Patient-specific vaccine therapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is an indolent, or slow-growing, malignant disease of the lymphoid tissue, which usually responds to initial therapy. However, the disease is characterized by multiple relapses and remissions, eventually causing death. Several effective therapies are available, but improvement of overall survival in patients with follicular NHL has not been demonstrated.

Establishing an institutional model for the administration of tositumomab and iodine I 131 tositumomab.

Radioimmunotherapy with radiolabeled anti-CD20 antibodies is a promising new treatment approach for low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. However, the administration of radiolabeled antibodies presents some added complexity. At the University of Nebraska Medical Center (Omaha, NE), an institutional model has been developed that ensures the efficient and safe delivery of tositumomab and iodine I 131 tositumomab (Bexxar; Corixa Corp, South San Francisco, CA and GlaxoSmithKline, Philadelphia, PA).

Immunotherapy: a novel treatment for Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Objectives: To provide an overview of the principles of immunology, including immunotherapy, and information about monoclonal antibody therapy in the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Data Sources: Published literature.

Conclusions: Immunotherapy is a form of disease treatment that enhances the immune system with the use of biologic agents.

Combination therapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: an opportunity for pharmaceutical care in a specialty practice.

Objective: To describe the application of pharmaceutical care practices in the administration of new therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals used in the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

Practice Description: At the Antibody Labeling Facility at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the nuclear pharmacist provides support in the formulation, preparation, and quality testing of radiopharmaceuticals. The nuclear pharmacist also provides direct patient care by assisting in the administration of radiopharmaceuticals, monitoring patients during their infusions, and counseling patients on radioimmunotherapy and radiation safety.

Outpatient treatment with (131)I-anti-B1 antibody: radiation exposure to family members.

Unlabelled: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulations that govern release of patients administered radioactive material have been revised to include dose-based criteria in addition to the conventional activity-based criteria. A licensee may now release a patient if the total effective dose equivalent to another individual from exposure to the released patient is not likely to exceed 5 mSv (500 mrem). The result of this dose-based release limit is that now many patients given therapeutic amounts of radioactive material no longer require hospitalization.