D015021:Yttrium Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D015021:Yttrium Radioisotopes; C422802:ibritumomab tiuxetan; C119496:tositumomab I-131