NCCN updates NHL guidelines to reflect recent FDA drug approvals

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of twenty-one of the nation's top cancer centers and hospitals under the auspices of the National Cancer Institute, is updating its published treatment guidelines for non-Hodgkin's lymphomas to reflect the US FDA's three recent drug treatment approvals:

- In September 2009 Folotyn (pralatrexate) became the first treatment ever approved by the FDA for peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL).
- In October 2009 the agency approved the monoclonal Arzerra (ofatumumab) for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) whose disease had failed to respond to chemotherapy.
- In November 2009 the agency approved Istodax injection (romidepsin) for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), becoming the fourth such drug approved for CTCL, along with Zolinza (vorinostat), Ontak (denileukin difitox), and Targretin (bexarotene).

Although the updates are already in place, all changes to the NCCN's Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology first undergo a rigorous scientific, evidence-based process of review by physicians from NCCN member hospitals and institutions.

Source: PR Newswire