Clinical Studies of Immunotherapy With Rituximab (Rituxan®) and Radioimmunotherapy With Ibritumomab Tiuxetan (Zevalin®) in B-Cell Lymphoid Malignancies.

The introduction of the monoclonal antibody rituximab has expanded the treatment options for patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). In patients with indolent B-cell lymphomas, rituximab is highly effective both as a single agent and in combination with chemotherapy regimens. Ongoing studies evaluating maintenance rituximab therapy and new combinations suggest clinical outcomes defined primarily by improvements in progression-free survival. In chronic leukemia, the use of rituximab in combination with chemotherapy has led to improved response rates and durable remissions. Studies in aggressive NHL indicate that the addition of rituximab to first-line chemotherapy is associated with improved clinical benefit, and ongoing studies are better defining the optimal use of rituximab in this setting. Radioimmunotherapy with Y-90 ibritumomab tiuxetan has been shown to be safe and effective for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory low-grade, follicular, or transformed B-cell NHL. Of importance, radioimmunotherapy does not preclude the use of other NHL therapies in these patients. This chapter will provide an extensive review of clinical trials with rituximab and Y-90 ibritumomab tiuxetan for the treatment of patients with B-cell NHL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]