Author: lymphomaprogram

Located on the Upper East Side of New York City, the Lymphoma Program at Weill Cornell Medical College/NewYork Presbyterian Hospital is internationally recognized for our efforts to enable patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Hodgkin disease and related disorders to have the best possible clinical outcome, including cure when possible.

Weill Cornell Clinical Trial: PD 0332991 Plus Bortezomib in Patients With Relapsed Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Mantle cell lymphoma is characterized by a genetic defect that results in increased production of a protein called Cyclin D1. Another protein called Cdk4/6 works together with Cyclin D1 to release a brake on cell replication. For that reason, mantle cell lymphoma cells replicate more rapidly than other cells.

PD 0332991 is an investigational oral drug (i.e., a pill) that specifically inhibits Cdk4/6. Data from our lab and from an earlier clinical trial performed at Weill Cornell Medical Center suggest that PD 0332991 is able to stop lymphoma cells from replicating in some patients with mantle cell lymphoma.

Bortezomib (Velcade) is approved by the FDA for treatment of patients with relapsed mantle cell lymphoma. Data from our laboratory suggests that PD 0332991 and bortezomib can work together to kill lymphoma cells more effectively than either drug alone.

In this study, we are testing different doses of the combination of PD 0332991 and bortezomib. We hope to learn how to safely combine the two drugs. We also hope to learn more about how both drugs work so that we can use them more effectively in the future.

To learn more about this study, please contact June Greenberg, RN at (212) 746-2651 or email June at  jdg2002@med.cornell.edu.

Click here to view the clinical and research profile of Dr. Peter Martin, the physician leading the study. Click here to view all non-Hodgkin clinical trials at Weill Cornell Medical Center.

LLS Patient Education Program: Know Your Rights

The Lymphoma and Leukemia Society (LLS) is presenting a patient education program on Saturday May 14th to help patients and caregivers to overcome obstacles in their quest for healthcare in the wake of pending health care reform.  Click here to see the event flyer: LLS flyer or email inez.lendez@lls.org to RSVP. Click here to read about the program on the LLS website.

High Acetaminophen Use Associated with Hematologic Malignancies

According to a recently published study, high use of acetaminophen is associated with an increased risk of hematologic malignancies other than chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL).

In the research conducted at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, 64,839 men and women age 50 to 76 were recruited into a Vitamins and Minerals Lifestyle study. The researchers examined the association of aspirin, non-aspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and acetaminophen use with development of new hematologic malignancies. A total of 577 hematologic malignancies were identified over a two-year period. The researchers found that high use of acetaminophen (four or more days per week for four or more years) was associated with an almost two-fold increased risk for development of new hematologic malignancies, including myeloid neoplasms, non-Hodgkin lymphomas and plasma cell disorders. By comparison, there was no association with risk of hematologic malignancies with an increased use of aspirin, non-aspirin NSAIDs or ibuprofen.

It is important to remember that observational studies like this are prone to error. Although the results support the conclusion that high use of acetaminophen was associated with new lymphomas, it is not possible to conclude that acetaminophen causes lymphoma. Continue reading “High Acetaminophen Use Associated with Hematologic Malignancies”