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Study Shows New Option for Kids With Tough-to-Treat Leukemia

Posted 11 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, April 11 – Additional chemotherapy may a better option than bone marrow transplant for some children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who don't respond to an initial intense regimen of chemotherapy called "induction therapy," a new study says. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL, is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. According to study co-author Dr. Ching-Hon Pui, failure to improve after induction therapy is rare, happening in just 2 percent to 3 percent of children with ALL. But when it does happen, these children's risk for a bad outcome rises considerably, so they often then become candidates for a bone marrow transplant. However, the new study suggests that that option may not always be the only one. "Some patients and their parents will be relieved to know that transplantation is not necessary for cure," said Pui, chair of the oncology department at St. Jude ... Read more

Related support groups: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Childhood Leukemia Survival Rates Reach 90 Percent

Posted 12 Mar 2012 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, March 12 – Children with the most common type of leukemia now have a dramatically better chance of survival, a new study shows. The researchers found five-year survival rates among children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) increased from about 84 percent to 90 percent from 1990 to 2005. Surviving for five years is considered a cure because so few deaths occur past that timeframe. "We're talking about a disease that was incurable 50 years ago," said study author Dr. Stephen Hunger. "Now we see a 90 percent cure rate. That's pretty remarkable." The study is published in the March 12 online issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Hunger, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and director of the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children's Hospital Colorado, said the clinical trials have helped doctors refine their use and ... Read more

Related support groups: Leukemia, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

FDA Thinks Shortage of Cancer Drug for Kids Can Be Averted

Posted 14 Feb 2012 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, Feb. 14 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that it was cautiously optimistic that a feared shortage of a life-saving drug used to treat a form of childhood leukemia will be averted. The drug, methotrexate, is used in combination with other drugs to combat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), which typically strikes children ages 2 to 5 and is the most common type of cancer in children. Methotrexate is a linchpin in the treatment of children battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In high doses, the generic drug has been successful in curing patients and beneficial in preventing recurrence. Without the drug, a patient's chance for a cure is reduced while the risk of recurrence rises, oncologists report. "We are seeing the [three] companies [that make methotrexate] respond to this shortage and they are planning on some very large releases, and we are planning on ... Read more

FDA Approves Erwinaze to Treat Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Posted 18 Nov 2011 by Drugs.com

November 18, 2011 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Erwinaze (asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi) to treat patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), who have developed an allergy (hypersensitivity) to E. coli derived asparaginase and pegapargase chemotherapy drugs used to treat ALL. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. White blood cells help the body fight infection and are formed in the bone marrow. Erwinaze is injected directly into the muscle three times a week and works by breaking down one of the body’s protein building blocks (the amino acid, asparagine) that is present in the blood, and is necessary for the growth of all cells. Leukemia cells cannot produce this protein building block. When a patient is treated with Erwinaze the leukemia cells die. Normal h ... Read more

Death Rate Higher in Minorities With Acute Leukemia

Posted 22 Sep 2011 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Sept. 22 – A new study finds that blacks and Hispanics are less likely to develop acute leukemia than whites. But if they do become ill, they're much more likely to die. "We don't know the reason for the disparity, but now that we know it exists we can investigate why it occurs," said study lead researcher Dr. Manali I. Patel, postdoctoral fellow in hematology/oncology at the Stanford Cancer Institute in Stanford, Calif., in a statement provided by the American Association for Cancer Research. "Like all disparities in cancer, there could be any combination of influences; however, we believe that socioeconomic factors and access to care may be playing an important role." After studying medical records of nearly 41,000 patients with acute leukemia between 1998 and 2008, the researchers found that blacks had a 17 percent higher risk of dying of acute leukemia than whites, and ... Read more

Blood Cancer Advances May Improve Survival

Posted 6 Dec 2010 by Drugs.com

SATURDAY, Dec. 4 – Advances in the treatment of blood cancers offer new hope for increased survival, according to two studies scheduled to be presented at the American Society of Hematology meeting Saturday in Orlando, Fla. Results from one study suggest that treating multiple myeloma patients with zoledronic acid can improve survival, while another group of researchers are scheduled to report on their progress in treating a particularly aggressive form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Zoledronic acid, a type of bisphosphonate, is given to myeloma patients to bolster bone health and reduce the risk for fracture and bone pain that are a common feature of the disease. Although prior research has suggested that zoledronic acid (brand names include Zometa and Reclast) may have a broader anti-cancer effect, the current study finds that a well-tolerated regimen of the drug can reduce ... Read more

Related support groups: Reclast, Multiple Myeloma, Zometa, Aclasta, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Zoledronic Acid

Study Finds Big Strides Made in Treating Leukemia, Lymphoma in Past Decade

Posted 24 Nov 2010 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 24 – Clinicians have made remarkable advances in treating blood cancers with bone marrow and blood stem cell transplants in recent years, significantly reducing the risk of treatment-related complications and death, a new study shows. Between the early 1990s and 2007, there was a 41 percent drop in the overall risk of death in an analysis of more than 2,500 patients treated at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, a leader in the field of blood cancers and other malignancies. Researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, who conducted the study, also noted dramatic decreases in treatment complications such as infection and organ damage. The study was published in the Nov. 24 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine "We have made enormous strides in understanding this very complex procedure and have yielded quite spectacular results," said study senior ... Read more

FDA approves additional medical indication for Sprycel

Posted 28 Oct 2010 by Drugs.com

SILVER SPRING, Md., Oct. 28 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a new indication for Sprycel (dasatinib) for the treatment of a rare blood cancer when it is first diagnosed. The cancer, called Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CP-CML), is a slowly progressing blood and bone marrow disease linked to a genetic abnormality. Sprycel, an oral kinase inhibitor, is believed to inhibit the activity of certain proteins responsible for the growth of cancer cells. The action allows bone marrow to begin reproducing normal red and white blood cells. In June 2006, the FDA granted accelerated approval for Sprycel to treat adults with CP-CML with resistant disease or who were intolerant to prior therapy, including Gleevec (imatinib). The agency converted Sprycel to a regular approval in May 2009, after 24-month follow-up data from earlier ... Read more

Genetic Pattern May Predict Leukemia Relapse

Posted 13 May 2010 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, May 13 – Researchers have linked a genetic pattern to the likelihood that patients with a severe form of childhood leukemia will relapse. The finding could lead doctors to screen for the pattern and treat those who have it more aggressively from the time of diagnosis, the researchers added. The kids in question have T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which accounts for about 15 percent of childhood leukemia cases. While as many as 80 percent of children with the disease go into remission, about 20 percent relapse, study co-author Alex Beesley, of Perth's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research in Australia, said in a news release. The prognosis for those patients can be grim, he said. "In this study, we found a consistent pattern in the expression of five genes in patients that relapse," Beesley said. "Importantly, this pattern was found to hold true across multiple ... Read more

Related support groups: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Treating Childhood Leukemia With Fewer Side Effects

Posted 25 Jan 2010 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Sept. 10 – Adding the corticosteroid dexamethasone to the treatment regimen of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia improves survival rates and reduces the incidence of the cancer recurring, a new Dutch study shows. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a cancer of the blood, is the most common childhood cancer and is highly treatable, according to background information in the study. But the researchers say that many children with ALL are over-treated with cranial radiation and chemotherapy drugs that cause significant side effects and may not be necessary to cure them. The study found that a dexamethasone-based treatment can improve the cancer cure rate and reduce the risk of relapse without radiation and routinely used chemotherapy drugs. The findings were published online Sept. 9 The Lancet Oncology. Dexamethasone is sold under the brand name Decadron. The study ... Read more

Herb May Counter Liver Damage From Chemo

Posted 15 Dec 2009 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Dec. 14 – A medicinal herb, milk thistle, appears to reduce liver damage resulting from chemotherapy, a new study finds. Chemo drugs often cause liver inflammation, making it necessary to lower the dose or suspend treatment until the inflammation subsides. These interruptions in therapy can make treatment less effective, the researchers said. "We found that milk thistle, compared to placebo, was more effective in reducing inflammation," said lead researcher Dr. Kara Kelly, from New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center's Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center in New York City. "If these results are confirmed, milk thistle may allow us to treat liver inflammation or prevent it from occurring, which will allow better delivery of chemotherapy drugs," she added. The report is published in the Dec. 14 online edition of Cancer. Milk thistle, a longtime ... Read more

Related support groups: Milk Thistle, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Kids Who Beat Cancer Still Face Heart Risks

Posted 9 Dec 2009 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 9 – Survivors of childhood cancer have a significantly increased risk for developing heart disease as young adults, a new study finds. The finding came from an analysis of data on 14,358 five-year cancer survivors who were diagnosed before age 21 and 3,899 siblings of cancer survivors. The cancers were leukemia, brain cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, kidney cancer, neuroblastoma, soft tissue carcinoma or bone cancer. The study found that young adult survivors of these childhood cancers are much more likely than others in their age group to have cardiovascular problems, including heart failure, heart attack, heart inflammation and heart valve abnormalities, for up to 30 years after being treated for cancer. They also found that the risk was associated with lower exposure to chemotherapy and radiation treatment than previously thought. "Young adults who ... Read more

For Kids With Leukemia, Radiation May Be Safe to Skip

Posted 24 Jun 2009 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, June 24 – Radiation to the brain isn't necessary for most children with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia, new research has found. In fact, doctors from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital found that children who had chemotherapy alone had a longer remission period and experienced fewer adverse events than those who, in the past, had also been given radiation treatments. "Effective chemotherapy can cure up to 90 percent of all children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia without the use of cranial irradiation," said study author Dr. Ching-Hon Pui, chairman of oncology at the hospital, in Memphis, Tenn. "Survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia can now enjoy excellent quality of life, virtually similar to that of the general population," Pui said. The study is reported in the June 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Leukemia, a cancer that ... Read more

Related support groups: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Taking Aim at Relapse of Leukemia in Kids

Posted 17 Jun 2009 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, June 17 – Scientists have identified molecules that enable tumor cells to invade the nervous system of patients with a blood-borne childhood cancer, a finding that may lead to the development of drugs that block these molecules and prevent relapse. In T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), which primarily strikes children and adolescents, the bone marrow makes too many white blood cells. "In general, [T-ALL] is treatable with basic chemotherapy and radiation, so close to 80 percent of kids can be cured," study leader Ioannis Aifantis, an associate professor of pathology and co-director of the Cancer Stem Cell Program at the New York University Cancer Institute, said in a university news release. "But you have a very high rate of relapse. And after the relapse, it is not treatable because the cancer occurs in tricky places, like the central nervous system." In research ... Read more

Related support groups: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Gene Studies Reveal Cancer's Secrets

Posted 21 Apr 2009 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, April 21 – A close look at a tumor's or patient's genetics can provide important, potentially lifesaving clues to preventing and treating cancer. So say scientists who outlined their research Tuesday in five presentations at the American Association for Cancer Research's annual meeting, in Denver. "This is an interesting set of presentations," John S. Witte, a professor in the Institute for Human Genetics at the University of California, San Francisco, said during a midday press conference. "All the studies have an impact on the potential to predict risk or recurrence or response to treatment," he said. In the first study, researchers led by Dr. Charles Mullighan, an assistant member at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, found that children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who have mutations in the JAK tyrosine kinase gene generally have poor outcomes, ... Read more

Related support groups: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

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