Clinical indications of radioimmunotherapy in lymphoma]

In their later stages low grade lymphoma are incurable. These lymphomas being radio-sensitive, a treatment of metabolic radioimmunotherapy, using monoclonal antibodies (anti-CD20) as the carrier has been developed. The aim of this treatment is to use these antibodies to target radiation to tumor tissues while limiting toxicity to normal cells. Ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin) is currently prescribed for patients with relapsed or refractory low-grade follicular lymphoma after rituximab treatment. This outpatient treatment has a high level of overall response rate including complete response and that for a long period. The side effects are essentially hematological and reversible. In the near future many more indications should become apparent and Zevalin should become an important tool in the B-cell lymphoma (low and high grade).