Leukemia News

Arzerra™ Approved for Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (October 28, 2009)

The targeted therapy Arzerra™ (ofatumumab) has been granted accelerated approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) that is refractory to Fludara® (fludarabine) and Campath® (alemtuzumab). Chronic... Continue Reading

Stem Cell Transplants Effective for Breast Cancer Survivors with Secondary Leukemia (July 20, 2009)

Stem cell transplantation is an effective treatment option for breast cancer survivors who develop acute leukemia or myelodysplasia following adjuvant chemotherapy, according to the results of a study published in the Annals of Oncology.[1] Breast cancer... Continue Reading

Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation Improves Survival for Intermediate and Poor-risk AML (July 10, 2009)

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation during first complete remission improves relapse-free and overall survival in patients with intermediate and poor-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML), according to the results of a study published in the Journal of the... Continue Reading

Sprycel® Superior to High-dose Gleevec® in Gleevec-resistant CML (July 1, 2009)

Sprycel® (dasatinib) produces a higher response rate and improves progression-free survival in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who have grown resistant to Gleevec® (imatinib), according to the results of a study published early online in... Continue Reading

Eliminating Preventive Radiation May Benefit Children with ALL (June 26, 2009)

Eliminating Preventive Radiation May Benefit Children with ALL Children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who are treated with effective, risk-adjusted chemotherapy regimens have good outcomes and may safely be able to avoid preventive radiation... Continue Reading

Formaldehyde Exposure May Increase Risk of Blood and Lymphatic Cancers (June 23, 2009)

Formaldehyde Exposure May Increase Risk of Blood and Lymphatic Cancers Industrial workers who are exposed to formaldehyde may be at an increased risk of dying from blood and lymphatic cancers, particularly myeloid leukemia but also Hodgkin’s lymphoma... Continue Reading

Compressed Dose-dense Induction with S-HAM Effective and Less Toxic for AML Patients (May 5, 2009)

The dose-dense induction regimen S-HAM (sequential high-dose cytarabine [Cytosar®] and mitoxantrone [Novantrone®] followed by Neulasta® [pegfilgrastim]) delivered in two induction cycles over 11-12 days instead of 25-29 days is highly effective... Continue Reading

Abnormal Cells Identified in Blood Years Before Diagnosis of CLL (March 31, 2009)

According to the results of a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) appears to be preceded by a condition known as monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (MBL). Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is the most common... Continue Reading

Life’s Lessons Learned Early (March 20, 2009)

By Diana Price When Pia Awal went to the emergency room in June 2002 after suffering from a fever that antibiotics couldn’t wipe out and bone pain that was getting increasingly worse, the last thing she expected to hear was a cancer diagnosis. And when... Continue Reading

Cancer’s Glamour Girl (March 20, 2009)

Down-to-earth and down-to-business when it comes to cancer advocacy, Erin Zammett Ruddy discusses her very public journey with chronic myeloid leukemia and why she continues to share her story. by Diana Price Erin Zammett Ruddy always wanted to be famous—at... Continue Reading