Radioimmunotherapy with Iodine-131 Tositumomab in Patients with Low-Grade Non-Hodgkin's B-Cell Lymphoma Does Not Induce Loss of Acquired Humoral Immunity against Common Antigens

Thirty-one previously untreated patients with follicular low-grade B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma expressing the CD20 antigen were treated with iodine-131 tositumomab therapy between 1996 and 1998. The therapy led to a temporary depletion of peripheral blood B-lymphocytes. Recovery of B-cells occurred in most cases by 3 to 6 months and in all patients by 12 months posttherapy. A temporary decline in T-cell subpopulations, but no reduction in...