Description:

Children affected by high risk or relapsed/refractory leukaemia have a poor prognosis, with an increased risk of relapse. These patients generally need treatment intensification and a bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Nevertheless, with conventional treatent the risk of relapse after transplant remains high. Radioimmunotherapy provides a way to deliver high dose irradiation to the bone marrow (where leukaemia resides), while sparing normal organs and tissues from its toxicity.This can be achieved by linking a radioactive molecule (Yttrium90) to an antibody that, once infused in the blood, targets marrow/leukemic cells.