IMMUNOTHERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF NON-HODGKIN LYMPHOMA: A NARRATIVE LITERATURE REVIEW

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.0159662611054

• Palavras-chave: Monoclonal antibodies, CAR-T cells, Immunotherapy, Immune checkpoint inhibitors, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

• Keywords: Monoclonal antibodies, CAR-T cells, Immunotherapy, Immune checkpoint inhibitors, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

• Abstract:

  Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) represents a heterogeneous group of neoplasms of the lymphatic system, with different subtypes and clinical behaviors. Traditionally treated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy, NHL has shown promising responses to immunotherapy, an innovative therapeutic approach that enhances the immune system’s action against tumor cells. The objective of this study was to present a narrative review of the literature on the main immunotherapeutic strategies applied to the treatment of NHL, highlighting their mechanisms of action, clinical efficacy, toxicity, and therapeutic impact. The methodology consisted of a narrative literature review conducted in the PubMed, SciELO, Google Scholar, Gov.br databases, and WHO documents. The keywords “immunotherapy,” “non-Hodgkin lymphoma,” “monoclonal antibodies,” “CAR-T cells,” and “immune checkpoint inhibitors” were used, combined with the Boolean operator AND. Articles published between 2005 and 2025, in Portuguese and English, that directly addressed immunotherapy applied to NHL were included, excluding isolated case reports, studies without data related to the topic, and inaccessible materials. These were organized into thematic categories such as types of immunotherapy, mechanisms of action, clinical efficacy, adverse effects, and therapeutic impact. During the analysis process, the need to include additional publications that complement the proposed discussion was also considered. The analysis of recent studies demonstrated that agents such as monoclonal antibodies, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and cells (CAR-T) have contributed significantly to disease control, especially in refractory or relapsed cases of NHL. However, limited access, high costs, and side effects still pose significant challenges to the use of these immunotherapies. Immunotherapy is a promising and expanding tool in hematologic oncology, and continued clinical studies evaluating its long-term efficacy and safety are essential.