RE: Fwd: [NHLlow] PP: Rituxan Studies Show Improved Survival Rate

[Guest guest]

,

Did you forward an article? K.

Fwd: [NHLlow] PP: Rituxan Studies Show Improved

Survival Rate

Folks - here is another one from NHLLOW on Rituxan maintenance - a very

controversial subject - the jury is still out - I have not been able to make

up my

own mind -

[Guest guest]

Hello to all

I was so happy to see 's post. I miss talking to everyone,

As I am rather newly diagnosed, Christmas Eve 2003, I am still

researching all of this info for myself. Anything any of you adds is a

real help. I face the possibility of chemo late this summer if my next

checkup has shown as much acceleration of the disease as the last one.

What's the best shot at SLL for a first time therapy? I've been reading

that SLL is harder to control and put in remission than CLL, if we can

differentiate.

I can't even go to a place in time when there would be relapse. I would

just like to see remission at this point. We are all at such different

places with this thing but none the less in the same situation. We

REALLY DO NEED EACH OTHER.

Please keep communicating your knowledge and thoughts. Every little bit

helps and comforts.

Bonnie

Fwd: [NHLlow] PP: Rituxan Studies Show Improved

Survival Rate

Folks - here is another one from NHLLOW on Rituxan maintenance - a very

controversial subject - the jury is still out - I have not been able to

make up my

own mind -

[Guest guest]

Kurt - yes I did. Did you not receive it? I'll send it again.......

Rituxan Studies Show Improved Survival Rate

Sat 5 June, 2004 21:13

NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - Studies show a top-selling cancer drug

called Rituxan improves survival in two new groups of patients with

non-Hodgkins lymphoma, the drug's makers said on Saturday.

The drug is already approved for certain types of non-Hodgkins

lymphoma, a disease affecting 1.5 million people worldwide, and

these trials may lead to Rituxan being used by even more patients,

said the companies, which funded the studies.

" Rituxan is moving more and more to the front of therapy. We will

see it used more in the practice of oncology in the U.S., " said Dr.

Hochster, of the New York University School of Medicine.

Hochster, who authored one of two phase III studies on non-Hodgkins

lymphoma, spoke at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's

annual meeting in New Orleans.

In the study headed by Hochster, 401 patients received Rituxan as a

maintenance therapy for indolent non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a slow-

spreading form of the disease. They got four doses of the drug every

six months for a two-year period.

Preliminary results showed that 73 percent of the patients on

maintenance therapy were free of disease progression and alive at

two years, compared with 43 percent of those receiving no further

treatment, Genentech Inc., Biogen Idec Inc. and Roche, the drug's

makers, said in a joint statement.

Rituxan is sold as MabThera outside the United States and Canada. It

has projected sales of more than $1.72 billion in 2004.

Preliminary results of a second study showed that 95 percent of

patients younger than age 60 with an aggressive form of non-Hodgkins

lymphoma survived after receiving Rituxan and chemotherapy compared

with 85 percent of those who got chemotherapy alone, the companies

said.

The patients in the study, which was halted early after reaching its

objectives, were observed for a median time of two years.

Also, 81 percent of the patients treated with the combination were

free from treatment failure -- meaning relapse, death or a failure

to stop the disease -- versus 58 percent of patients treated with

chemotherapy alone.

Some 45 percent of non-Hodgkins lymphoma patients have indolent

lymphoma and 55 percent have the aggressive form of the disease.

[Guest guest]

Bonnie -

Rituxan works great for Follicular. As Hal points out, it is generally given

with something else for SLL/CLL. I had Fludarabine with it, which has also

fallen somewhat out of favor since then. There is a sister drug to Fludarabine,

Pentostatin, which is supposedly less toxic to the immune system.

Another first line treatment gaining popularity these days is Chlorambucil

(carefully administered dosages) with or without Prednisone. I know people who

have done well with this for years.

Get several opinions!!