title: Radioimmunotherapy for B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
abstract: Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) combines the targeting advantage of a monoclonal antibody with the radiosensitivity of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) cells. There are now two radioimmunoconjugates (RICs) - ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin) and tositumomab (Bexxar) - that are approved by the FDA in the US for relapsed low-grade or follicular B-cell NHL. Both agents target the CD20 antigen on B-cell lymphoma cells. In relapsed disease, single doses of RIT produce an 80% overall response rate, with approximately 20% of patients achieving durable responses. RIT is very well tolerated and is delivered on an outpatient basis over 1 week. The only significant toxicity is reversible myelosuppression. Both RIT agents have demonstrated high anti-tumor activity in patients who are refractory to rituximab. Current trials are testing RIT as initial therapy with rituximab maintenance, as adjuvant therapy after chemotherapy, or in high-dose protocols with stem-cell support.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Stabile 6, 200 SW First Street, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. witzig@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Thomas E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Witzig
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D018796:Immunoconjugates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D016499:Radioimmunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015021:Yttrium Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018796:Immunoconjugates; D015021:Yttrium Radioisotopes; C422802:ibritumomab tiuxetan; C119496:tositumomab I-131