Scientists have searched new methods of curing Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. For some patients chemotherapy and radiation therapy had good results but for others they have been toxic. For certain types of patients the "monoclonal-antibody?based" therapy has been safe and effective for example: (rituximab) Rituxan and Bexxar which have been tested and which will be administered to patients.
Antibodies are produced by our immune system to protect us against foreign substances which enter our body for example in infections to viruses, transplants. Antibodies(which are found in the blood) bind to one antigen like a key in the lock and this is the signal to which the immune system responds. Monoclonal antibodies are produced in laboratory and they are all the same not like ours which are produced in the body all different. For example, there are the monoclonal antibodies which treat tumor or cancer. Antibodies may be produced as murine(similar in structure with one of a mouse), or half mouse, half human or humanized.
Patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma have tumors which are made of B-lymphocytes a type of blood cell, that's why the therapy with monoclonal antibodies may be effective. The monoclonal antibodies action are directed on B cells and have been tested intensely alone or with a toxin that can kill tumor cells or with radioactive combinations. It is a matter of choice in the treatment of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma for some the therapy with monoclonal antibodies may be of great effect , but for others it may lead to complications, in patients with a low health status we can't administer radioactive antibodies.
Rituxan is used in combination with chemotherapy to treat lymphomaand and is the only monoclonal antibody treatment currently approved for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Rituxan has also been combined with radiation therapy for an even greater effect, has been given twice intravenously in an outpatient clinic, without anything else it is usually given once a week for 4 weeks intravenously. There may appear side effects: chills, rigors or shakes, fever. Bexxar is a murine monoclonal antibody, has been studied in the radioactive form is administered in two intravenous infusions one week apart, during the week between there are made tests to determine the correct quantity of radiation which will be administered. The treatment with Bexxar has not been yet approved. Unpleasant reactions (such as fever, chills, shakes) occur and patients must take oral iodine supplement for a three week period to minimize the risk of thyroid damage. Human anti-mouse antibody (HAMA) response is a reaction that seems to occur as an immune response to to the murine antibody.
There are studied several other monoclonal antibodies treatments, like Oncolym and "LL2? that have an acceptable toxicity and a demonstrated anti-lymphoma effect. In conclusion, the treatments with monoclonal antibodies against non-Hodgkin lymphoma have some sort of toxicity so they are viewed as potential strategies, but it is not clear yet if they are suited for all the patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
There are many approaches to finding the actual cause of non- Hodgkin lymphoma. Some are more successful, others are not. Studies have been made on large groups of people who suffer from non- Hodgkin lymphoma, but the results were never as they expected. The scientists thought of another way to shed some light on the causes of non- Hodgkin lymphoma: use descriptive epidemiology. This means that they have to study what actual sections of the entire population suffer from lymphoma. In some countries, like The United Kingdom, an estimate twelve people in ten thousand suffer from non- Hodgkin lymphoma. As the number is actually rather small, it is harder for scientists to determine what actually causes non- Hodgkin lymphoma in this people. Studying them can only provide some clues related to lymphoma cases.
The condition, non- Hodgkin lymphoma, appears to be more rare in young people than in old ones. This means that a risk factor can be considered age. In all groups of people who suffer from lymphoma, males appear to be the ones more affected by this type of cancer. So gender seems to be another risk factor where lymphoma is concerned.
Non- Hodgkin lymphoma is very hard to understand and there are many stops along the way when researching this disease. One of the most difficult things that scientists experience when studying lymphoma is actually understanding the pathology of lymphoma. Almost one hundred years ago, non- Hodgkin lymphoma was considered to be one disease and today this theory has been proven wrong. Many different lymphoma subtypes have been discovered and there have been a lot of different classifications of lymphoma along the years, thing that puts many scientists in difficulty.
However, despite all difficulties, some conclusions have still been made regarding non- Hodgkin lymphoma. It seems that all studies that have been made on non- Hodgkin lymphoma have one thin in common and that is that there are three main groups of causes for non- Hodgkin lymphoma: one is lifestyle factors, one is occupational links and the other is aspects of immunity. The actual causes are still to be revealed, but at least we have some idea on what the non- Hodgkin lymphoma causes may be.