There is more to treatment than eradicating the disease. It is also about treating people - people who have families, friends, jobs and dreams for their future.
The following are articles about the latest advances in medical care and treatment of leukemia, lymphoma and other related blood disorders. Click on the title of the article to download it as a PDF.
ALL Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) Survivors Bear Genetic Damage from Life-Saving Chemotherapy Date of Article: July 2004 Author: Dr. Barry Finette, University of Vermont Summary This article appears with permission from the American Association for Cancer Research. Although chemotherapy has been used to help children survive ALL, it often increases the frequency of genetic mutation in their DNA, resulting in elevated risk for malignancies and other diseases later in life. Dr. Finette states that "we now need to be proactive about studying long term genetic ramifications".
Abnormal Chromosomes Forecast Leukemia Relapse Date of Article: June 2004 Author: Darrell E. Ward Summary: This article appears permission of The Ohio State University Medical Center. Findings by researchers at The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute call for routine testing for chromosomal abnormalities in AML patients at diagnosis, in order to consider different treatment options.
CLL Scientists find gene expression pattern may predict behavior or leukemia Date of Article: August 2004 Author: Steve Benowitz; Thomas Jefferson University. Summary: This article reprinted with permission. Gene patterns might help doctors diagnose and predict whether or not an individual has an aggressive form of CLL.
CML Leukemia stem cells identified by Stanford researchers Date of Article: August 2004 Author: Amy Adams, Stanford University Medical School Office Summary: Researchers have discovered cancer stem cells in CML. Wiping out these stem cells can lead to more effective elimination of leukemia.
Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplants Study reveals potential for more efficient stem cell transplants Date of Article: August 2004 Author: Joe Stuteville, Indiana University Summary: Researchers at Indiana University have discovered a way to enhance blood-making stem cells, potentially increasing the success of cord blood transplants.
Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) Transplant Rejection Averted by Simple Light Exposure in Stanford Animal Study Date of Article: May 2004 Author: Reprinted with permission from the Office of Communication and Public Affairs, Stanford University School of Medicine. Summary: Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine have proposed a possible method of preventing graft-versus-host disease.
Researchers eliminate leukemia in mice, demonstrating potential new approach to cancer drug therapy Date of Article: September 2004 Author: This article reprinted with permission from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA. Summary: Scientists at Dana-Farber have confirmed that a specific molecule is required by many types of cancer cells to survive. By "turning off" the protein, they were able to kill cancer cells. Jean-Marie Bruey, Ph.D., who was recently funded by the Leukemia Research Foundation is working on a similar project. Click HERE for more information.
Advances in Molecular Diagnosis & Treatment Options Date of Article: June 2003 Author: Louis M. Staudt, M.D., Ph.D., Chief, Lymphoid Malignancies Section, Metabolism Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute Summary: This article appears courtesy of the Lymphoma Research Foundation and originally appeared in the Fall 2002 edition of their newsletter, Lymphoma Today
Advances in the Management of Leukemia Date of Article: April 2003 Authors: Parameswaran Venugopal, MD and Sharon Manson, RN, MS, NP-C Summary: This article highlights some of the new and exciting advances in the treatment of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia and Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Surviving Childhood Leukemia Date of Article: December 2003 Author: Krista Hopson Summary: This article appears courtesy of the University of Michigan Health System. Recent advances in childhood leukemia treatment have given more children a greater chance of life after cancer. Only 20 years ago, children diagnosed with leukemia had a 50% survival rate. Today, due mostly to clinical trials, the cure rate is 85% and still improving.
Stem Cell Research: Elephants in the Room Date of Article: August 2003 Author: Neil D. Theise, MD Summary: This commentary appears with the author's permission. It seeks to explain some of the issues surrounding the debate over stem cell research, specifically the difference between research on embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells.
