Radioimmunotherapy agent improves progression-free survival of NHL patients in real-world setting
A study presented during the 2020 American Society of Clinical Oncology and Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer Clinical Immuno-Oncology Symposium, in Orlando, FL, evaluated the efficacy of Yttrium 90-labeled ((90)Y) ibritumomab tiuxetan in the treatment of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL).1
(90)Y ibritumomab tiuxetan is a radioimmunotherapy agent that combines the action of a beta-emitting isotope, yttrium-90, with the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, rituximab.1 It is approved as consolidation therapy after remission induction in previously untreated patients with follicular lymphoma and for the treatment of adult patients with rituximab-relapsed/refractory CD20+ follicular B-cell NHL.2
In this retrospective analysis, researchers investigated the efficacy of (90)Y ibritumomab tiuxetan’s in a real-world setting in patients with NHL. The study included 171 patients referred for treatment with (90)Y ibritumomab tiuxetan between September 2005 and January 2017. Most patients had either follicular lymphoma (n = 107) or diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (n = 34). The median age was 70 years old, 54% were male (n = 93), and had received a median of two prior chemotherapy regimens.1
Overall, the findings demonstrated that 53% (n = 73) achieved complete response and 17% (n =23) achieved partial response. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 31 months, and 71% of patients remained alive and without any signs of disease progression for at least one year. Additionally, the treatment was well-tolerated, with the most common adverse events reported as cytopenia, gastrointestinal side effects, and mucocutaneous toxicity.1
The investigators concluded that the treatment significantly improved survival without disease worsening in patients with NHL and stated that “Further considerations will be given as to which treatment factors are associated with a complete response and improved PFS”.1
Written by Marta Palhas
References:
- Doyle C, Smith J, Bello CM et al. Efficacy and safety of yttrium-90 ibritumomab tiuxetan in the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Poster presented at: 2020 American Society of Clinical Oncology and Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer Clinical Immuno-Oncology Symposium; 2020 Feb 6-8; Orlando, FL.
- European Medicines Agency. Summary of Product Characteristics for Zevalin (2020). Available from: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/zevalin-epar-product-information_en.pdf. Last accessed 06/04/2020.
