RxPG News Feed for RxPG News

Medical Research Health Special Topics World
  Home
 
   Health
 Aging
 Asian Health
 Events
 Fitness
 Food & Nutrition
 Happiness
 Men's Health
 Mental Health
 Occupational Health
 Parenting
 Public Health
 Sleep Hygiene
 Women's Health
 
   Healthcare
 Africa
 Australia
 Canada Healthcare
 China Healthcare
 India Healthcare
 New Zealand
 South Africa
 UK
 USA
 World Healthcare
 
   Latest Research
 Aging
 Alternative Medicine
 Anaethesia
 Biochemistry
 Biotechnology
 Cancer
  Bladder
  Blood
   Multiple Myeloma
   Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
  Bone Cancer
  Brain
  Breast Cancer
  Carcinogens
  Cervical Cancer
  Colon
  Endometrial
  Esophageal
  Gastric Cancer
  Liver Cancer
  Lung
  Nerve Tissue
  Ovarian Cancer
  Pancreatic Cancer
  Prostate Cancer
  Rectal Cancer
  Renal Cell Carcinoma
  Risk Factors
  Skin
  Testicular Cancer
  Therapy
  Thyroid
 Cardiology
 Clinical Trials
 Cytology
 Dental
 Dermatology
 Embryology
 Endocrinology
 ENT
 Environment
 Epidemiology
 Gastroenterology
 Genetics
 Gynaecology
 Haematology
 Immunology
 Infectious Diseases
 Medicine
 Metabolism
 Microbiology
 Musculoskeletal
 Nephrology
 Neurosciences
 Obstetrics
 Ophthalmology
 Orthopedics
 Paediatrics
 Pathology
 Pharmacology
 Physiology
 Physiotherapy
 Psychiatry
 Radiology
 Rheumatology
 Sports Medicine
 Surgery
 Toxicology
 Urology
 
   Medical News
 Awards & Prizes
 Epidemics
 Launch
 Opinion
 Professionals
 
   Special Topics
 Ethics
 Euthanasia
 Evolution
 Feature
 Odd Medical News
 Climate

Last Updated: Oct 11, 2012 - 10:22:56 PM
Blood Channel

subscribe to Blood newsletter
Latest Research : Cancer : Blood

   EMAIL   |   PRINT
Oblimersen Shows Promising Results in Older Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia

May 6, 2005 - 10:20:00 AM
In vitro studies have suggested that Genasense™ can down-regulate Bcl-2 activity and inhibit cell viability. Thus, the targeting of Bcl-2 was a potential strategy for treatment of leukemia.

 
[RxPG] Researchers from Ohio University, University of Chicago, the National Cancer Institute and Genta, Inc. have reported a promising phase I study of Genasense™ (oblimersen) in untreated older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The details of this study appeared as an advanced on-line publication in the Journal of Clinical Oncology on April 11, 2005.[1]

Bcl-2 is a potent inhibitor of apoptosis which is a cause of cell death. Over-expression of this protein in patients with leukemia is associated with resistance to chemotherapy.

The Bcl-2 antisense oligonucleotide, Genasense™ down-regulates Bcl-2 and has been investigated in several hematological malignances where Bcl-2 has been implicated in disease resistance. In vitro studies have suggested that Genasense™ can down-regulate Bcl-2 activity and inhibit cell viability. Thus, the targeting of Bcl-2 was a potential strategy for treatment of leukemia. These same researchers previously reported the results of treatment of patients with refractory AML with the combination of Fludara®, cytarabine, Genasense™ and Neupogen®.[2]

Seventeen patients in this study had relapsed or refractory AML and 3 had acute ALL, including 2 patients who had failed stem cell transplantation. Five patients with AML and one patient with ALL achieved a complete response. Three other patients had disappearance of blasts but did not achieve full hematological recovery. In two patients, the response persisted for over one year before recurrence. Responses were also seen in older patients. The researchers also reported that Bcl-2 mRNA levels were down-regulated in 75% of evaluable patients.

The current study included 29 patients who were 60 years of age or older with newly diagnosed AML. All received treatment with cytarabine, daunomycin and Genasense™. Complete remissions occurred in 14 patients (48%). Seven of these 14 patients have relapsed. They suggested that the degree of down regulation of Bcl-2 correlated with response. These authors stated that CALGB would be performing a randomized trial in older patients with newly diagnosed AML to determine the contribution of Genasense™.

Comments: It’s impossible to tell from this study whether or not Genasense™ contributed to outcome and the randomized trial will be of great interest.



Publication: The details of this study appeared as an advanced on-line publication in the Journal of Clinical Oncology on April 11, 2005.
On the web: www.cancerconsultants.com 

Advertise in this space for $10 per month. Contact us today.


Related Blood News


Subscribe to Blood Newsletter

Enter your email address:


 Additional information about the news article
References:

[1] Marcucci G, Stock W, Dai G, et al. Phase I study of oblimersen sodium, an antisense to Bcl-2, in untreated older patients with acute myeloid leukemia: pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and clinical activity. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2005;23: published ahead of print on April 22, 2005 as 10.1200/JCO.2005.09.118.

[2] Marcucci G, Byrd J, Dai G, et al. Phase 1 and pharmacodynamic studies of G3139, a Bcl-2 antisense oligonucleotide, in combination with chemotherapy in refractory or relapsed acute leukemia. Blood. 2003;101:425-432

About Cancer Consultants

Cancer Consultants was founded in 1998 by experts in the field of oncology in order to facilitate information transfer on the management of cancer to patients and health care providers. Because cancer is chronic, life threatening, associated with rapid technological advancements, and patients have time to evaluate their treatment options before making a decision, Cancer Consultants, Inc. recognized that the Internet would become the predominant tool for rapid transfer of information to both patients and physicians. It was also apparent to Cancer Consultants, Inc. that patients and physicians would need credible, accurate, timely access to information about novel cancer treatment strategies and products.

Today, Cancer Consultants is one of the few companies with a dedicated focus in the field of oncology, an experienced management team, and key strategic relationships within the oncology community. The company has emerged from the economic downturn with a year to year compounded annual growth rate of over 45% and is positioned as one of the key oncology platforms on the Internet. In order to better serve its customers, Cancer Consultants restructured into a holding company with four wholly owned subsidiary companies that are strategically positioned to serve the needs of its entire client base.
 Feedback
For any corrections of factual information, to contact the editors or to send any medical news or health news press releases, use feedback form

Top of Page

 
Contact us

RxPG Online

Nerve

 

    Full Text RSS

© All rights reserved by RxPG Medical Solutions Private Limited (India)