Reporting from:
– Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology, December 4-7, 2004, San Diego
– Lymphoma: The Next Questions, April 8-9, 2005, Fort Lauderdale
– Journal of Clinical Oncology
Scientific Editors:
George Canellos, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston
Gordon McVie, European Institute of Oncology, Milan
Pat Price, Christie Hospital, Manchester
Gianni Bonadonna, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan
Producer: Derek Thorne
In this edition:
The newer the better, so they say. But not this time, as we hear from Tony Green. He was looking into the treatment of essential thrombocythemia with the new agent, anagrelide. His group has discovered that superiority lies with the old treatment hydroxyurea.
Where can we go when imatinib stops working? Charles Sawyers is lighting the way for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia with the targeted therapy BMS 354 825.
Another reason has emerged why imatinib may not be the end of the road for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia who have become resistant. Francis Giles discusses the option of using the new agent AMN 107, which targets the BCR-ABL molecule in a new way.
Current proven treatment for multiple myeloma is still single agent dexamethozone, but is there scope for other therapies to be used up-front? S. Vincent Rajkumar has been working on two trials: one with thalidomide, and the other using a new drug lenalidomide.
J Clin Oncol 22:3269
Steven Schey, Guy’s Hospital, London
New findings suggest a role for the thalidomide analog CC-4047, also known as actimid, in the treatment of relapsed, refractory multiple myeloma. A phase I-II study investigated dose and produced findings on patient response.
Abstract 607 ASH 2004
Owen O’Connor, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York
A group of heavily pre-treated patients with a variety of non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas have been treated with bortezomib. Over half of the mantle cell lymphoma patients achieved responses. Showing an apparent superiority over the alternative existing treatments.
COMMENT: George Canellos, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston
Abstract 157 ASH 2004
Michael Pfreundschuh, Universitätskliniken des Saarland, Homburg-Saar
French investigations have shown that adding rituximab to CHOP therapy has improved the outlook for older patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The German study has now added rituximab to CHOP in over 800 younger patients.
COMMENT: George Canellos, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston
Abstract 2637 ASH 2004
Michael McDonald, Seattle Genetics, Bothel
A new anti-CD 30 monoclonal antibody has achieved responses in anaplastic large cell lymphoma.
COMMENT: George Canellos, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston
Abstract 6 ASH 2004
Tony Green, University of Cambridge
Now a study of essential thrombocythemia has found that the old treatment – hydroxyurea – was better than a new agent – anagrelide – about which there had been a presumption of superiority.
COMMENT: George Canellos, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston
Abstract 1307 & 1308 ASH 2004
Volker Diehl, University Hospital of Heidelberg
The German HD 10 and HD 11 trials of Hodgkin’s Disease have found that reduce long term toxicity without losing efficacy.
COMMENT: George Canellos, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston
ASH2004 Abstract 1
Charles Sawyers, University of California, Los Angeles
Responses to a new drug have been achieved among patients whose chronic myeloid leukemia has relapsed after treatment with imatinib. A phase I study using BMS 354 825 in a group of 29 patients so far has raised hopes that further targeted therapy can be effective after the development of resistance to imatinib.
COMMENT: Stanley Schrier, Stanford University School of Medicine
ASH2004 Abstract 22
Francis Giles, M D Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
Another new compound designed to be used among patients with chronic myeloid leukemia whose disease is resistant to imatinib was presented at the ASH conference. Like imatinib AMN 107 targets the BCR-ABL molecule, though with a different mechanism. Only 21 patients have been treated so far, but could AMN 107 already be on its way into the mainstream?
ASH2004 Abstract 205
S. Vincent Rajkumar, Mayo Clinic, Rochester
Current proven treatment for multiple myeloma is still single agent dexamethazone, even though in the last few years other agents have shown promising activity in advanced disease. But can any of these candidate drugs be used up-front? The San Diego conference heard about two trials: one with thalidomide, and the other using the new drug lenalidomide.
ASH2004 abstract 7
Martin Dreyling, Hospital Grosshadern, Munich
A randomized study by the European Mantle Cell Lymphoma network looking at consolidation treatment after a CHOP-like induction regimen found that myeloablative radiochemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation was better than conventional interferon maintenance in 260 patients.
ASH2004
John Sweetenham, Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson
Radioimmunotherapy has now been tried for treating low-grade folicular lymphoma. The Yttrium 90-labeled ibritumomab tiuxetan – otherwise known as Zevalin – followed by rituximab maintenance has been investigated as be a potential new approach for treating follicular lymphoma.
COMMENT: Stanley Schrier, Stanford University School of Medicine
ASH2004 Abstract 1383
Bertrand Coiffier, Centre Hospitalier Lyon- Sud
It is now four years since initial results of the GELA study showed the addition of rituximab to standard CHOP therapy in elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma gave clear advantages over CHOP alone. The 400-patient study now has five years of follow up, and the results continue to favor the rituximab-containing regimen.
John Sweetenham, Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson
We hear news, from the Lymphoma the Next Questions meeting, on proteasome inhibition, targeted therapies for Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia, primatised monclonal antibodies and radioimmunotherapy for indolent lymphoma.
