Your search for hematologic malignancies matches 266 pages
Showing 201 - 250
ASH Awards Bridge Grants to 15 Investigators
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) recently announced the names of 15 researchers (see sidebar on page 15) who will receive interim support from the Society for hematology research proposals. These proposals earned high scores but could not be funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) ...
Shelagh Tippet-Fagyas Named President of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society recently announced that its Canadian affiliate, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada, has named Shelagh Tippet-Fagyas as its new President. Ms. Tippet-Fagyas will lead the Canadian Society in its efforts to find cures and ensure access to therapies for...
Louis J. DeGennaro, PhD, Named President and Chief Executive Officer of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has announced that Louis J. DeGennaro, PhD, has been appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. “Dr. DeGennaro has tirelessly dedicated himself for almost a decade of service to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society mission and to...
ASH Pairs Hematologists From Developing and Developed Nations for Global Training Program
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) recently announced the 20 hematologists and other medical professionals selected to participate in the 2014 ASH Visitor Training Program. This program provides talented hematologists, scientists, and laboratory staff from developing countries the opportunity ...
ASH Honors Senator Barbara Mikulski and Patient Advocate Kathy Giusti
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) recognized Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Kathy Giusti, Founder of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, with awards for their outstanding support and advocacy for biomedical research and the practice of hematology at the 56th ASH Annual Meeting in...
ASH Releases Second List for Choosing Wisely Campaign
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) has announced five additional commonly used tests, treatments, and procedures in hematology that physicians and patients should question in certain circumstances. The additional items join an initial list of five practices to question that the Society...
ASH Announces Top Trainee Abstracts of 2015 Annual Meeting
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) recognized investigators with the highest-scoring abstracts in the categories of undergraduate student, medical student, graduate student, resident physician, and postdoctoral fellow at the 57th ASH Annual Meeting and Exhibition, December 5–8 in Orlando,...
Adding Ibrutinib to Bendamustine/Rituximab Increases Progression-Free Survival in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia or Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma
In the phase III HELIOS trial, reported in The Lancet Oncology, Chanan-Khan et al found that adding the Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitor ibrutinib (Imbruvica) to bendamustine (Treanda)/rituximab (Rituxan) increased progression-free survival in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia or...
Germline ETV6 Variations as Basis of Novel Genetic Syndrome Associated With Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
In a systematic genetic study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Moriyama et al found that germline ETV6 variations identified in a small proportion of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were associated with a novel syndrome predisposing carriers to disease. Recent data indicated that...
ASH 2015: High Response Rates, Long-Term Remissions in Relapsed/Refractory Pediatric ALL, Lymphomas After CTL019 Immunotherapy
Ninety-three percent of pediatric patients (55 of 59) with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) went into remission after receiving an investigational therapy made from their own immune cells, with continuous remissions of over 1 year in 18 patients and over 2 years in nine...
Reduced Nonrelapse Mortality With Busulfan/Fludarabine vs Busulfan/Cyclophosphamide for Stem Cell Transplantation in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
In a phase III trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Rambaldi et al found that a myeloablative conditioning regimen of busulfan/fludarabine was associated with reduced nonrelapse mortality vs busulfan/cyclophosphamide in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) undergoing allogeneic...
ASH 2015: American Society of Hematology Releases Compilation of Top Choosing Wisely Recommendations Relevant to Hematology
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) has released a list of five hematology-related tests and procedures to question based on recommendations from other medical societies taking part in the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Foundation’s Choosing Wisely® campaign. This list...
Study Finds Better Outcome With Melphalan Plus ASCT vs Chemotherapy Plus Lenalidomide Consolidation in Multiple Myeloma
In a phase III trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Gay et al found that progression-free survival was shorter with lenalidomide (Revlimid) plus chemotherapy vs high-dose melphalan plus autologous stem cell transplantation in transplant-eligible patients with multiple myeloma, with no significant ...
Prognostic Model for Survival in Advanced-Stage Mycosis Fungoides and Sézary Syndrome
As reported by Scarisbrick et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, a Cutaneous Lymphoma International Consortium study in a large population of patients with advanced-stage mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome has identified independent prognostic factors for overall survival that can be ...
German Phase II Trial Shows Benefit and Increased Toxicity With Addition of Sorafenib to Standard Therapy in Newly Diagnosed AML
In a German phase II trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Röllig et al found that the addition of sorafenib (Nexavar) to standard therapy improved event-free survival but increased toxicity vs placebo in patients aged ≤ 60 years with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Study...
Self-Reported Fatigue Provides Independent Prognostic Information in Patients With Myelodysplastic Syndromes
In a prospective observational cohort study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Efficace et al found that a self-reported fatigue score provides independent prognostic information on overall survival in patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes. Fatigue assessment should be included in...
Half-Matched Bone Marrow Transplant Recipients May Tolerate Transplantation Just as Well as Fully Matched Recipients
Bone marrow transplantation is a lifesaving therapy for many patients with blood cancers like leukemias and lymphomas. Currently, the gold standard blood-generating stem cells are obtained from a donor, most likely a sibling, with a perfect match to the patient in order to minimize the chance of...
Telomerase Inhibitor Imetelstat Shows Activity in Myelofibrosis
In a pilot study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Tefferi et al found that imetelstat, which targets the RNA template of telomerase reverse transcriptase, produced responses in patients with myelofibrosis. Treatment was associated with myelosuppression in some patients. Current...
Nonmyeloablative Transplantation With High-Dose Cyclophosphamide May Improve Outcomes in Older Patients With Hematologic Malignancy
In a recent report of single-institution experience in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Kasamon et al found that nonmyeloablative-related HLA-haploidentical blood or marrow transplantation (BMT) followed by high-dose cyclophosphamide produced good outcomes in patients aged 50 to 75 years...
Investigational Topical Gel Is Safe and Effective in Patients With Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma, Phase I Trial Shows
Results of a phase I trial show that an investigational topical drug, resiquimod gel, causes regression of both treated and untreated tumor lesions and may completely remove cancerous cells from both sites in patients with early-stage cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Currently, there is no cure for...
Early Relapse of Follicular Lymphoma After R‑CHOP Associated With Increased Mortality
In an analysis from the National LymphoCare Study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Casulo et al found that disease progression within 2 years of diagnosis was associated with increased mortality risk after first-line R-CHOP (rituximab [Rituxan] plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin,...
Study Finds Current Prices of Hematologic Cancer Drugs Are Not Justified
The costs associated with cancer drug prices have risen dramatically over the past 15 years, a trend concerning to many oncologists. In a new analysis, researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center concluded that the majority of existing treatments for hematologic cancers are...
Importance of Establishing Definitions to Increase Survival After Blood/Marrow Transplant
Blood and marrow transplantation is a potentially curative treatment for patients with leukemia or other life-threating blood diseases. With a goal of increasing survival rates, a research team led by Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) investigators verified patient outcome data submitted by more ...
Abdominal Blood Clots May Indicate Undiagnosed Cancer
New research published by Søgaard et al in Blood found that blood clots in the abdominal veins might be an indicator of undiagnosed cancer. The study also suggests that these clots predict poorer survival in patients with liver and pancreatic cancer. Clotting and Cancer Risk Compared to...
ASCO 2015: JAK Inhibitor Pacritinib Proves Effective for Easing Symptoms of Myelofibrosis
Findings from the PERSIST-1 study of patients with myelofibrosis show that the JAK inhibitor pacritinib is significantly more effective than best available therapy, which includes a range of off-label treatments, for easing the symptoms of myelofibrosis. At a landmark analysis at 24 weeks of...
Study Links Paternal Age to Child’s Risk of Developing Blood and Immune System Cancer in Adulthood
A new study links a father's age at birth to the risk that his child will develop blood and immune system cancers as an adult, particularly for only children. The study, published by Teras et al in the American Journal of Epidemiology, found no association between having an older mother and these...
AACR 2015: New T Cell–Based Immunotherapy Shows Promise for Lethal Stem Cell Transplant Complication
More than 60% of patients with Epstein-Barr virus–associated lymphoproliferative disorder (EBV-LPD) that was nonresponsive to standard rituximab (Rituxan) treatment responded to a new type of immunotherapy called Epstein-Barr virus–specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (EBV-CTL) therapy....
Ibrutinib Is Highly Active in Previously Treated Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia
In a study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Treon et al found that ibrutinib (Imbruvica) was highly active and produced durable responses in patients with previously treated Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia. Response rates were highest in patients with MYD88 mutation and...
Translocation t(11;14) Associated With Poorer Outcome in Bortezomib-Treated Newly Diagnosed Amyloid Light-Chain Amyloidosis
In a single-institution study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Bochtler et al found that presence of the t(11;14) translocation on interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (iFISH) was associated with poorer hematologic event-free and overall survival in patients receiving...
Ruxolitinib Better Than Standard Therapy in Polycythemia Vera Patients With Inadequate Response to or Intolerance of Hydroxyurea
In a phase III trial reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Vannucchi et al found that the JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor ruxolitinib (Jakafi) produced significantly better hematocrit control and reduction in spleen volume than standard treatment in patients with polycythemia vera with inadequate...
Clonal Hematopoiesis With Somatic Mutations Increases With Age and Increases Risk of Hematologic Cancer and Mortality
In a study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Genovese et al found that clonal hematopoiesis with somatic mutations is increasingly common with greater age and is associated with increased risk of hematologic cancer. The presence of such clonal hematopoiesis in apparently healthy...
FDA Approves Ruxolitinib to Treat Patients With Polycythemia Vera
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved a new use for ruxolitinib (Jakafi) to treat patients with polycythemia vera, a chronic type of bone marrow disease. Ruxolitinib, a JAK inhibitor, is the first drug approved by the FDA for this condition. Polycythemia vera occurs when too...
Preclinical Study Identifies Potential Drug Combination for Mantle Cell Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Combining the molecular targeted drug ibrutinib (Imbruvica) with the investigational anticancer agent ABT-199 may improve outcomes for patients with mantle cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), according to preclinical data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research...
Preclinical Study Looks at RNA Polymerase I Inhibitor in Refractory AML and Multiple Myeloma
A laboratory study of the investigational drug CX-5461, which blocks the inhibition of RNA polymerase I transcription, has found that it prolonged survival in mouse models of highly aggressive acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and multiple myeloma refractory to standard therapy. In addition, the...
FDA Grants Fast Track Designation to Novel JAK2 Inhibitor for the Treatment of Myelofibrosis
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Fast Track designation to pacritinib for the treatment of intermediate- and high-risk myelofibrosis, including patients with disease-related thrombocytopenia on other JAK2 therapy or patients who are intolerant to or whose symptoms are suboptimally...
Past Exposure to Thiopurines Associated With Increased Risk of Myeloid Disorders in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Past exposure to immunosuppressive drugs called thiopurines has been found to increase the risk of myeloid disorders, such as acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome, among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The findings were reported by Lopez et al in Clinical...
Ruxolitinib Granted Priority Review for Polycythemia Vera
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for filing and granted Priority Review to the supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for ruxolitinib (Jakafi) as a potential treatment of patients with polycythemia vera who have had an inadequate response to or are intolerant of...
Results of Genomic Analysis Suggest Strategy for Overcoming Ibrutinib Resistance in Mantle Cell Lymphoma
Although the Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor ibrutinib (Imbruvica) has shown unprecedented clinical activity in mantle cell lymphoma, about 32% of patients do not respond to the drug and majority of responders eventually relapse. Genomic sequencing of tumor and healthy tissue from patients...
Minimal Residual Disease–Based Risk-Directed Therapy Is Effective in Children With BCR-ABL1–Like B-Cell ALL
BCR-ABL1–like acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a recently identified B-cell ALL subtype associated with poor outcome, has a gene-expression profile similar to BCR-ABL1–positive disease without the presence of the BCR-ABL1 fusion protein. In a retrospective analysis reported in the...
Anti–IL-6 Antibody Siltuximab Produces Durable Responses in Multicentric Castleman's Disease
Multicentric Castleman’s disease is characterized by overproduction of interleukin-6 (IL-6). In a trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, van Rhee et al found that the anti–IL-6 antibody siltuximab (Sylvant) produced a significantly better response rate vs placebo in patients with the...
FDA Approves Idelalisib for Three Types of Blood Cancers
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved idelalisib (Zydelig) for the treatment of patients with three types of blood cancers. Idelalisib is being granted traditional approval to treat patients with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Used in combination with rituximab...
Improved Survival in Hematologic Malignancies in Europe Between 1997 and 2008
As reported by Sant et al in The Lancet Oncology, the population based EUROCARE-5 study has shown significantly improved survival in hematologic malignancies in Europe between 1997 and 2008. Although improved, survival was poorer in Eastern Europe compared with other regions. Study Details This...
Researchers Identify Events Causing Bone Marrow Inflammation Leading to Blood Disorders
According to a new study, a cascade of molecular events in the bone marrow produces high levels of inflammation that disrupt normal blood formation and lead to potentially deadly disorders including leukemia. The discovery, published by the journal Cell Stem Cell, points the way to potential...
Early Evidence Suggests Proton Therapy May Offer Safe, Long-Term Treatment for Hodgkin Lymphoma
Despite some success in treating patients with Hodgkin lymphoma, many patients may experience late effects of radiation therapy and chemotherapy treatment, including the possible onset of breast cancer or heart disease. A study by Hoppe et al from the University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute...
Epigenetically Reprogrammed Cells Generate Functional Cord Blood Stem Cells for Transplantation
The use of cord blood cells as hematopoietic stem cell grafts for patients with hematologic malignancies receiving an allogeneic stem cell transplant has been limited to children due to the small number of stem cells present in a single cord blood collection. The result of these limitations has...
Addition of Tigecycline to Empiric Therapy Improves Success Rate in Febrile Neutropenic Patients With Hematologic Malignancy
Antibiotic monotherapy is considered standard in empiric therapy in febrile neutropenic cancer patients, but the approach may be insufficient given the increase in infections due to multidrug-resistant microorganisms. Tigecycline (Tygacil), the first in a new class of glycylcycline antibiotics, has ...
Investigational Bromodomain Inhibitor Shows Clinical Activity in Some Blood Cancers
The results from a phase I study of a new investigational epigenetic therapy called OTX015, a small-molecule inhibitor that blocks the activity of bromodomain and extraterminal (BET)-bromodomain proteins, is showing clinical activity in some blood cancers, including leukemia and lymphoma. The study ...
CD49d-Positivity Is the Strongest Flow Cytometry–Based Predictor of Overall Survival in CLL
In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Bulian et al found that CD49d-positive chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients have significantly poorer overall survival and treatment-free survival and that CD49d status is the strongest flow cytometry–based predictor of overall...
Choosing Wisely® Initiative Improves Quality and Cost of Care
Five commonly used hematology tests, treatments, and procedures are not always necessary, according to the Choosing Wisely® initiative of the ABIM (American Board of Internal Medicine) Foundation. The American Society of Hematology (ASH) Choosing Wisely list of these five tests was...
Obinutuzumab/Chlorambucil Superior to Rituximab/Chlorambucil as First-Line Treatment for Older CLL Patients With Comorbidities
Obinutuzumab (Gazyva) plus chlorambucil (Leukeran) was superior to rituximab (Rituximab) plus chlorambucil as first-line therapy in older chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients with comorbidities, with an acceptable safety profile, according to final results of the phase III CLL11 trial....
