title: Targeted radio-immunotherapy with Bexxar produces durable remissions in patients with late stage low grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.
abstract: Patients with low grade (LG) non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs) typically have a median survival of 8-10 years during which they sustain a series of responses and relapses to therapy. More than 95% of B-cell NHLs express the CD20 surface antigen, affording opportunities for CD20-directed therapy of NHL. Since 1990, 5 trials have tested the safety and efficacy of the murine CD20 MAb Tositumomab and Iodine I 131 Tositumomab (Bexxar therapeutic regimen) in 250 patients with relapsed, refractory, or transformed LG NHL. The I-131 irradiates MAb-bound cells and those within the path length of the isotope. Response rates were 56% (overall) and 30% (complete). With a median follow-up of 44.6 months, 30% of the patients achieved a long-term, durable response; median time to progressive disease or death was 5 years. Thus, a single treatment with Bexxar may produce durable responses and partially reverse the natural history of LG NHL.
authors.affiliation: robertcapizzi@usa.net
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Capizzi
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000378:metabolism; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000628:therapy; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016499:Radioimmunotherapy; D012074:Remission Induction
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; C119496:tositumomab I-131