Radioimmunotherapy -- Is This Lifesaving Therapy For Many Lymphoma Patients On The Ropes?

What if we had a treatment that was effective in treating cancer and did not involve all of the side effects of chemotherapy? Radioimmunotherapy involves the use of radioactive antibodies that seek out tumor cells. It has proven to be effective for patients with follicular lymphoma – even lymphomas that did not respond to other forms of treatment. Yet, the treatment in the view of many remains underused and underpublicized. Cancer patient advocates have had to fight to keep this drug on the market. Medicine, research, advocacy, and even politics enter into the discussion on this episode of Battling and Beating Cancer. Dr. Mark Kaminski, Professor of Internal Medicine Division of Hematology/Oncology University of Michigan and Director of the Multidisciplinary Lymphoma Clinic University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, joins Charlene and Scott to discuss radioimmunotherapy on “Battling and Beating Cancer.” Dr. Kaminski knows a lot about radioimmunotherapy – after all he is one of the pioneers of this treatment. We discuss the treatment and how it was developed; its use on follicular lymphoma refractory to other treatment, its use as a front line and secondary treatment, and its potential use for aggressive lymphomas; the benefits, efficacy, and side-effects of RIT; how RIT compares to other treatments; the two different approved formulations of RIT; the underuse of this treatment; and the role of physicians, patients, advocates, drug companies, and providers in educating physicians, patients, providers, and advocating to sustain this important treatment. You won’t want to miss this episode of Battling and Beating Cancer.