Category: Lymphoma News

OncLive: Dr. John Leonard Discusses What’s New in DLBCL Treatment

At the 16th Annual International Congress on Hematologic Malignancies, Dr. John Leonard, the director of the Lymphoma Program at Weill Cornell Medical College, discussed several novel therapies currently under investigation for DLBCL. Today OncLive published an article, “Beyond R-CHOP-21: What’s New in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma” summarizing Dr. Leonard’s discussion.

“The current standard for patients with advanced diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is R-CHOP-21 (21-day rituximab-cyclophosphamidedoxorubicin- vincristine-prednisone). However, while this regimen cures approximately two-thirds of patients, a significant fraction of patients will still relapse, and the prognosis for these patients is poor.”

Approaches being evaluated include substituting an alternate chemotherapy regimen for CHOP in combination with rituximab; R-EPOCH (rituximabetoposide- prednisone-vincristine-doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide); and adding a new agent to R-CHOP-21.

Click here to read the full article in in OncLive.

New Weill Cornell Study: Ofatumumab in Untreated Follicular Lymphoma

CALGB 50901: A Phase II Trial of Ofatumumab (CALGB IND #112390) in Previously Untreated Follicular Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL)

The Weill Cornell Lymphoma Program is now enrolling people in a new clinical trial for patients with follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Dr. Peter Martin is the physician leading the study at Weill Cornell.

For more information about the study, please call Amelyn Rodriguez, RN at (212) 746-1362 or email Amelyn at amr2017@med.cornell.edu.

Key Eligibility
  • Men and women age 18 or older
  • Follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)
  • No prior therapy for NHL including chemotherapy or immunotherapy
  • Detailed eligibility reviewed when you contact the study team
Study Details

This is a clinical trial for patients with follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) who have not been previously treated. The purpose of the study is to determine how well patients with follicular NHL respond to treatment with the drug ofatumumab.

Ofatumumab is an antibody therapy that is targeted to attack the abnormal cancer cells that make up follicular lymphoma by recognizing a protein on the surface of these cells. Ofatumumab is an effective treatment for follicular lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia that comes back after people first respond to other chemotherapy. It is not known how well ofatumumab will work in patients with follicular lymphoma who have not been previously treated.

All patients in the study will receive ofatumumab. You will be randomly assigned to receive one of two doses of ofatumumab; neither you nor the study physician can choose which dose you receive.  You will receive either 500 mg or 1000 mg of the study drug via infusion on days 1, 8, 15 and 22 during the first 4 weeks of treatment (induction therapy). Following induction therapy ofatumumab will be given every other month to cover a total of 9 months. During this time you will continue to receive the same dose, either 500 mg or 1000 mg, that you were initially assigned.

We expect patients to be receiving treatment in the study for approximately 9 months. After completing study treatment you will be asked to return for follow-up tests 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, 31, and 35 months after entering the study, and then every 6 months for a maximum of 10 years from study entry, unless your disease should return.

New Treatments for Blood Cancers

Weill Cornell’s Dr. John Leonard, the clinical director of the Center for Lymphoma and Myeloma, is featured in this news item on blood cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Click here to watch the video.