An analysis of 2,459 mantle cell lymphoma patients diagnosed from 1992 (when the disease was first recognized as a separate type of lymphoma) to 2004 showed that men were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed as women, Caucasians had the highest risk of all ethnic groups, and people aged 70 to 79 were more likely to be diagnosed than all other age groups (Cancer, published online July 7, 2008, DOI: 10.1002/cncr.23608).
CHICAGO-Ongoing trials are still clarifying the optimal approach to management after induction therapy for non-Hodgkin’s follicular lymphoma. In the meantime, patients and physicians are left to ponder whether maintenance rituximab (Rituxan) should be used routinely in all cases. Leading researchers in hematology debated this topic in an education session at ASCO 2008.
CHICAGO-Temsirolimus (Torisel) prolongs progression-free survival in patients with relapsed and/or refractory mantle cell lymphoma when compared with commonly used conventional therapies, finds an international phase III trial.
ATLANTA-Interim results of an international phase III study show that rituximab (Rituxan)-based salvage chemotherapy results in high response rates in patients with CD20-positive relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) allowing for stem-cell transplantation.
The introduction of imatinib mesylate (Gleevec) has dramatically changed the management and prognostic outlook of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).
Chronic myelogeneous leukemia (CML) is a biologically unique neoplasm resulting from a mutation producing a single abnormal protein that induces unregulated proliferation of myelopoiesis. Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec) profoundly inhibits the chimeric bcr/abl tyrosine kinase, and has dramatically improved the outlook for patients with CML in chronic phase.
The introduction of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib mesylate (Gleevec) has profoundly changed the treatment paradigm for patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).
Long-term results of a German randomized trial suggest that a novel escalated-dose regimen may replace the current chemotherapy standard of care for treatment of advanced-stage Hodgkin lymphoma. Volker Diehl, MD, of the University of Cologne, Germany, presented 10-year follow-up data on behalf of the German Hodgkin Study Group at ASH 2007 (abstract 211).
Among Ph+ chronic myelogenous leukemia patients in accelerated phase with imatinib (Gleevec) resistance or intolerance, treatment with nilotinib (Tasigna) rapidly produced significant responses and was generally well tolerated in an open-label pivotal phase II study
Study results presented at ASH 2007 showed efficacy of the novel tyrosine kinase inhibitor dasatinib (Sprycel) in imatinib (Gleevec) resistant or intolerant chronic myelogenous leukemia patients in chronic, accelerated, and blast phase
In a significant proportion of imatinib (Gleevec)-resistant chronic-phase chronic myelogenous leukemia patients with Bcr-Abl mutations, nilotinib (Tasigna) treatment results in hematologic, cytogenetic, and molecular responses
Use of rituximab (Rituxan) in the pre-transplant setting significantly boosts both progression-free and overall survival for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), without impacting engraftment or treatment-related mortality
Six-year results of the IRIS trial confirm imatinib (Gleevec) as the standard first-line therapy for chronic myelogenous leukemia
Use of intensive immunochemotherapy plus purged stem-cell support can result in long-term survival in patients with mantle cell lymphoma, suggesting that MCL could be considered as curable. Christian Geisler, MD, PhD, of Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark, presented this provocative idea, based on final results of the MCL2 study, at ASH 2007 (abstract LB1), speaking on behalf of the Nordic Lymphoma Group.
Recent trials have demonstrated improvements in progression-free and overall survival with the inclusion of the chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab (Rituxan) in chemotherapy regimens for treatment-naive and relapsed patients with advanced-stage follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). As rituximab therapy has significant single-agent activity in follicular NHL, is generally well tolerated, and has no dose-limiting or significant hematologic toxicity, a number of approaches evaluating maintenance therapy with extended dosing of rituximab are being tested. Trials have demonstrated prolonged progression-free survival in patients treated with maintenance rituximab using a variety of schedules following treatment with single-agent rituximab, induction or salvage chemotherapy, or salvage therapy with rituximab and chemotherapy combinations. Small increases in neutropenia and infections have been reported with extended rituximab use. Ongoing trials are evaluating the optimal use of rituximab (maintenance vs retreatment) and the benefit of rituximab maintenance following treatment of therapy-naive patients treated with rituximab-containing chemoimmunotherapy induction regimens. This article discusses the risks and benefits of maintenance rituximab for follicular NHL.
Consolidation therapy using Zevalin (90yttrium-ibritumomab tiuxetan) following first remission significantly extends progression-free survival in patients with advanced-stage follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Patients with early-stage diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) have improved long-term disease-free and overall survival if their first-line treatment includes radiation therapy, according to the largest outcomes study to date among this population.
Recent trials have demonstrated improvements in progression-free and overall survival with the inclusion of the chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab (Rituxan) in chemotherapy regimens for treatment-naive and relapsed patients with advanced-stage follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). As rituximab therapy has significant single-agent activity in follicular NHL, is generally well tolerated, and has no dose-limiting or significant hematologic toxicity, a number of approaches evaluating maintenance therapy with extended dosing of rituximab are being tested. Trials have demonstrated prolonged progression-free survival in patients treated with maintenance rituximab using a variety of schedules following treatment with single-agent rituximab, induction or salvage chemotherapy, or salvage therapy with rituximab and chemotherapy combinations. Small increases in neutropenia and infections have been reported with extended rituximab use. Ongoing trials are evaluating the optimal use of rituximab (maintenance vs retreatment) and the benefit of rituximab maintenance following treatment of therapy-naive patients treated with rituximab-containing chemoimmunotherapy induction regimens. This article discusses the risks and benefits of maintenance rituximab for follicular NHL.
Recent trials have demonstrated improvements in progression-free and overall survival with the inclusion of the chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab (Rituxan) in chemotherapy regimens for treatment-naive and relapsed patients with advanced-stage follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). As rituximab therapy has significant single-agent activity in follicular NHL, is generally well tolerated, and has no dose-limiting or significant hematologic toxicity, a number of approaches evaluating maintenance therapy with extended dosing of rituximab are being tested. Trials have demonstrated prolonged progression-free survival in patients treated with maintenance rituximab using a variety of schedules following treatment with single-agent rituximab, induction or salvage chemotherapy, or salvage therapy with rituximab and chemotherapy combinations. Small increases in neutropenia and infections have been reported with extended rituximab use. Ongoing trials are evaluating the optimal use of rituximab (maintenance vs retreatment) and the benefit of rituximab maintenance following treatment of therapy-naive patients treated with rituximab-containing chemoimmunotherapy induction regimens. This article discusses the risks and benefits of maintenance rituximab for follicular NHL.
Cephalon, Inc, announced positive results from a phase III clinical trial of bendamustine (Treanda) in patients with indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) whose cancer is no longer responsive to treatment with rituximab (Rituxan). The study met its primary endpoints of overall response rate and median duration of response, while demonstrating a manageable tolerability profile.
Rituximab (Rituxan) plus CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) is the standard induction therapy for patients with advanced-stage diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, including both elderly and younger patients.
FDG-PET performed after two cycles of standard chemotherapy can accurately predict which patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma will respond or relapse
Overall survival of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is 90%; however, survival decreases with time owing to late complications, including subsequent malignancy. Female survivors of pediatric HL have increased morbidity and mortality associated with secondary effects of radiation therapy, most specifically the development of secondary breast cancer. It is estimated that female HL survivors have a 35- to 75-fold excess risk of developing breast cancer, with the greatest risk occurring 15 to 20 years after initial diagnosis. This risk time frame is more than 20 years before the median age (61 years) of breast cancer diagnosis among the general population. This equates to an HL survivor reaching the cumulative lifetime incidence of breast cancer by 40 years of age when compared with the general population.
As noted in part 1 of this two-part article, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is one of a few malignancies that have been increasing in incidence over the past several decades. Likewise, these disorders are more common in elderly patients, with a median age of occurrence of 65 years. Therapy in elderly patients may be affected by multiple factors, especially attendent comorbidities. The approaches to management of these patients, with either indolent or aggressive disease processes, have been based on prospective clinical trial results, many of which have included a younger patient population. Fortunately over the past decade, results of treatment trials that have targeted an older patient population have emerged. The disease incidence and treatment approaches for both follicular (part 1) and diffuse aggressive (part 2) histologies in elderly patients are reviewed, as well as the impact of aging on the care of these patients.
As noted in part 1 of this two-part article, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is one of a few malignancies that have been increasing in incidence over the past several decades. Likewise, these disorders are more common in elderly patients, with a median age of occurrence of 65 years. Therapy in elderly patients may be affected by multiple factors, especially attendent comorbidities. The approaches to management of these patients, with either indolent or aggressive disease processes, have been based on prospective clinical trial results, many of which have included a younger patient population. Fortunately over the past decade, results of treatment trials that have targeted an older patient population have emerged. The disease incidence and treatment approaches for both follicular (part 1) and diffuse aggressive (part 2) histologies in elderly patients are reviewed, as well as the impact of aging on the care of these patients.
