Radioimmunotherapy for first-line and relapse treatment of aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma: an analysis of 215 patients registered in the international RIT-Network.
OBJECTIVE
Very few reliable clinical data about the use of radioimmunotherapy in aggressive B-cell lymphoma exist.


METHODS
Patients with aggressive B-cell lymphoma registered in the international RIT-Network were analysed with regard to prior treatment, response and side effects. The RIT-Network is a web-based registry that collects observational data from radioimmunotherapy-treated patients with malignant lymphoma across 13 countries.


RESULTS
This analysis included 215 with aggressive B-cell lymphoma out of 232 patients registered in the RIT-Network. Histological subtypes were as follows: 190 diffuse large B-cell, 15 primary mediastinal, 9 anaplastic large cell, and 1 intravascular lymphoma. The median age of the patients was 62 years (range 17 - 88), with 27% above the age of 70 years. Radioimmunotherapy was mainly used as consolidation after first-line or second-line chemotherapy (56.1%), as part of third-line to eighth-line therapy for relapse (16.4%), and in refractory disease (12.2%). Grade IV neutropenia and thrombopenia and grade III anaemia were observed. The median time to recovery of blood count was 81 days (range 0 - 600 days). The overall response rate was 63.3%. The complete response rate was 76.4 % in patients treated as part of first-line therapy, and 44.3% in patients with relapse. Mean overall survival in first-line therapy patients was 32.7 months and 14.0 months in patients with relapse or refractory disease, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Most patients with aggressive B-cell lymphoma in the RIT-Network received radioimmunotherapy as consolidation after first-line therapy with excellent complete remission and overall survival rates compared to published data. In relapsed aggressive B-cell lymphoma, radioimmunotherapy is a safe and feasible treatment leading to satisfactory response rates with acceptable toxicity.
Hematology and Oncology, Georg August University, Robert Koch Str. 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany, karo.hohloch@med.uni-goettingen.de.
Karin
K
Hohloch
H K
HK
Lankeit
P L
PL
Zinzani
C W
CW
Scholz
M
M
Lorsbach
C
C
Windemuth-Kieselbach
L
L
Trümper
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016499:Radioimmunotherapy; D012042:Registries; D016896:Treatment Outcome