New research supports the theory that myelodysplastic syndromes has its origins in bone marrow stem cells.
“We have experimentally demonstrated for the first time that [myelodysplastic syndromes] stem cells can transplant and initiate disease. That means that in order to cure the disease, we must target and eradicate this cell population,” said Dr. Christopher Park, the lead researcher on the study from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
Dr. Park explained that the findings will probably not have immediate…
Results of a recent clinical trial show that lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes patients treated with Nplate have fewer bleeding problems, require fewer platelet transfusions, and are more likely to have increased platelet counts than patients treated with a placebo.
However, the trial investigators also found transient increases in immature blood cell counts and a higher risk for progression to acute myeloid leukemia in patients treated with Nplate.
They therefore decided to discontinue treatment with Nplate.
The results of the trial also…
Preliminary results from two independent clinical trials indicate that panobinostat in combination with Vidaza may be effective and safe for higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes patients.
The studies were presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting in San Diego this past December.
Panobinostat (LBH589), which is being developed by the pharmaceutical company Novartis (NYSE: NVS), belongs to a class of drugs known as histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors. HDAC inhibitors work by increasing the production of proteins that slow cell…
A retrospective analysis of clinical trials involving the use of Revlimid in lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes patients shows that that the rate of cancer for Revlimid-treated MDS patients is similar to the rate of cancer in the general public.
The findings were presented at the 2011 American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting held in December.
The results need to be considered carefully, however, because the analysis compares the rate of second cancers among Revlimid-treated MDS patients in clinical trials with the…