July 28th 2025
Following the lifting of a clinical hold, the FDA has again accepted the BLA for tabelecleucel in adult and pediatric patients with EBV-positive PTLD.
Biology and Management of Rare Primary Extranodal T-cell Lymphomas
January 15th 2010Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) are uncommonly encountered malignancies in the United States, and hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL), subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL), and enteropathy-type T-cell lymphoma (ETTCL) are rare subtypes of PTCLs that often present with primarily extranodal disease. Despite the fact that these tumors have distinct clinical and pathologic features, they are often diagnosed after significant delay. The combination of delay in diagnosis with ineffective therapies has resulted in a poor prognosis in most cases. Techniques that identify T-cell receptor gene rearrangements and flow cytometry that can identify characteristic immunophenotypes have guided our understanding of the underlying cell of origin of these rare PTCLs. As knowledge regarding the biology of these lymphomas increases alongside the development of newer therapeutics with novel mechanisms, clinicians must accordingly improve their familiarity with the clinical settings in which these rare malignancies arise as well as the pathologic features that make them unique
Bone Disease in Multiple Myeloma
December 30th 2009Despite the significant progress that has occurred in recent decades in the treatment of many advanced malignancies, skeletal morbidity remains a major problem for patients affected by cancers that metastasize to or grow primarily within bone.[1] Thus as patients with a variety of malignancies survive longer, therapies to limit cancer-associated as well as treatment-associated skeletal complications have become increasingly important for the provision of optimal patient care.
Advances in Optimizing Therapy and Quality of Life for People With Hard-to-Treat Blood Cancers
December 15th 2009Research presented at the 51st Annual ASH Meeting explored optimal induction therapies for managing multiple myeloma and a potential first-line therapy for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
Current Management of Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma
December 15th 2009Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) is defined as a histologically or cytologically proven peripheral T-cell malignancy associated with a retrovirus, human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-1).[1] Southwestern Japan is the district with the highest prevalence of HTLV-1 infection and the highest incidence of ATL in the world. A high prevalence of HTLV-1 infection is also found in the Caribbean islands, tropical Africa, South America, and northern Oceania.
Current Management of Primary Cutaneous CD30+ T-cell Lymphoproliferative Disorders
November 30th 2009The purpose of this review is to familiarize oncologists with the clinical and pathologic features of this relatively rare disease spectrum. This should enable appropriate clinical management and reassurance of patients concerned about their prognosis.
Interesting Times in the Diagnosis and Treatment of CLL
November 11th 2009One of the greatest challenges facing the physician caring for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the heterogeneity of this disease. Over the past decade, there have been major advances in understanding the pathophysiology of CLL, and in the identification of biomarkers that are helpful to predict the clinical course for individual patients. Over the same period, the available therapeutic options have developed dramatically, exemplified by the introduction of combination therapy with purine analogs and monoclonal antibodies, resulting in significant opportunities to induce complete remission (CR) in CLL patients.
Diagnosing and Treating Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in 2009
November 11th 2009Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common form of adult leukemia in the Western hemisphere. Both the Rai and Binet staging systems have been important clinical tools for predicting outcomes of this heterogeneous disease.
Treatment of Lymphoblastic Lymphoma in Adults
November 10th 2009Lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL) is a rare disease, comprising about 2% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs) in adults.[1] It is a highly aggressive subtype of lymphoma, most commonly of precursor T-cell origin, occurring most frequently in adolescents and young adults, with male predominance and frequent mediastinal, bone marrow, and central nervous system (CNS) involvement.
Further Considerations About Lymphoblastic Lymphoma
November 10th 2009Lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL) is a rare disease, most commonly of T-cell origin, that shares biologic features with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Indeed, LBL and ALL are considered a single entity (lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma, T and B types) in the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of precursor lymphoid neoplasms.
Venous thrombotic events elevate chance of death in ALL, but no risk seen with AML
August 25th 2009A large, population-based study of the association between venous thromboembolism and mortality in hematologic malignancies found an increased risk of death in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, but not in those with acute myelogenous leukemia. The authors had no explanation for the differential association between the two types of acute leukemia.
Resolving Confusion: The New Realities of Mantle Cell Lymphoma
July 17th 2009In their Areas of Confusion article, “Management of Relapsed Mantle Cell Lymphoma: Still a Treatment Challenge,” Ruan et al attempt to make the case that the relative merits of different upfront approaches for mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) are difficult to appreciate due to the differences in eligible patient populations and limited randomized data.
Something Old, Something New: Options for Treating Relapsed Mantle Cell Lymphoma
July 17th 2009Dr. Ruan and colleagues provide an excellent summary of available treatment options, as well as new drugs on the horizon, for the management of relapsed mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). As the authors emphasize, treatment of relapsed MCL is strongly influenced by the patient’s first-line therapy and needs to be individualized based on both patient and disease characteristics.
Romiplostim for the Treatment of Chronic Immune (Idiopathic) Thrombocytopenic Purpura
On August 22, 2008, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted marketing approval (licensure) to romiplostim (Nplate, Amgen Inc) for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic immune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) who have had an insufficient response to corticosteroids, immunoglobulins, or splenectomy.
The Road to Romiplostim Approval and Beyond
July 14th 2009Romiplostim (Nplate) was the first thrombopoietin (TPO) receptor agonist to receive regulatory approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic immune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) who have had an insufficient response to corticosteroids, immunoglobulins, or splenectomy.
Therapeutic Options in Relapsed or Refractory Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma: Part 1
May 18th 2009According to published statistics, in 2008 approximately 66,120 new cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) were diagnosed and 19,160 lymphoma patients died from their disease despite currently available treatment.[1] Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), the most common type of B-cell NHL, has an aggressive clinical course and, as demonstrated by gene-profiling studies, can be further divided into subgroups with distinct biologic characteristics and prognoses.[2]
FDA Approves Bendamustine to Treat Relapsed Indolent Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
December 1st 2008Cephalon, Inc, announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved injectable bendamustine hydrochloride (Treanda) for the treatment of patients with indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that has progressed during or within 6 months of treatment with rituximab (Rituxan) or a rituximab-containing regimen. The data supporting the FDA approval show that bendamustine is effective, has a tolerable side effect profile in patients with indolent NHL, and that treatment results in a high durable response rate. In March of this year, bendamustine received approval for the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the most common form of leukemia in the United States.
Hodgkin Lymphoma in Older Patients: An Uncommon Disease in Need of Study
November 15th 2008Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is one of the most curable malignancies in adults. However, survival rates for elderly patients with HL (often defined as ≥ 60 years of age) are inferior to those achieved by younger populations.
Incremental Gains and a Long Road Ahead in MDS
November 1st 2008Since the topic of risk-stratified management of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) was last reviewed in ONCOLOGY in 2007,[1] a few additional clinically relevant studies have emerged that can help inform decision-making in the consultation room.