Zevalin Helpful Even in Refractory NHL

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Zevalin Helpful in Low-Grade B-Cell Non-Hodgkin's

Lymphoma

Laurie Barclay, MD

NEW YORK (MedscapeWire) May 20 — The new

radioimmunotherapy drug ibritumomab (Zevalin) looks

promising for treating low-grade B-cell non-Hodgkin's

lymphoma, according to a results of a study published

in the May 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical

Oncology. Many patients who had exhausted all other

treatment options responded well to ibritumomab, and

some even achieved complete remission.

" Unlike chemotherapy which goes through the whole

body, Zevalin carries the radiation payload directly

to the tumor, " lead author E. Witzig, MD, from

the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, says in a

news release. " The drug radiates only about a five

millimeter area around the tumor. "

In this randomized phase III study, 143 patients with

B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who had previously

failed standard chemotherapy regimens received either

a single dose of ibritumomab after 2 rituximab

(Rituxan) pretreatments, or rituximab weekly for 4

weeks.

Positive response with tumor shrinkage occurred in 80%

of patients who received ibritumomab and in 56% of

patients receiving only rituximab (P=.002). Complete

remission rate was 30% for ibritumomab and 16% for

rituximab alone (P=.04), with median duration of

response 14.2 months for ibritumomab and 12.1 months

for rituximab. Primary toxicity of ibritumomab was

reversible myelosuppression.

" One treatment is required on an outpatient basis,

compared to a series of treatments with chemotherapy

that can last four to six months and sometimes include

hospitalization because of serious side effects, "

Witzig says. " There's no hair loss or prolonged

fatigue, nausea or vomiting. "

Based on this study and similar trials, the US Food

and Drug Administration has approved Zevalin,

manufactured by IDEC Pharmaceuticals Corp, for

treatment of patients with relapsed B-cell

non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

J Clin Oncol. 2002;20(10):2453-2463

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