Report of a European consensus workshop to develop recommendations for the optimal use of (90)Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin) in lymphoma.
BACKGROUND
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) comprises a group of related haematological malignancies, predominantly of B-cell origin, which have been described as indolent or aggressive according to their clinical course. Standard treatment for indolent NHL consists of conventional chemotherapy, but, although long-term remissions may occur, most patients will die of their disease. Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) is a novel modality for treating indolent NHL, using monoclonal antibodies to target tumour cells with systemic, low-dose radiation. (90)Y-Ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin); Schering AG, Berlin, Germany), the first RIT approved for use in relapsed/refractory indolent NHL, comprises the murine anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody ibritumomab, covalently linked to the high-energy beta-emitter, yttrium-90, by the chelator, tiuxetan.


METHODS
A multidisciplinary consensus workshop of European clinicians who had taken part in clinical trials of (90)Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan was convened to develop recommendations for the clinical preparation and administration of (90)Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan in Europe. The workshop was held in anticipation of European Medicines Agency approval of this agent, which was gained in 2004 for adult patients with rituximab-relapsed or refractory CD20(+) follicular B-cell NHL.


CONCLUSIONS
This article summarises the consensus recommendations developed for hemato-oncologists.
Hagenbeek
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Department of Haematology, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands. a.hagenbeek@azu.nl
Lewington
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D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018579:Patient Selection; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D016499:Radioimmunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015021:Yttrium Radioisotopes
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015021:Yttrium Radioisotopes; C422802:ibritumomab tiuxetan