Lymphoma

ORLANDO-Patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) who have a complete cytogenetic response (CCgR) to interferon-alfa have a long survival, and low-risk patients have a projected 10-year survival of more than 80%, Francesca

ORLANDO, Florida-Updated data from two phase II trials show that imatinib mesylate (Gleevec, STI571) continues to improve response rates for patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) who did not respond to interferon therapy or are in blast crisis. With follow-up of 12 months or more, overall and complete response rates are proving to be durable and toxicities tolerable

HOUSTON-In patients 65 years or younger with untreated mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), adding rituximab (Rituxan) to the hyper-CVAD/methotrexate/cytarabine (Ara-C) regimen produced high complete remission rates and failure-free survival rates equivalent to those reported for hyper-CVAD followed by stem cell transplants.

ORLANDO-Imatinib mesylate (STI-571, Gleevec) is showing excellent results in newly diagnosed patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in the early chronic phase, scientists reported at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the American

ORLANDO, Florida-Two phase I/II studies indicate that combination treatment with imatinib mesylate (Gleevec, also known as STI571) produces a high rate of hematologic response in patients in the chronic phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Dose-limiting toxicities were mainly hematologic, and researchers advocate further studies were recommended to establish efficacy and recommended dosing.

MANNHEIM, Germany-Despite encouraging initial responses, patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) frequently become resistant in the advanced, or blast crisis, phase of the disease after initially responding to selective inhibition of the Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase by imatinib (Gleevec, also known as STI571).

ORLANDO, Florida-Conventional chemotherapy has limited efficacy against follicular non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), but research reported at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology showed promising results when conventional regimens were combined with the anti-CD20 drug tositumomab/I-131 tositumomab (Bexxar).

ROME-Best outcomes from donor lymphocyte infusion in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) occur when the first dose does not exceed 0.2 × 108 mononuclear cells/kg, Cesare Guglielmi, MD, reported in a presentation at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

A study conducted by the Southwest Oncology Group reported that a short course of chemotherapy followed by radiation significantly improves time to disease progression and minimizes toxicity in patients with early-stage Hodgkin’s disease. The study evaluated whether chemotherapy should be part of the treatment regimen for patients with early-stage Hodgkin’s disease. Earlier studies of other chemotherapy combinations followed by radiation also demonstrated improved progression-free survival rates; however, patients experienced excessive toxicities.

MIAMI BEACH -The Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitor PD173955 (PD17) binds to the target ATP binding pocket even more efficiently than STI-571 (imatinib mesylate, Gleevec). It shows 15 to 20 times greater efficacy in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) cell lines because it can bind to either open or closed activation loops.

ORLANDO-Use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has significantly changed the prognosis of human immunodeficiency disease (HIV). However, the outcomes of patients with Hodgkin’s disease (HD) in the HIV setting are still poor. According to Michele Spina, MD, this is mainly due to the short duration of complete response.

SAN FRANCISCO-Radiotherapy following chemotherapy does not improve survival in patients with stage III/IV Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) who have a complete response to chemotherapy. It does, however, improve survival in partial responders, according to results from the phase III EORTC (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer) trial 20884. The findings were presented at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (plenary 3).

n WHITE PLAINS, NY-The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has joined in a collaborative partnership with Novartis to educate the public about imatinib mesylate (Gleevec, also known as STI-571), Novartis’ new oral medication approved by the FDA for patients with Philadelphia-chromosome-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) who have failed interferon therapy.

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO-The FDA has approved a supplemental biological license application (sBLA) for Rituxan (rituximab), the monoclonal antibody developed by Genentech, Inc. and IDEC Pharmaceuticals (San Diego) for treatment of patient with relapsed or refractory, low-grade or follicular, CD20-positive, B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). The new product labeling includes re-treatment with rituximab after a prior course, initial treatment with eight weekly infusions instead of four, and treatment of bulky disease.

WASHINGTON-A new evaluation of existing scientific studies has found "limited or suggestive" evidence to link servicemen’s wartime exposures to herbicides in Vietnam with the development of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in their children. However, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) committee that reported the finding emphasized that the evidence for the association is not conclusive.

WASHINGTON -The Food and Drug Administration, acting with dispatch, has approved the marketing of Gleevec (imatinib mesylate, Novartis) for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The agency granted the drug priority review and orphan drug status, and approved it under the FDA’s "accelerated approval" regulations less than 3 months after the sponsor submitted its marketing request.

The exact mechanism of development of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is unclear, but the imbalance among lymphocyte subsets is considered to be the basis for the emergence of an autoimmune

Treatment options for patients with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are limited. In this report, we present our preliminary results of a biochemotherapy combination using rituximab (Rituxan, a monoclonal antibody against CD20) with

A total of 400 previously untreated elderly patients (aged 60 to 80) with stage II to IV diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLCL) were recruited to an open-label, randomized study of standard CHOP (cyclophosphamide [Cytoxan, Neosar],

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) has a low complete response (CR) rate (21%) after anthracycline-containing regimens, a short duration of response (median: 10 months), and dismal survival (median: 2 to 4 years). This improves to 100% after

We have previously reported that normal B lymphocytes in lymph nodes and peripheral blood of patients with Hodgkin’s disease (HD) express CD40 ligand (CD40L) and CD30 ligand (CD30L). Both ligands can activate NF-kb and promote

Stage IV indolent lymphomas are currently considered incurable disorders. However, the achievement of an early molecular remission, as determined by the bcl-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, is associated with a better outcome. In view

Response rates up to 50% have been observed in patients with relapsed CD20-positive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after treatment with the chimeric monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody rituximab (Rituxan). The malignant cell population in

SAN FRANCISCO-An Italian study has found that Hodgkin’s disease is becoming more frequent than non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) in people with HIV. The researchers speculate that this rise in Hodgkin’s disease may be due to the advent of highly active antiretro-viral therapy (HAART). Alessandro Re, MD, of the Universita di Brescia, presented the results at the American Society of Hematology annual meeting.

Patients with refractory/relapsed diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) who fail high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplant or are not suitable candidates for intensive therapy have limited therapeutic options. We have