title: Targeting B-cell non Hodgkin lymphoma: New and old tricks.
abstract: The management of B-cell malignancies continues to pose a clinical challenge. In the past years, rituximab (anti-CD20) emerged as the standard of care in the induction treatment of follicular lymphoma (FL), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), as well as in other subsets. Since the benefits of immuno-chemotherapy have been clearly demonstrated in a whole range of lymphomas, several innovative approaches are being explored to achieve significant responses, particularly in refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) cases. Studies of the comparative effectiveness and structure/function relationship of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, together with an increased understanding of the molecular features of NHLs, have led to the development of a range of novel therapies, many of which target the tumor in a tailored fashion. Although several molecules can help clinicians to dissect the pathological mechanisms acting in the natural history of the disease, the main purpose of this review emphasize the recent developments in targeting the B-cell NHLs surface. These novel approaches are illustrated, and the new intriguing opportunities offered by bispecific antibodies and antibody-associated immune modulation are addressed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Section of Internal Medicine "G. Baccelli", University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy. Electronic address: antonio.solimando@uniba.it.
authors.forename: Antonio Giovanni
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Solimando
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences and Sensory Organs, University of Bari Medical School, National Cancer Institute "Giovanni Paolo II", Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ribatti
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Section of Internal Medicine "G. Baccelli", University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vacca
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology/Oncology, University Medical Center Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Einsele
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma; BiTE; CD20; Immuno-chemotherapy; Monoclonal antibodies