Unique aspects of supportive care using monoclonal antibodies in cancer treatment.

The "magic bullet" era of targeted cancer therapy began with the United States Food and Drug Administration approval of rituximab for the treatment of B-cell lymphoma in the late fall of 1997. Since then, several additional anticancer antibody products have received regulatory approval, including the monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) trastuzumab for breast cancer and alemtuzumab for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and the MoAb immunoconjugates gemtuzumab ozogamicin for acute myelogenous leukemia and yttrium 90 ibritumomab tiuxetan for B-cell lymphoma. These products are associated with adverse events that are quite different than those seen with chemotherapy.

Radiation safety with yttrium 90 ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin) radioimmunotherapy.

Objectives: To present pertinent issues involved in radiation safety in radioimmunotherapy with 90Y ibritumomab tiuxetan.

Data Sources: Published clinical trials of 90Y ibritumomab tiuxetan and secondary literature on radiation safety and radioimmunotherapy.

Conclusion: Radioimmunotherapy with 90Y ibritumomab tiuxetan is safe and effective in the indicated population, and radiation safety requirements for caregivers and patients are minimal.

Radiation safety guidelines for radioimmunotherapy with yttrium 90 ibritumomab tiuxetan.

Radioimmunotherapy is a new cancer therapy that combines the cytotoxicity of radiation with the tumor-specific targeting of monoclonal antibodies. Yttrium 90 (Y-90) ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin, IDEC Pharmaceuticals Corporation, San Diego, CA) is indicated for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory low-grade, follicular, or transformed B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), including patients with rituximab-refractory follicular NHL. Y-90 ibritumomab tiuxetan requires only universal safety precautions and does not impose undue risks or radiation safety restrictions on patients or healthcare workers.

Radioimmunotherapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with yttrium 90 ibritumomab tiuxetan.

The increasing incidence of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), coupled with the lack of optimal treatment options, has prompted the development of novel treatments. Of these, radioimmunotherapy is one of the most promising. Two of the radiolabeled monoclonal antibody therapies being studied in the treatment of NHL are yttrium 90 (90Y) ibritumomab tiuxetan and iodine 131 (131I) tositumomab.

Establishing a radioimmunotherapy outpatient care clinic for Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Objectives: To describe an outpatient treatment model for treating non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with radioimmunotherapy.

Data Sources: Experiences of The Hoag Cancer Canter (Newport Beach, CA) in developing an outpatient treatment model.

Conclusions: The Hoag Cancer Center has put an outpatient radioimmunotherapy treatment model into place.