New Agents
Because the overall survival for high risk neuroblastoma is still poor, newer agents are constantly being sought to help improve the outcome.
One of the newest agents is a monoclonal antibody, Ch14.18 used in the post-consolidation phase for high risk neuroblastoma.
Ch14.18
- Monoclonal antibody directed against neuroblastoma-specific antigen, gangliosidase (GD2)
- May kill neuroblastoma by antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (i.e.- priming the patient’s own immune system to attack the residual neuroblastoma cells)
- Antigen has limited expression in normal human tissues and therefore, few side effects would be expected.
- Therapeutic responses have been demonstrated in patients with refractory disease
- Studies are underway to see if effective in front-line therapy for patients with high risk disease after chemotherapy, surgery, autologous bone marrow transplant, and radiation.
The New Approaches to Neuroblastoma Therapy (NANT) consortium is studying inclusion of myelobablative doses of iodine-131-meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) with myeloablative chemotherapy prior to stem cell transplantation in patients with an incomplete response to induction chemotherapy.
External Link:
Anti-GD2 Antibody with GM-CSF, Interleukin-2 and Isotretinoin for Neuroblastoma
Yu,A. et al.
