agents of promise

[Guest guest]

Greetings,

Just a few years ago CML, a type of leukemia, was a devastating diagnosis. The

prognosis was dire; death was nearly certain.

But thanks to the 10-year work of Dr. Drucker and his team, the cellular

mechanism that caused this type of leukemia was discovered and a drug was

designed that targeted it. Today, that drug, Gleevec, has made CML among the

most treatable of the blood cancers.

Other cancer types have not yielded their secrets so readily, but Gleevec

shifted the focus of cancer research. Today the focus is to discover the

defects of cancer cells - the molecular pathways - so that drug molecules can be

rationally designed that bind to and stop cancer cells with greater potency and

safety.

Witness the growing list of such molecules entering early clinical testing Each

with it's own difficult-to-recall coded name: ABT-263, CA101, ... the letters

indicating the sponsor (ABT - Abbott), the number a version of the molecule.

I feel very confident that with clinical testing we will soon discover which of

many rationally designed molecules will be most effectives and safe. However,

because there's a limited patient pool, it will become increasingly challenging

to test these agents on a timely basis, and integrate the " winner molecules "

into clinical practice.

Anyhow, keeping up (objectively as possible) with investigational therapies in

clinical phase is an important goal - one that provides also a potential to

benefit from state-of-the-art targeted treatments by participation in clinical

trials. There's a pressing need to educate ourselves and our oncologists, and to

keep alert to the outcome data that can help guide our many choices.

Certainly, patients cannot do this alone. We must also consult the experts and

inquire specifically about the agents of promise, and which studies may be

appropriate to our clinical situations and treatment goals.

See http://www.lymphomation.org/treatment-pipeline.htm for our attempt to keep

up!

The pipeline is bulging. New agents added almost weekly, marked with NEW.

All the best,

Karl

Patients Against Lymphoma

www.Lymphomation.org

Non-profit | Independent | Evidence-based