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Leukemia

Medical Treatments for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

May 22, 2012

This fact sheet educates patients about the causes of and treatment options for CML.

STAT3 mutations ID'd in rare lymphoproliferative disorder

May 17, 2012

Four specific mutations in SH2 domain are seen in T-cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia.

More chemotherapy might be best move for some children with leukemia

Delicia Honen Yard May 15, 2012

When induction therapy fails in acute lymphoblastic leukemia, some youths have better outcomes with more chemotherapy than with stem cell transplant.

Nilotinib superior to imatinib in older patients with CML in chronic phase

Traci Dantoni May 04, 2012

Nilotinib had superior safety and efficacy over imatinib in these patients.

Experimental agent acts against aggressive lymphoma subtype

Delicia Honen Yard May 03, 2012

The drug ibrutinib can provide significant anticancer responses with modest side effects in persons with diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs).

Pediatric regimen beats adult chemo for young adults with ALL

April 25, 2012

Lower mortality, improved remission and event-free survival rates, lower relapse rates.

Wayward gene found, vanquished in some East Asians with CML and NSCLC

Delicia Honen Yard April 18, 2012

Researchers found that a gene mutation prevents tyrosine kinase inhibitors from working in some East Asian cancer patients, and can correct this.

Genetic profile IDs leukemia patients for high-dose chemotherapy

Delicia Honen Yard April 17, 2012

Persons with acute myeloid leukemia who harbor specific gene mutations may have improved overall survival with higher doses of chemotherapy.

Leukemia: Understanding its types and treatments

Donald R. Fleming, MD April 13, 2012

This review describes the four major groups of leukemia, plus diagnostic tests and treatment regimens for each group.

Heterogeneity characterizes induction failure in child ALL

April 12, 2012

Pediatric patients with induction failure often present with high-risk features.

Many women with cancer missing fertility risk info, services

Delicia Honen Yard April 11, 2012

Few women of childbearing age who are diagnosed with cancer are taking steps to preserve their fertility during treatment.

Childhood leukemia gets "theranostic" treatment

Delicia Honen Yard March 30, 2012

A new treatment platform combines a selective diagnostic test with targeted therapy for youths with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Survival improves for youths with leukemia

Delicia Honen Yard March 29, 2012

The 5-year survival rate for children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia rose from 83.7% for 1990-1994 to 90.4% for 2000-2005.

Genetic predictors of AML outcome get more specific

Delicia Honen Yard March 22, 2012

Advanced profiling of gene mutations in acute myeloid leukemia could potentially be used to help predict prognosis and guide treatment decisions.

Lung, pancreas only major cancers projected to have higher mortality in Europe in 2012

Delicia Honen Yard March 14, 2012

With the exception of lung cancer in women and pancreatic cancer, mortality from major cancers is expected to decline in the European Union in 2012.

Imatinib helpful after interferon fails in CML treatment

Delicia Honen Yard March 08, 2012

A long-term study indicated that imatinib is the treatment of choice for people with chronic myeloid leukemia who do not respond to interferon.

Blood cancers often require termination of early pregnancy

Delicia Honen Yard February 29, 2012

The urgent need for treatment may require a woman with a hematologic cancer to end an early-stage pregnancy, but not necessarily a later-stage one.

Ten-Year CML Survival Estimate of 68 Percent With Imatinib

February 28, 2012

Good long-term survival for chronic myeloid leukemia after failed interferon alpha treatment.

Asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi (Erwinaze)

February 22, 2012

Asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi is a component of a multiagent regimen for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia Risk Factors ID'd in Texas Adults

February 11, 2012

Solvent exposure, smoking, and obesity impact AML risk; highest risk for smokers exposed to solvents.

Gleevec wins wider approval for use in GI cancer

Delicia Honen Yard February 07, 2012

Gleevec (imatinib mesylate) has been granted regular approval by the FDA for use in adults following surgical removal of CD117-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST).

Cutaneous melanoma begets cutaneous melanoma

Delicia Honen Yard January 06, 2012

Continued skin surveillance is important for survivors of cutaneous melanoma (CM), indicate findings showing that this is the most common second primary cancer among persons with a first CM.

Addition of vorinostat yields high remission rate in AML study

Delicia Honen Yard December 28, 2011

An 85% remission rate was noted in a group of patients with acute myeloid leukemia who received the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat in addition to cytarabine and idarubicin.

FDA Update: December 2011

December 19, 2011

In November and December 2011, the FDA approved a number of new cancer drugs. Highlights include cetuximab for head and neck cancer, Hemacord, and asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi for ALL.

High rate of leukemia in elderly may be due to stem cell aging

Delicia Honen Yard December 13, 2011

Hematopoietic stem cells from healthy persons older than 65 years make fewer immunoprotective lymphocytes than do stem cells from healthy persons aged 20 to 35 years.

Existing antibiotic may help fight leukemia

Delicia Honen Yard December 02, 2011

The IV antimicrobial tigecycline, indicated for the treatment of various infections, targets and destroys leukemia stem cells by cutting off the cell's energy production.

Older blood cancer patients may benefit from cell transplant regimen

Delicia Honen Yard November 22, 2011

A regimen using minimal-intensity radiation therapy before bone marrow or stem cell transplantation may work for older patients who cannot tolerate stronger pretransplant treatment.

Finding Emotional Support for Long-term Illness

November 16, 2011

Advances in medications to treat long-term illnesses have allowed patients to live with their disease for a long time. This fact sheet provides hints for managing the emotional challenges of coping with CML over time.

Evaluation detects impairments in older AML patients that could affect treatment

Delicia Honen Yard November 11, 2011

A bedside assessment picked up symptoms and impairments that standard oncology assessments do not routinely identify in a group of older persons with acute myelogenous leukemia.

New treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia improves survival

Delicia Honen Yard November 01, 2011

Combining fludarabine with alemtuzumab significantly increases progression-free survival and prolongs the lives of patients with previously treated chronic lymphocytic leukemia.