http://www.medindia.net/healthnews/acute-myeloid-leukemia-news.asp Medindia largest health website in india. en-us Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved. Fri, 25 May 2012 03:58:05 GMT http://www.medindia.net/news/cause-for-lgl-leukemia-identified-101484-1.htm Extensive research has found that LGL leukemia is a relatively rare, malignant blood disease of the mature T-cells. Furthermore, in many cases, it is related to autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. The pathogenetic mechanism of the disease has been unknown and it has previously been unclear if the disease is an overreaction of the normal defense system or a malignant hematological disease. One of the key symptoms of LGL disease is a low count of white blood cells (neutrophils), ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/cause-for-lgl-leukemia-identified-101484-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/experimental-drug-may-help-older-chronic-leukemia-patients-101383-1.htm The experimental drug ibrutinib can be used as a first-line therapy for older people with chronic leukemia, reveal clinical trials. Ibrutinib (PCI-32765) shows great promise for the treatment of elderly patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), according to interim findings from a clinical trial. The phase I/II trial, co-led by researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/experimental-drug-may-help-older-chronic-leukemia-patients-101383-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-biomarker-may-open-new-ways-to-treat-patients-with-chronic-lymphocytic-leukemia-100527-1.htm G protein-coupled receptor expression may predict the prognosis of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, researchers at the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine have shown. Their findings may identify new ways to treat such patients. The UCSD researchers, led by Paul A. Insel, M.D., Professor of Pharmacology and Medicine, will present their findings on April 24. A clinical problem for many diseases, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) the most common form of ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-biomarker-may-open-new-ways-to-treat-patients-with-chronic-lymphocytic-leukemia-100527-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/fertility-drugs-to-get-pregnant-increase-leukemia-risk-in-children-100526-1.htm French scientists have revealed children born to mothers who took fertility drugs to get pregnant are at increased risk of developing leukaemia. They found that children were 2.6 times more likely to become ill with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), the most common type of childhood leukaemia, if their mothers had been treated with ovary-stimulating drugs. And the risk of suffering the rarer form of the disease, acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), increased by 2.3 times. Children conceived ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/fertility-drugs-to-get-pregnant-increase-leukemia-risk-in-children-100526-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/potential-treatment-for-lethal-childhood-leukemia-identified-100265-1.htm Scientists have discovered the role two enzymes that play an important role in the development of lymphoblastic leukemia. The study also showed that a dual PI3K gamma/delta inhibitor can significantly prolong survival in a mouse model of the disease. Further, the dual inhibitor was shown to prevent proliferation and to reduce the survival rate of human T-ALL cells in laboratory cultures, setting the stage for clinical trials. The study appears today in the online edition of iCancer Cell/i. ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/potential-treatment-for-lethal-childhood-leukemia-identified-100265-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/gene-flt3-valid-target-in-acute-myeloid-leukemia-treatment-100178-1.htm A group of American researchers have found that gene FLT3 can be a valid target in treating one of the most common forms of leukemia called the Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). The technique, developed by Pacific Biosciences, allows for the rapid and comprehensive detection of gene mutations in patients with AML. The findings, published online April 15 in iNature/i, are a result of collaboration among scientists at the University of California, San Francisco, Pacific Biosciences and Mount Sinai School of Medicine....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/gene-flt3-valid-target-in-acute-myeloid-leukemia-treatment-100178-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/study-finds-chemotherapy-life-saving-for-some-leukemia-patients-who-fail-induction-therapy-100022-1.htm Bone marrow transplants are not the best option for some young patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who fail to attain clinical remission after the initial weeks of intense chemotherapy known as induction therapy, an international study found. The largest study ever of such pediatric ALL patients identified a subset of young children who achieved 10-year survival rates of 72 percent after additional chemotherapy rather than bone marrow transplantation. The patients are among the ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/study-finds-chemotherapy-life-saving-for-some-leukemia-patients-who-fail-induction-therapy-100022-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/therapeutic-target-identified-for-acute-myeloid-leukemia-99976-1.htm A candidate drug target for treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has been identified by scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. AML is a white blood cell cancer that proliferates out of control in the bone marrow. The team, led by Assistant Professor Chris Vakoc, M.D., Ph.D., shows that blocking a protein called PRC2 halts this uncontrolled proliferation in the bone marrow of mice with AML. PRC2, short for Polycomb Repression Complex 2, is a chromatin regulator - a type of protein that alters the way genes are expressed....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/therapeutic-target-identified-for-acute-myeloid-leukemia-99976-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/genetic-evolution-of-leukemia-mapped-98937-1.htm By means of the latest DNA sequencing technology, Washington University School of Medicine scientists have mapped the genetic evolution of cancer cells in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. And by mapping, they have found clues to suggest that targeted cancer drugs should be aimed at mutations that develop early in the disease. The research, by a large team of Washington University researchers at the Siteman Cancer Center, appears online March 14 in the iNew England Journal of Medicine/i....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/genetic-evolution-of-leukemia-mapped-98937-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/improvement-in-long-term-survival-among-children-with-acute-lymphoblastic-leukemia-98797-1.htm A study by the Children's Oncology Group (COG) has revealed the marked improvement in long-term survival among children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The improvements in survival were observed among all children over age 1 regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, or subtype of ALL. This analysis, which is the largest study to date of ALL survival, showed similar gains in 10-year survival. The findings are published March 12 in the IJournal of Clinical Oncology/I. "Childhood leukemia ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/improvement-in-long-term-survival-among-children-with-acute-lymphoblastic-leukemia-98797-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/first-theranostic-treatment-for-acute-lymphoblastic-leukemia-98572-1.htm First theranostic (combination of therapeutics and diagnostics) agent for acute lymphoblastic leukemia has been developed by Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine researchers. ALL is the most common type of childhood cancer diagnosed in approximately 5,000 new cases each year in the United States. The findings provide insight into pediatric oncology that specifically focuses on the development of "theranostic" agents-- a treatment platform that combines a selective diagnostic test with targeted therapy based on the test results....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/first-theranostic-treatment-for-acute-lymphoblastic-leukemia-98572-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/northern-ireland-reports-dramatic-rise-in-leukemia-survival-rates-98303-1.htm The Northern Ireland Cancer Registry (NICR) at Queen's University Belfast has reported a significant rise in leukemia survival rates, the highest since data collection began in 1993. For children with the disease, survival has improved dramatically from under 10 per cent in the 1960 to1970s, to the current level of over 80 per cent for five year survival. The NICR researchers also examined the changes in service and outcome for patients with pancreatic cancer. While pancreatic cancer ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/northern-ireland-reports-dramatic-rise-in-leukemia-survival-rates-98303-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/expanded-use-of-glivec-approved-by-eu-novartis-98115-1.htm The European Union will allow an expanded use of the drug Glivec to treat certain rare forms of gastrointestinal cancer, Novartis has revealed. The European Commission approved an update to the Glivec label to include 36 months of treatment after surgery "for adults with KIT (CD117)-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST)," Novartis said in a statement. "Gastrointestinal stromal tumors are a rare, life-threatening cancer of the gastrointestinal tract," it said. They are often ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/expanded-use-of-glivec-approved-by-eu-novartis-98115-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/chronic-myeloid-leukemia-patients-benefit-from-targeted-drug-imatinib-98059-1.htm Patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who do not benefit from initial therapies experience benefits when they switch to the targeted drug imatinib. Published early online in ICancer/I, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study indicates that imatinib is the treatment of choice for these patients. Imatinib, a drug that blocks the protein made by a particular cancer-causing gene, has revolutionized the treatment and prognosis of patients with CML. Now up ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/chronic-myeloid-leukemia-patients-benefit-from-targeted-drug-imatinib-98059-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/demystified-why-children-with-down-syndrome-have-increased-risk-of-leukemia-97947-1.htm Previous research has shown that children with Down syndrome (DS) have an increased risk of developing leukemia. This is particularly true for acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Through their studies in a mouse model of DS, a team of researchers led by John Crispino, at Northwestern University, Chicago, has now identified a potential explanation as to why children with DS are at increased risk of AMKL. In doing so, they have also identified a candidate therapeutic target....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/demystified-why-children-with-down-syndrome-have-increased-risk-of-leukemia-97947-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/protest-against-novartis-indian-lawsuit-on-glivec-97946-1.htm Protests marked the annual meeting of Novartis as several NGOs protested against the attempt by the company to obtain a patent for its anti-cancer drug Glivec. The NGOs said that Novartis' action threatens access to generic drugs in poor countries. The Berne Declaration, Act Up and Oxfam asked Novartis annual management and shareholders meeting in Basel "to abandon its legal action in India for obtaining a Glivec patent." "We are asking Novartis once and for all to stop this legal battle ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/protest-against-novartis-indian-lawsuit-on-glivec-97946-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/leukemia-stem-cells-new-findings-97512-1.htm Recent study provides fresh insight into the mechanism associated with the survival of leukemia stem cells. This finding could pave way for novel leukemia treatments. Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a cancer of the white blood cells for which tyrosine kinase inhibitors are currently the first line of therapy. These drugs prolong survival, but disease recurrence is often seen after drug treatment is stopped. "Tyrosine kinase inhibitors do not eliminate leukemia stem cells, which ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/leukemia-stem-cells-new-findings-97512-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/smoking-dads-raise-leukemia-risk-in-kids-97307-1.htm Exposure to heavy puffing at the time of conception put the child at a higher risk of developing the most common form of childhood cancer, known as Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), a study reveals. The study investigated the link between parental smoking and the occurrence of ALL in offspring. "The first step towards the development of leukemia is thought to occur in utero in a lot of cases," said Elizabeth Milne from Western Australia's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, who led the study....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/smoking-dads-raise-leukemia-risk-in-kids-97307-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/in-hispanic-patients-hereditary-risk-factors-for-childhood-leukemia-are-more-common-96873-1.htm In comparison to other racial and ethnic backgrounds Hispanic kids are more likely to be diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and are more likely to die of their disease. Work led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists has pinpointed genetic factors behind the grim statistics. Researchers studying a gene called ARID5B linked eight common variants of the gene to an increased risk of not only developing pediatric ALL but of having the cancer return after treatment. Two ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/in-hispanic-patients-hereditary-risk-factors-for-childhood-leukemia-are-more-common-96873-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/process-leading-to-acute-myeloid-leukemia-discovered-96836-1.htm A molecular pathway that explains the development of acute myeloid leukemia has been discovered by UC Santa Barbara researchers. The discovery may lead to new cancer therapies that reprogram cells instead of killing them. The findings are published in a recent paper in the iJournal of Biological Chemistry/i. The UCSB research team described how a certain mutation in DNA disrupts cellular function in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The researchers were prompted to study this ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/process-leading-to-acute-myeloid-leukemia-discovered-96836-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/chronic-myeloid-leukemia-yet-to-be-defeated-96640-1.htm Despite accomplishing significant progress in treating chronic myeloid leukemia, the disease cannot yet be eradicated in all patients hence the challenge must be addressed, conveys statement in ICMAJ/I (ICanadian Medical Association Journal/I). Likening the journey to find a cure for chronic myeloid leukemia as a marathon, cancer expert Dr. Jorge Cortes, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, writes, "The past half century has been an extraordinary run that has ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/chronic-myeloid-leukemia-yet-to-be-defeated-96640-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/leukemia-drug-that-kills-cancerous-t-cells-without-increasing-risk-of-infections-96615-1.htm A new study reports that low-dose Campath (alemtuzumab) not only treats patients with Leukemic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (L-CTCL) but does so without increasing their risk of infections. Rachael A. Clark, MD, PhD, BWH assistant professor of dermatology and associate dermatologist and Thomas Kupper, MD, BWH Department of Dermatology chairman and their colleagues have reported the new study. The study was electronically published on January 18, 2012 in IScience Translational Medicine/I. Leukemic ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/leukemia-drug-that-kills-cancerous-t-cells-without-increasing-risk-of-infections-96615-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Legendary-Singer-Etta-James-Dies-Of-Leukemia-96394-1.htm Soul-singer Etta James passed away early on Friday in California after a lengthy struggle with leukemia. She was 73. Lupe de Leon said that her husband Artis Mills and her sons were at her side when she passed away. "It's a tremendous loss for her fans around the world... She'll be missed. A great American singer. Her music defied category," the Telegraph quoted Leon as saying. One of James' most enduring hits was the yearning song 'At Last', which was also sung by Beyonce for Barack ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Legendary-Singer-Etta-James-Dies-Of-Leukemia-96394-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Chemotherapy-Drugs-May-Lead-to-Leukemia-Relapse-96007-1.htm Chemotherapy drugs that are used to push a common form of adult leukemia into remission may trigger DNA damage that can lead to a relapse of the disease in some patients, a new study suggests. The research, by a team of physicians and scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is published Jan. 11 in the advance online edition of iNature/i. For patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), initial treatment with chemotherapy is essential for putting the cancer into remission....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Chemotherapy-Drugs-May-Lead-to-Leukemia-Relapse-96007-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Non-Small-Cell-Lung-Cancer-Patients-may-Not-Get-Survival-Benefit-With-Sorafenib-95921-1.htm Data presented at the AACR-IASLC Joint Conference on Molecular Origins of Lung Cancer: Biology, Therapy and Personalized Medicine reveals that sorafenib was effective in patients with non-small cell lung cancer and a KRAS mutation, but survival rates were reportedly "unsatisfactory". Patients with lung cancer and a KRAS mutation are believed to have a poor prognosis and may not benefit from treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, according to study author Wouter W....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Non-Small-Cell-Lung-Cancer-Patients-may-Not-Get-Survival-Benefit-With-Sorafenib-95921-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Possible-Cure-For-Leukemia-Found-in-Fish-Oil-95179-1.htm A compound found in fish oil which kills leukemia stem cells may hold the key to its cure, according to Penn State researchers. The compound -- delta-12-protaglandin J3, or D12-PGJ3 -- targeted and killed the stem cells of chronic myelogenous leukemia, or CML, in mice, said Sandeep Prabhu, associate professor of immunology and molecular toxicology in the Department of Veterinary and Medical Sciences. The compound is produced from EPA -- Eicosapentaenoic Acid -- an Omega-3 fatty acid found in fish and in fish oil, he said....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Possible-Cure-For-Leukemia-Found-in-Fish-Oil-95179-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/First-Complete-DNA-Study-of-Mast-Cell-Leukemia-Hints-at-Possibility-to-Improve-Therapy-95054-1.htm The first comprehensive study of the evolution of the DNA of a patient with mast cell leukemia (MCL), extremely aggressive subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with an awfully poor prognosis was carried out by Cancer researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL). Their genomic survey has helped identify two previously unknown mutations that could directly influence patient response to currently available therapeutic drugs. The details uncovered by the study not only suggest a ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/First-Complete-DNA-Study-of-Mast-Cell-Leukemia-Hints-at-Possibility-to-Improve-Therapy-95054-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Report-Etta-James-in-Final-Stages-of-Incurable-Leukemia-94963-1.htm Iconic soul singer Etta James' live-in doctor has revealed that she is suffering from incurable leukemia and is now terminally ill. The 73-year-old entertainer's physician Dr. Elaine James told the Riverside Press-Enterprise that the singer's chronic leukemia was declared incurable two weeks ago. The doctor has been caring for James, who is best known for her 1961 hit 'At Last,' since March 2010 at the singer's Riverside home, where she is now under 24-hour medical care and has been placed on oxygen....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Report-Etta-James-in-Final-Stages-of-Incurable-Leukemia-94963-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Addition-of-Vorinostat-Induces-High-Response-Rate-in-AML-Patients-94815-1.htm Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have said that adding a drug that activates genes to usual combination therapy for acute myeloid leukemia resulted in an 85 percent remission rate after initial treatment. This data was reported at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology. Results of the Phase II clinical trial of 75 patients set the stage for a national Phase III clinical trial of the new combination compared to standard-of-care frontline ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Addition-of-Vorinostat-Induces-High-Response-Rate-in-AML-Patients-94815-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Genetic-Mutation-Increases-Risk-of-Recurrence-in-Some-Older-Patients-With-Acute-Leukemia-94810-1.htm A new study by researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC - James) says that older people with acute myeloid leukemia and normal looking chromosomes in their cancer cells have a higher risk of recurrence if they have mutations in a gene called ASXL1. The study is the first to investigate the influence of these gene mutations on prognosis in patients with cytogenetically normal acute myeloid ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Genetic-Mutation-Increases-Risk-of-Recurrence-in-Some-Older-Patients-With-Acute-Leukemia-94810-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Immune-System-in-Leukemia-Patients-Following-Chemotherapy-Repaired-by-Penn-Researchers-94710-1.htm New research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has said that a new treatment using leukemia patients' own infection-fighting cells appears to protect them from infections and cancer recurrence following chemotherapy. The new process is a step toward eliminating the harsh side effects that result from the commonly prescribed drug, which improves progression-free survival in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) but destroys patients' healthy immune ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Immune-System-in-Leukemia-Patients-Following-Chemotherapy-Repaired-by-Penn-Researchers-94710-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Novel-Experimental-Agent-Benefits-Chronic-Lymphocytic-Leukemia-Patients-94651-1.htm PCI-32765 - a B cell receptor inhibitor is highly active and well tolerated in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), reveals report. "PCI-32765, one of a new class of experimental drugs called B cell receptor inhibitors, has shown impressive potential in this clinical trial for its effectiveness and particularly for its relatively minimal toxicity," said lead investigator Susan O'Brien, M.D., professor in the Department of Leukemia at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Novel-Experimental-Agent-Benefits-Chronic-Lymphocytic-Leukemia-Patients-94651-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Ageing-Stem-Cells-Could-Clarify-Increased-Incidence-of-Leukemia-in-Elders-94113-1.htm Human stem cells undergo ageing process and not immune to it state scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The researchers studied hematopoietic stem cells, which create the cells that comprise the blood and immune system. Understanding when and how these stem cells begin to falter as the years pass may explain why some diseases, such as acute myeloid leukemia, increase in prevalence with age, and also why elderly people tend to be more vulnerable to infections such as colds and the flu....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Ageing-Stem-Cells-Could-Clarify-Increased-Incidence-of-Leukemia-in-Elders-94113-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Research-Offers-Hope-for-Young-Leukemia-Patients-93505-1.htm Simple tests to predict a leukemic relapse in young patients is a step closer to reality thanks to researchers from the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center and the University of Montreal. Approximately 20 percent of young leukemia patients who are treated with stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood will experience leukemic relapse. The researchers' findings, published recently in IBlood/I, demonstrate that the blame falls partially on a subset of white blood cells called "T cells....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Research-Offers-Hope-for-Young-Leukemia-Patients-93505-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Antibiotic-Tigecycline-Targets-And-Destroys-Leukemia-Stem-Cells-93443-1.htm Antibiotic tigecycline targets and destroys leukemia stem cells by cutting off the cell's energy production, Canadian scientists say. The findings of the researchers with the Princess Margaret Cancer Program are published today in EMCancer Cell./EM "If you think of all the cells in the body as a power grid, we've discovered that tigecycline can cause a power outage in leukemia stem cells, while still keeping the lights on in all the healthy cells," says Dr. Aaron Schimmer, clinician-scientist ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Antibiotic-Tigecycline-Targets-And-Destroys-Leukemia-Stem-Cells-93443-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/New-Therapy-for-Leukemia-Targets-and-Kills-Only-Cancer-Cells-92600-1.htm Researchers have developed a potential therapy for leukemia that targets only the cancer cells, while leaving the healthy cells alone. Many current chemotherapy treatments affect cancer cells and healthy cells, causing significant side effects, such as fatigue, hair loss, nausea, anxiety and depression. This research is being presented at the 2011 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C., Oct. 23 - 27. Leukemia is a cancer ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/New-Therapy-for-Leukemia-Targets-and-Kills-Only-Cancer-Cells-92600-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Gene-Responsible-for-Relapses-in-Young-Leukemia-Patients-Identified-92525-1.htm One of the causes for cancer treatment resistance in children is now beginning to get clear. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients with a particular form of the ATF5 gene are at higher risk of having a relapse when treated with iE. coli/i asparaginase, a key chemotherapy drug for this type of leukemia. This is revealed in a study by Dr. Maja Krajinovic published in the Blood, the journal of the American Society of Hematology. Dr. Krajinovic is an investigator at the Sainte-Justine University ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Gene-Responsible-for-Relapses-in-Young-Leukemia-Patients-Identified-92525-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/DNA-Repair-Defect-Associated-to-Leukemia-Relapse-Risk-91241-1.htm A newly identified defect in a DNA repair system might leave some young leukemia patients less likely to benefit from a key chemotherapy drug, possibly putting them at greater risk of relapse. The problem was identified in a study led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists. The study's findings offer a potential new marker to help identify acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients who are at higher risk of having their cancer return and thus are candidates for more tailored therapies....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/DNA-Repair-Defect-Associated-to-Leukemia-Relapse-Risk-91241-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Acute-Leukemia-Seems-to-Kill-Minorities-A-Lot-More-90898-1.htm Blacks and Hispanics have fewer cases of acute leukemia compared to whites but they die at a substantially higher rate, according to study results presented at the Fourth AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities, held here Sept. 18-21, 2011. From 1998 to 2008, blacks had a 17 percent increased risk of dying from acute leukemia and Hispanics had a 12 percent increased risk compared to white patients. When separated into the two forms of acute leukemia - acute lymphoblastic ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Acute-Leukemia-Seems-to-Kill-Minorities-A-Lot-More-90898-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Cardiovascular-Drug-to-Treat-Leukemia-90543-1.htm Fasudil - drug used to treat cardiovascular problems could treat certain types of leukemia, say researchers. The drug, Fasudil, has been used to treat stroke patients because it is a vasodilator, meaning it dilates blood vessels. However, its potential in leukemia emerged because its method of action is blocking the activity of a protein called Rho kinase, or ROCK. ROCK, which plays a role in a variety of cellular activities, attracted the attention of the national research team led by Reuben Kapur, Ph....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Cardiovascular-Drug-to-Treat-Leukemia-90543-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Twin-Sisters-Put-Up-Brave-Fight-Against-Leukemia-90112-1.htm DIVIdentical twin sisters, diagnosed with leukemia two years back are putting up a triumphant battle against the disease. They were diagnosed within a week of each other with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2009, when they were just four years old. It is now two years since they began the treatment and the girls are doing well. They have just begun school. During the last two years, the children underwent powerful chemotherapy. Presently, they are in the maintenance stage which involves daily treatment in a milder form....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Twin-Sisters-Put-Up-Brave-Fight-Against-Leukemia-90112-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Clinical-Importance-of-Leukemia-Stem-Cells-Validated-in-New-Research-89815-1.htm The question as to whether all cells within a tumour are equal or whether some cancer cells are more potent has intrigued cancer scientists for a long time. Research published today in INature Medicine/I (10.1038/nm.2415) focuses on patients and shows that acute myeloid leukemia (AML) contains rare cells with stem cell properties, called leukemia stem cells (LSC), that are better at predicting clinical outcome than the majority of AML cells, showing for the first time that LSCs are significant ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Clinical-Importance-of-Leukemia-Stem-Cells-Validated-in-New-Research-89815-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Red-Light-for-Leukemia-Stem-Cells-89596-1.htm There are numerous specialized growth factors that are responsible for cells of different tissues of our body to divide and differentiate when needed. These hormone-like factors bind to matching receptors on the surface of their target cells and thus give order for the cell to divide. However, a single genetic alteration can be sufficient for the whole system to get out of control. If, for example, the gene for such a growth factor or for the matching receptor is hyperactive, then the cell permanently ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Red-Light-for-Leukemia-Stem-Cells-89596-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/New-Hope-for-Chronic-Leukemia-Treatment-89274-1.htm While testing a new drug to treat chronic leukemia, Cleveland Clinic researchers discovered new markers that could identify which patients would receive maximum benefit from the treatment. This information was released in the online edition of iBlood/i, a weekly medical journal published by the American Society of Hematology. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a cancer of the white blood cells that is incurable with standard treatment, is the most common type of leukemia in the Western Hemisphere....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/New-Hope-for-Chronic-Leukemia-Treatment-89274-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Gene-Therapy-Wipe-Out-Leukemia-88972-1.htm Amazing potent tumor-killing agents helped three leukemia sufferers stay cancer-free, say US researchers. The findings are the first to show how gene transfer therapy can create specialized T-cells, which guard the body from infection, that attack cancerous tumors in advanced cases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The technique helped patients who had little hope of survival fend off their cancer and stay in remission, said the research published simultaneously in the New England ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Gene-Therapy-Wipe-Out-Leukemia-88972-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Hunt-For-New-Cancer-Targets-Leads-To-A-Powerful-Drug-Candidate-For-AML-88713-1.htm Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) and five other institutions have used an unconventional approach to cancer drug discovery to identify a new potential treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). As reported in iNature/i online on August 3, the scientists have pinpointed a protein called Brd4 as a novel drug target for AML, an aggressive blood cancer that is currently incurable in 70% of patients. Using a drug compound that inhibits the activity of Brd4, the scientists were ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Hunt-For-New-Cancer-Targets-Leads-To-A-Powerful-Drug-Candidate-For-AML-88713-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Boffins-Identify-Key-Growth-Factor-in-T-Cell-Leukemia-88630-1.htm Blocking a growth factor receptor cripples cancer growth in a form of T cell leukemia, according to a study published online on August 1 in the IJournal of Experimental Medicine/I (a href="http:www.jem.org"www.jem.org/a). Approximately half of the cases of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) carry genetic mutations in a cellular signaling pathway called Notch, which result in aberrant activation of the cell. A study by Andrew Weng and colleagues at the British Columbia Cancer ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Boffins-Identify-Key-Growth-Factor-in-T-Cell-Leukemia-88630-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Tamoxifen-Resistance-in-Breast-Cancer-Cells-Reversed-by-Leukemia-Drug-88585-1.htm New research from the a href="http:www.kimmelcancercenter.org"Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson/a suggests that taking a leukemia chemotherapy drug may help breast cancer patients who don't respond to tamoxifen overcome resistance to the widely-used drug. Interestingly, researchers found that taxoxifen combined with dasatinib, a protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, reverses the chemo-resistance caused by cancer-associated fibroblasts in the surrounding tissue by normalizing glucose intake ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Tamoxifen-Resistance-in-Breast-Cancer-Cells-Reversed-by-Leukemia-Drug-88585-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Genetics-of-Childhood-Leukemia-87927-1.htm The University of Western Ontario researchers have identified the genes that are vital for preventing childhood leukemia. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the blood that occurs primarily in young children. It's frequently associated with mutations or chromosomal abnormalities that arise during embryonic or fetal development. Working with mice, researchers led by Rodney DeKoter identified two key genes that appear essential in the prevention of B cell ALL, the most common form of ALL in children....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Genetics-of-Childhood-Leukemia-87927-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Clinical-Trial-Result-Widens-Pool-of-Donors-for-Leukemia-and-Lymphoma-Patients-87493-1.htm Results of two clinical trials have made it easier to identify a suitable donor for leukemia and lymphoma patients who need bone marrow transplants. According to researchers transplant results with half-matched bone marrow or umbilical cord blood are comparable to fully matched tissue, thanks in large part to the availability of effective antirejection drugs and special post-transplant chemotherapy. The finding means that nearly all patients in need of a transplant can find donors, according ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Clinical-Trial-Result-Widens-Pool-of-Donors-for-Leukemia-and-Lymphoma-Patients-87493-1.htm