Treatment

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Adding Rituxan Boosts Survival 50% in DLCL

The British Columbia (Canada) Cancer Agency is reporting today that adding rituxan to standard chemotherapy for diffuse large b-cell lymphoma (DLCL) significantly improved survival rates.

Before the introduction of rituxan, half of patients with DLCL were alive two years after diagnosis; since doctors began adding the drug, more than 75 per cent of patients are alive, said Dr. Sehn, a medical oncologist at the B.C. Cancer Agency. "So in essence, we've been able to reduce the death from this kind of cancer by more than half."

21st Century Treatments: Carbon Nanotubes

Nanotechnology has been harnessed to kill cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It works by inserting microscopic synthetic carbon nanotubule rods into cancer cells. When the rods are exposed to near-infra red light from a laser they heat up, killing the cell, while cells without rods are left unharmed.

Standard chemotherapy destroys cancer cells and normal cells alike. That's why patients often lose their hair and suffer numerous other side effects. Researchers look for a way to selectively kill cancer cells and not damage healthy ones."

Anxiety Part 2: Versed and Ativan

In Anxiety 1, I failed to mention there are pharmeceuticals your doctor may prescribe to help with anxiety. I'll mention two but you should discuss with your doctor the full range of possibilities. For anxiety before and during chemo, I was precribed Ativan (generic: lorazepam). Just a fraction of a pill and I was loopy as a loon, often falling asleep for a bit.

Further Study Indicated for Follicular Lymphoma Vaccine

Genitope today announced that its independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) reviewed the first planned interim analysis of data for efficacy in its pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial for treatment of follicular non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (fNHL) and recommended that the trial continue as planned. People watching the study hoped that success and wrap-up of the trial would indicate moving forward with FDA approval.

Trial: Chemotherapy for Recurrent or Treatment-Resistant Lymphomas

Name of the Trial

Phase II Study of UCN-01 in Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Systemic Anaplastic Large Cell or Mature T-Cell Lymphomas (NCI-04-C-0173). See the protocol summary at http://cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/NCI-04-C-0173.

Principal Investigator

Dr. Wyndham Wilson, Dr. Keiron Dunleavy (Protocol Co-Chair), and Dr. Alan Wayne (Protocol Co-Chair), US NCI Center for Cancer Research.

Why Is This Trial Important?

Researchers Find Functions of 2 Types of B Cells

A specialized subpopulation of the antibody-producing B cells of the immune system plays a "double-barreled" role in triggering both kinds of immunity -- innate and acquired, Duke University immunologists have discovered. The division of labor between B-1a and B-1b cells they have uncovered offers basic insights that could contribute to more rational development of vaccines.

Vincristine Administration Warning to Doctors

A rare but probably underreported drug mix-up involving a potent cancer drug can kill or permanently paralyze patients, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) warned Thursday.

Senator Specter on Stem Cells

US Senator Arlen Spector of Pennsylvania heard testimony on the use of stem cells in medical treatment. Specter, a Hodgkin's Lymphoma patient himself, appears to be in favor of stem cell use to treat disease.

Senator Specter's website

Cancer.gov Unveils New User-Friendly Drug Dictionary

The latest enhancement to the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) Web site is the NCI Drug Dictionary (www.cancer.gov/drugdictionary). Approximately 500 drugs and biologic agents currently being used in cancer clinical trials are listed in the dictionary. The dictionary will soon grow to include additional categories of drugs and agents.

Advances Using Cord Blood in Stem Cell Transplants

Experts have long known that blood stem cells extracted from umbilical cords can be used to treat those lymphomas and leukemias via transplant. Unfortunately, there's always been one roadblock: the average umbilicus contains only enough stem cells to help the smallest patients, mainly children.

That's why the early results of a new study are so encouraging. Researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston say they have successfully treated adult blood cancer patients using stem cells extracted from two separate cords.