Leukemia Awareness

Less chance of cardiotoxicity with slower chemotherapy infusion

2008-12-08T18:40:00.000-08:00

by Kristina Collins
thecancerblog.com

Anthracyclines are a type of chemotherapy that treat several different types of cancer including (but not limited to) leukemia, lymphomas, breast, uterine, ovarian, and lung cancers. Anthracyclines are technically antibiotics, although their high toxicity precludes their use as such. A major side effect from this type of chemotherapy is that it can lead to heart problems in some patients. The risk for heart problems can remain elevated long after cancer treatment is finished.

Researchers are looking to find ways to lower the risk of patients developing heart problems after treatment without sacrificing the effectiveness of the drugs. They reviewed information from six previously published clinical trials and found that if the infusion of anthracyclines are given slower, over a period of six hour or longer, it appears to reduce the risk of heart problems.

Available anthracyclines include:

*
Daunorubicin
*
Doxorubicin
*
Epirubicin
*
Idarubicin
*
Mitoxantrone

Source: The Cancer Blog

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation - Applications for 2009 Awards Due Dec. 15th

2008-12-08T10:52:00.000-08:00

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation - Applications for 2009 Awards

Application Due Date: December 15, 2008

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation is a unique not for profit foundation that has evolved from a young cancer patient's front yard lemonade stand to a nationwide fund raising movement for childhood cancer.

The Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation Grant Program is committed to eradicating childhood cancer through basic research, career development and helping to streamline translational clinical research. Grants distributed from Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation are designed to fill critical gaps in current pediatric cancer research.

There are four categories of applications that will be reviewed by the Scientific Advisory Board:

Program Infrastructure Awards

These are center based grants designed to support the infrastructure necessary to administer Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials.

Innovation Awards

These grants are designed as seed funding designed for mid-career investigators with a novel approach to pediatric cancer scientific investigation.

Young Investigator Awards

These grants are designed as start-up funds for new physician-scientists at the end of their fellowship training or early in their post-fellowship career.

Visit http://www.alexslemonade.org/grants/submission-information for information and 2009 Grant Guidelines.
Email grants@alexslemonade.com or Call: (610)649-3034 Toll free: (866)333-1213

Source:

University of Michigan offers web-based resources for Leukemia patients

2008-12-08T10:41:00.000-08:00

The University of Michigan is a leader in the study of hematology/oncology and is at the forefront of searching for cures and effective treatments for the various types of this horrible illness.

The University has complied a list of informational resources for patients suffering with Leukemia, which can be found here.

Study Finds Rituxan Drug Curbs Leukemia

2008-12-07T21:59:00.000-08:00

Genentech, Roche’s Rituxan Drug Curbs Leukemia, Study Finds

By David Olmos

Dec. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Genentech Inc. and Roche Holding AG’s drug Rituxan helped patients with a slow-growing form of leukemia keep the blood cancer from worsening in two clinical trials, findings that may change the way the disease is treated, scientists said.

One study of 817 patients newly diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia found that those given Rituxan combined with chemotherapy had a 41 percent reduction in the risk of death or their cancer progressing when compared with those treated with chemotherapy alone, researchers said during a presentation at the American Society of Hematology meeting, which is being held this weekend in San Francisco.

Chemotherapy drugs have been the standard treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, or CLL, for nearly 50 years. The results of the latest studies make it likely that Rituxan plus chemotherapy will become the new treatment standard for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, said Linda Burns, a blood-cancer specialist at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

“We have two gold-standard studies here,” Burns said during a presentation of the findings. “I would anticipate that this would be practice changing” for physicians.

A second study involving 552 participants found the drug reduced the risk of cancer progression or death by 35 percent for patients who had a relapse of symptoms after chemotherapy.

CLL is a slowly progressing disease in which abnormal white blood cells known as lymphocytes are found in the blood and bone marrow. The median age of diagnosis is age 72, and more than 90,000 people are living with the disease in the U.S., according to a Genentech statement.

Rituxan is already approved for use against non-Hodgkins lymphoma and rheumatoid arthritis. The drug generated sales of $2.3 billion for Genentech and $5.5 billion for Roche, of Basel, Switzerland, in 2007. Biogen Idec Inc, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, co-markets Rituxan in the U.S.

Regulatory Submission

South San Francisco-based Genentech will ask U.S. regulators to approve Rituxan for patients who are newly diagnosed with CLL or those who have had a relapse of symptoms “as soon as possible,” David Schenkein, senior vice president for clinical hematology and oncology for Genentech, said in an interview.

Both studies, among the largest ever conducted for CLL, found that patients on the Rituxan therapy went about 10 months longer without their tumors growing than those on standard chemotherapy, researchers said.

Neither study provided definitive data on whether patients on the Rituxan therapy lived longer. The studies showed “a trend” toward longer survival, though more studies are needed to answer that question, said Michael Hallek, the lead investigator of one of the studies and a researcher at the University of Cologne in Cologne, Germany, at the meeting.

Roche in July asked European regulators for permission to market the drug, sold under the name MabThera in Europe, as a treatment for leukemia. Roche is seeking to increase sales of the medicine by getting approval for additional uses.

To contact the reporter on this story: David Olmos in San Francisco dolmos@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: December 6, 2008 21:10 EST

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Play2Cures

2008-10-01T08:22:00.000-07:00

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Play2Cures: Raising $100,000 in 100 Days!

$430 raised so far!

Goal: $100,000

Start Now!

End Date: December 31, 2008
Only 91 days left!
Who We Are

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. Founded in 1949, we are relentless in pursuit of our mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Find out more about LLS by visiting www.lls.org.
What We're Working Toward

We want to raise $100,000 in 100 days to fight blood cancers. Register today and play your way to help us find cures.

In 2006, Taylor Carol, a seemingly healthy and active 11-year-old, was diagnosed with leukemia. After countless hospital stays, several rounds of chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant and some pretty severe bumps along the road, Taylor is looking strong and happy. He and his family have dedicated their lives and their story to raise awareness and funds to help fight blood cancers.

You can get to know Taylor by viewing his video on this page. Taylor is a true inspiration. Each token you purchase and each game you play with LLS's Play2Cures will help fund blood cancer research, provide critical information and support for patients and their families, and help LLS advocate for issues impacting blood cancer patients, like Taylor.