New insights into the mechanisms of action of radioimmunotherapy in lymphoma

The exquisite sensitivity of haematological malignancies to targeted radiation alongside the impressive results achieved by the pioneers in this field suggests that radioimmunotherapy is likely to be a productive area for future clinical research. Recent experimental work has demonstrated that the combination of targeted radiation and antibody effector mechanisms are critical to long-term clearance of tumour. This review provides the background of clinical and biological insights into the mechanisms of action of radioimmunotherapy. © 2008 The Authors.