Treatment > Radioimmunotherapy

Meeting Abstract

Loco-regional radioimmunotherapy of malignant glioma by means of a humanised antibody hR3 (raised against epidermal growth factor receptors) labelled with Y-90

P. Riva, M. Santimaria, M. Casi, M. Adamo, R. Nada, N. Inzaga, Maurizio Bufalini

Hospital, Cesena, Italy; Center of Molecular Immunology, Habana, Cuba

Aim. To asses the clinical effectiveness of loco-regional radioimmunotherapy.

Material and Methods. Loco-regional Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) was performed by administering directly into the post-operative cavity, through an indwelling catheter (Ommaya), a humanised monoclonal antibody hR3 directed against Epidermal Growth Factor Receptors.
The Mab was previously linked to DTPA and then labelled with Y-90.
The mean dose of protein was 1.5 mg; the mean dose of Y-90 was MBq 721.5.
The treatment was repeated, when possible, 3 or 4 times.
45 cases were submitted to RIT: 33 with glioblastoma (30 with recurrent and 3 with newly diagnosed lesion), 7 with recurrent anaplastic astrocytoma, 2 with recurrent grade II astrocytoma and 3 with recurrent anaplastic oligodendroglioma.

Results. We did not record early or late side effects.
The mean survival was prolonged: 30 months in glioblastoma group, 49 months in anaplastic astrocytoma series, 83 months in grade II astrocytoma cases and 89 months in anaplastic oligodendroglioma subset.
Moreover we observed, in glioblastoma cases 9 deceased, 10 PD, 8 SD, 1 CR and 5 NED.
The ORR was 42.4%.
In anaplastic astrocytoma patients we obtained 2 deceased, 2 PD, 2 SD and 2 NED (ORR 57.14%).
In grade II astrocytoma we observed 1 PD and 1 NED.
Finally in anaplastic oligodendroglioma we achieved 1 deceased and 2 SD.

Discussion and Conclusions. These results look better in comparison of the data acquired in two previous trials carried out by utilising antitenascin murine antibody labelled first with I-131 (ORR 24.2% in 74 glioblastoma patients) and, subsequently with Y-90 (ORR 28.5% in 102 glioblastoma cases).
Loco regional radioimmunotheray could be effective mainly if it is applied after surgery in cases with minimal residual disease.

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