ONCOLOGY Vol 15 No 3

Fujisawa Healthcare, Inc, won a Gold Award in the patient education category for the children’s guidebook Me and My Marrow at the seventh annual National Health Information Awards.

Rituximab has been an effective treatment for chemotherapy-refractory low-grade non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). The integration of rituximab (Rituxan) into standard first-line oral chemotherapy for low-grade NHL was initiated in order to

Laboratory studies evaluating the activity of Celgene’s immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) on multiple myeloma cells suggest that these agents may be beneficial in the treatment of multiple myeloma. Researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

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

The anti-CD20 chimeric monoclonal antibody rituximab (Rituxan) has been successfully used in the treatment of many B-cell malignancies. Clonotypic B cells circulating in multiple myeloma (MM) patients express CD20, and it has been suggested

At a recent meeting of the National Cancer Institute, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer, and the American Association for Cancer Research in Amsterdam, results from a phase I/II clinical trial were presented that

RFB4(dsFv)-PE38 (BL22) is a recombinant disulfide-stabilized immunotoxin composed of the variable domains (VH and VL) of the anti-CD22 monoclonal antibody RFB4 attached by a disulfide bond and with VH fused to truncated

Physicians will have 2 years to develop the consent forms and compliance programs dictated by the medical records confidentiality rule published by the Clinton administration on December 28. Some provider groups, particularly in the health

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

Possible mechanisms of action of the chimeric CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab (Rituxan) involve complement- and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Because granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF [Neupogen])

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

Tositumomab/iodine-131 tositumomab (Bexxar) is a new radioimmunotherapy active in chemotherapy-relapsed or -refractory indolent (IN) or transformed indolent (TR) non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The current study was undertaken to assess

Based on a previously published experience (Blood 92:3409, 1998), 5 additional patients with autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) have since been treated with rituximab (Rituxan). We present a summary of all 6 patients (5 female, 1 male;

One of the 10 leading health indicators that reflect the major health concerns in the United States is cigarette smoking among adolescents. To examine changes in cigarette smoking among high school students in the United States from 1991 to 1999, the

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

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently granted marketing clearance for a new formulation of fluorouracil (5-FU) as treatment of actinic keratoses. This "Microsponge" formulation of the antimetabolite, manufactured by Advanced

Initial treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with fludarabine (Fludara) or fludarabine/cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan, Neosar) resulted in complete remission (CR) rates of 28% and 35%, respectively. Recently, rituximab (Rituxan)

A study headed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) human genome scientists on the genetic patterns of inherited breast cancer has uncovered unexpected findings regarding nonhereditary breast and ovarian cancers. These unanticipated findings,

Ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin) consists of an anti-CD20 murine IgG1 kappa monoclonal antibody covalently bound to tiuxetan (MX-DTPA), which stably chelates yttrium-90 for therapy. Ibritumomab tiuxetan therapy involves pretreatment with

Ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin) is a murine anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody covalently bound to the chelator tiuxetan, which can securely chelate yttrium-90. We performed a randomized controlled trial

We conducted a phase I/II trial to evaluate the toxicity and response rate of the chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab (Rituxan) in patients with a clinical diagnosis of immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) who had failed

This issue of Oncology features an excellent review of gene therapy for head and neck cancers. Lamont and colleagues have highlighted the principles of genetic intervention, the current state of available therapies, and the results of human trials in an organized and coherent manner.

Prostate cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed noncutaneous neoplasm in men.[1] While there are many questions of profound clinical significance related to the management of this neoplasm, few are as critical as those regarding the limitations of current imaging modalities for clinicians involved in the management of these patients. As such, the thorough, if somewhat depressing, overview of the current status of imaging in prostate cancer by El-Gabry et al provides timely insight into both where we are and where we need to go.

This superb review by Drs. Kimmick and Muss clearly and concisely summarizes the literature on the prevention and treatment of breast cancer in "older" women.

Cancer and aging seem to go hand in hand. Most cancers and most cancer deaths occur in individuals over age 65 years. Likewise, as we age, osteoarthritis, heart disease, diabetes, and memory lapses seem to become part of our daily burden. Drs. Kimmick and Muss have detailed a strategy for managing breast cancer in older women. However, as they point out, there are several problems with defining optimal therapy for the elderly.

Among the most significant complications a neutropenic patient can experience is an invasive fungal infection. In this issue of Oncology, Drs. Wingard and Leather thoroughly review the epidemiology, clinical presentation, and empiric treatment of these infections, particularly those associated with Candida and Aspergillus. They emphasize the need for better methods of identifying individuals at high-risk for invasive fungal infections because those individuals are more likely to benefit from antifungal prophylaxis or empiric therapy. The goal of such a targeted approach is to limit the amount of antifungal agents given, thereby decreasing the number of adverse effects and diminishing the selection of antifungal-resistant species.[1]

Lamont et al have presented a very clear and concise review of current gene therapy strategies in the management of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. While the presentation highlighted the most important work to date in this expanding field, it also made reference to some controversies and challenges that we are now facing. With this in mind, I would like to expand on and clarify several points raised by the authors.

The article written by Drs. Wingard and Leather presents a thoughtful review of the current approaches to empiric antifungal therapy in neutropenic patients. Empiric antifungal therapy has evolved as a standard of care for the prevention of invasive fungal infections in neutropenic patients who remain persistently febrile despite the use of broad-spectrum antibacterial antibiotics.[1-3] Empiric antifungal therapy in this setting provides early treatment for clinically occult invasive fungal infections and systemic prophylaxis for neutropenic patients at highest risk.

The authors have done an excellent job of preparing a complete and unbiased review of various imaging modalities that are currently available or being developed for the evaluation of patients with carcinoma of the prostate. In addition to the review of the literature, the authors have succinctly summarized the technical details that allow the uninitiated to understand the basic principles of these imaging technologies.