What Is New in Lymphoma?

Abstract

The lymphomas are a diverse group of malignant disorders that vary with respect to their molecular features, genetics, clinical presentation, treatment approaches, and outcome. Over the past few years, there have been major advances in our understanding of the biology of these diseases, leading to a universally adopted World Health Organization classification system. New therapies are now available with the potential to improve patient outcome, and the International Prognostic Index and standardized response criteria help make clinical trials interpretable. Most notably, the chimeric antiCD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab has altered our therapeutic paradigms for B-cell disorders. Combinations of this antibody with chemotherapy and other biologic agents have shown promise in treating lymphoma. Other antibodies, radioimmunoconjugates (such as Y-90 ibritumomab tiuxetan and I-131 tositumomab), and oblimerson sodium (a BCL-2 antisense oligonucleotide) have all shown promise. New chemotherapy regimens such as bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone (BEACOPP), agents such as gemcitabine, and monoclonal antibodies directed against CD30 are also being studied in Hodgkin Lymphoma. The challenge of clinical research is to optimize the use of these agents, select patients most likely to respond, and develop multitargeted strategies based on sound scientific rational, with the potential to increase the cure rate of patients with lymphomas. (CA Cancer J Clin 2004;54:260 -272.) © American Cancer Society, Inc., 2004.

18F-FDG PET for Posttherapy Assessment of Hodgkin's Disease and Aggressive Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: A Systematic Review

“…In addition, our review included only a single study in which patients with DLBCL received rituximab in addition to CHOP (22). Because the combination of rituximab with CHOP is a current standard therapy (38), our results may be less applicable to clinical practice. Further, we included only a single study (30) that used a relatively new and promising additional technique-PET/CT-that may overcome the current technical limitations of PET (39).…”

Antiviral therapy after complete response to chemotherapy could be efficacious in HCV-positive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

“…lymph node, bone marrow, etc) and classified according to the Revised European-American Lymphoma (REAL) criteria and secondarily separated into aggressive and indolent lymphomas according to a clinical prognostic classification used elsewhere [16]. The stage of NHL was defined by the Ann Arbor classification according to physical examination, total body computer tomography scan, bone marrow biopsy.…”

The Impact of High-dose Sodium Selenite Therapy on Bcl-2 Expression in Adult Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Patients: Correlation with Response and Survival

“…2 Event-free survival time between groups A-I and A-II involving Bcl-2 overexpression [19]. It has been settled that Bcl-2 overexpression presents an adverse prognostic parameter and higher incidence of chemotherapy resistance [20,21].…”