title: [Monoclonal antibody therapy for malignant lymphoma].
abstract: The treatment options for patients with malignant lymphoma have been substantially enriched by the development of B-cell-specific monoclonal antibodies. One of the reasons for the attractiveness of this approach is the different mode of action of these antibodies compared to chemotherapy: they can exert tumor-suppressive effects by at least three major mechanisms: an intrinsic cytotoxic activity, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), and activation of complement-dependent cytolysis (CDC). These monoclonal antibodies can be applied in an unconjugated form or as a carrier of cytotoxic drugs or radioisotopes. The chimeric anti-CD20 antibody rituximab has a direct anti-lymphoma activity, and is highly active in indolent and aggressive lymphoma, in particular in combination with chemotherapy. The anti-CD52 antibody alemtuzumab is effective in the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Another attractive approach is to link anti-CD20 antibodies to radioisotopes, thereby exploiting the radiosensitivity of malignant lymphomas: encouraging results were already presented for the yttrium-90-((90)Y-)labeled anti-CD20 antibody ibritumomab tiuxetan as well as for the iodine-131-((131)I-)labeled anti-CD20 antibody tositumomab.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik III, Klinikum der Universität München, Grosshadern, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377 München. Christian.Buske@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buske
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dreyling
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Unterhalt
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hiddemann
mesh_terms: D018033:Antibodies, Bispecific / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000920:Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity / Q000276:immunology; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D016499:Radioimmunotherapy; D012074:Remission Induction; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018033:Antibodies, Bispecific; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal