Cancer Treatment Today

Although there is some evidence supporting (lenalidomide)Revlmid for non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, there is much less evidence for Hodgkin's lymphoma. A recent phase II study in 38 patients with Hodgkin;s suggested that lenalidomide was well tolerated, and the most common grade serious toxicities were low white counts (47%), anemia (29%), and low platelets (18%). Four patients discontinued lenalidomide because of rash, elevated liver tests, and low blood

Afinitor is a new drug that ahs effects on a pathway important in Hodgkin's disease. A recent study showed soverall response of  47% (95% CI: 24-71%). Four responders remained progression free at 12 months. Several studies of combinations with everolimus for Hodgkin's are lsited on clinicaltrials.gov. There is also the study: Study of RAD001 in Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma That Has Progressed After High-dose Chemotherapy and

Current chemotherapy drugs are very effective for Hodgkin's  lymphomas but patients who relapse after receiving them don;t do as well. This is because the cancers develop resistance to the se drugs. Zolinza is a new drug approved in the USA for the treatment of cutaneous(skin) T-cell lymphoma who have progressive, persistent or recurrent disease  or following two systemic therapies. It may be effective for Hodgkin's. For Hodgkin's, a phase

Relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma, disease that does not respond to chemotherapy or comes back after chemo,  is a challenging problem for clinicians who treat hematologic malignancies. The general approach involves salvage chemo and a consideration of stem cell transplantation, if salvage succeeds. Unfortunately, there is not consesnsus as to what salvage combiantions of drugs should be used, becasue there are very few comparisons of different

Until recently rituximab, or Rituxan has been thought of as a drug for Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Rituxan® is a monoclonal antibody approved for treatment of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) and binds to a lymphoma surface molecule called CD 20. A small subset of patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma (3% to 8%) has a type of cancer called CD 20 lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin’s lymphoma, characterized by a large proportion of their cancer cells expressing