RIT as First Line Therapy
A reader has asked if RIT can be given as a first line therapy. Maybe. RIT was originally approved for patients who have relapsed after an initial treatment with some type of chemo or Rituxan.
There was a clinical trial using RIT as an initial therapy which showed that it was very effective. The results of that trial were published in the New England Journal of Medicine in February 2005. I am not aware of any ongoing trials using it as such, but it would definitely be worth looking into.
I have heard that there are some doctors who may be willing to use it "off lable," meaning that it might be given as an initial therapy but I don't personally know of any.
Mort's entry on August 8 gave the customer service phone numbers of the two drug companies which produce RIT. You can call both of them for doctors who are using it in your area. The numbers are repeated below:
Biogen Idec: (866) 298-8433
Glaxo Smith Kline: (888) 825-5249
Happy Labor Day to all! I am grateful to be "laboring" around home today. This time four years ago, I wasn't sure I'd ever have that chance again. RIT gave it to me!
Betsy