Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia | Lymphatic Cancer

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The New Leukemia Drugs

While chemotherapy, radiation and surgery are well known cancer treatment methods, few people untouched by the malignant disease are aware of a new class of medication called targeted therapy drugs which are leading the way in a new, effective strategy in the war on cancer. Targeted therapy drugs are available for many different types of cancer but in the fight against leukemia, where surgery to remove a tumor is not an option, they are most welcome and improving survival rates.

Targeted therapy is a broad-based term used to describe a new class of drugs that seek to stop or inhibit the growth (dividing process) of new cancer cells by interfering with specific molecules that “signal” for new cancer cells to grow and develop. Since targeted therapy drugs are directed only at the molecules that “allow” the process of creating cancer cells, they generally do not harm healthy cells in the way that chemotherapy and radiation does, and is generally considered less harmful with side-effects than chemotherapy and radiation. Other names used to describe this class of drugs includes molecularly targeted drugs, and moleculary targeted therapies.

Targeted therapy drugs are used alone or in combination with chemotherapy drugs to maximize results. They are also divided up between first-line and second-line treatment consideration. First line treatment for cancer means that specific drugs, or a combination of drugs, is used in the initial round or course of treatment, before any other drug or combination of drugs is tried. Second-line treatment means that a specific drug, or combination of drugs, is used after first-round treatment was tried and failed, yielded poor results, produced side-effects considered too severe, and when a cancer has reappeared after remission.

Optimism over this new line of cancer drugs should be curbed since not all “targeted therapy drugs” turn out to be beneficial. Gemtuzumab ozogamicin (Mylortag®) was pulled from pharmacy shelves in the summer of 2010 by Pfizer after a closer look by the FDA revealed the drug offered no benefit when used with chemotherapy drugs, and after a greater number of deaths occurred in the group of patients who received Mylotarg compared with those receiving chemotherapy alone.

FIRST-LINE treatment targeted therapy drugs for leukemia include.

Imatinib (Gleevec®) is used to treat:

Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).Hypereosinophilic syndrome or chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CEL).Relapsed or refractory Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

With this drug, more than 90% of patients will be able to keep CML in check for at least five years, reducing it to a chronic, manageable condition in that time. Gleevec is considered to be one of the most successful examples of targeted therapy, available today. It works by blocking the action of the abnormal protein that signals cancer cells to multiply. Gleevec, approved in 2001, was one of the first targeted therapy drugs to come out and is one of the most widely used since it is also used to treat gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTS). Ninety percent of all chronic myelogenous leukemia cases involving the Philadelphia chromosome.

Nilotinib (Tasigna®) is used as a first line treatment to treat chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) that is Philadelphia chromosome positive. Early results of an on-going 5 year study revealed in December, 2010, show that Tasigna might be superior to the popular Gleevec for treating CML patients. Tasigna cut the amount of a tell-tale protein in the blood in three times as many patients with leukemia as did it’s predecessor, Gleevec.

In a Bloomberg story stemming from press release issued by the drug’s maker, the company reported: “In the clinical trial, designed to follow about 900 patients for five years, almost three times more people taking 300 milligrams of Tasigna twice daily had only a trace amount of the Bcr-Abl protein in their blood after 24 months. The other patients took either 400 milligrams of Gleevec once a day or 400 milligrams of Tasigna twice a day.”

Tasigna is mabe by Novartis, the same company that created Gleevec. Novartis considers Tasigna the superior successor to Gleevec, whose patent runs out in 2015. The down-side of Tasigna is that it carries a black box warning from the FDA for an irregular heart rhythm (QT prolongation) that can lead to fainting, loss of consciousness, seizures, or sudden death. Even with this warning, the FDA granted Tasigna first-line treatment status for Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia in the chronic phase in June, 2010.

Dasatinib (Sprycel®) was once the go to drug when Gleevec and other types of medications don’t work initially, no longer work, or are not administered due to their severe side-effects, but is now a first-line treatment drug for CML. Sprycel is used to treat:

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). This includes patients with CML that is Philadelphia chromosome positive. (Approved first-line treatment).Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) that is Philadelphia chromosome positive, in patients who are not able to use other drugs including Gleevec. (Second-line treatment).

Sprycel works the same way as Gleevec, by blocking the action of an abnormal protein that tells cancer cells to multiply. Sprycel received first-line treatment status for CML-Philadelphia chromosome by the FDA in October, 2010.

SECOND-LINE treatment targeted therapy drugs for leukemia include:

Tretinoin (Vesanoid®) is used to treat acute promyelocytic leukemia in patients who did not benefit from other types of chemotherapy, or whose condition improved with other types of chemotherapy, but then got worse. Tretinoin is used to produce remission (a decrease or disappearance leukemia symptoms ) in APL, however, other medications must be used after treatment with tretinoin to prevent the cancer from returning. Vesanoid comes with an FDA warning for a group of symptoms related to its main ingredient which is a type of Vitamin A.

Rituximab (Rituxan®) is used in combination with other drugs (primarily the chemo drug fludarabine) to treat B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia, including hairy cell leukemia (a subtype of CLL). Rituxan comes with an FDA warning that oncologists make aware to their patients.

Alemtuzumab (Campath®) is used to treat B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) after a chemotherapy drug called fludarabine has failed. Campath comes with an FDA warning that patients will be informed about.

Ofatumumab (Arzerra®) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in adults that have not gotten better with a chemotherapy/targeted drug therapy involving fludarabine (chemo), and alemtuzumab (targeted).

Chronic Adult Leukemia The Cause of Low Platelets

Are you a Leukemia patient suffering from low platelets? Are you also searching for non-toxic methods that will help increase your low platelets caused by a form of leukemia? Well there is hope that what I am about to share with you will be of great benefit to you. So keep reading and do not miss this.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Chronic Myelocytic Leukemia are the most common forms of leukemia in adults. The lymphocytic type being the most common of the two. Both types are discussed briefly in this article.

Leukemia patients may develop low platelets for different reasons. First the disease attacks the bone marrow where platelets are produced. Second, the medications that treat the disease can cause suppression of platelet production.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)

CLL is a progressive form of leukemia. Most persons suffering from this type of leukemia do not present any form of symptoms whatsoever until the disease has advanced to stage four. It is during this stage IV of the disease that treatment is started. This is the stage in which thrombocytopenia ( low platelets ) starts. So you can say that low platelets in CLL is a sign of advanced disease.

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Also known as Chronic Myelocytic Leukemia or CML seems to be more aggressive than Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

CML has three phases:

1. Chronic phase: This is the phase where non-specific symptoms may be present with minor indications of severe disease. Some of these symptoms may be fatigue, a sense of feeling sick, anemia, chills at night etc. These symptoms may last from months to years
2. Accelerated phase: It is in this phase that a low platelet count can occur. Also all symptoms especially anemia tend to get worse.
3. Terminal phase: In this phase the disease tends to advance rapidly spreading to other areas such as bone, brain, lymph nodes etc and is usually fatal.

Both types of Leukemias can be low platelet causes at different stages. Natural herbs, dietary and life-style changes can be of great help in reducing some of the effects that these diseases have on your platelets.

The natural approach is not a substitute of your treatment but an adjunct healthy approach to support your body and immune system and especially to keep your platelets as normal as possible and a preventative way of avoiding the use of strong medications and surgery (splenectomy or taking out of the spleen – this surgical procedure is done more with CML sufferers).

Learning To Live With A Leukemia Diagnosis

There are numerous symptoms of leukemia which you might notice after being diagnosed. Having said that, many people are not sure if they should be worried if they notice new symptoms. It’s generally recommended that you call your leukemia doctor when you notice things like frequent fevers, night sweats, as well as being tired for no reason and they persist for more than a couple of weeks.

Other issues you might notice happening for two weeks that should tell you to call your physician include swollen glands or new lumps in the neck, groin area, as well as under an arm. If you notice you are starting to bruise quicker or start bleeding from your gums, then those are also signs.

Watchful waiting refers to a time period when a leukemia doctor regularly checks on a patient but is not doing anything to treat them. It can also be called surveillance as well as observation. The point of the period is to figure out whether or not you will develop any symptoms. For older adults, it can be a choice for treatment.

During the period, medical and blood tests will be taken as well as scans during standard doctor appointments. In certain cases, watchful waiting can actually give better results than aggressive early stage treatment. The truth is, many people that are suffering from chronic lymphocycic leukemia live for a reasonable amount of time with no treatment. When you are considering other leukemia types, watchful waiting will never be recommended.

Right after being diagnosed with leukemia, you may want to know who you can see about symptoms. Quite a few health professionals are capable, so you can go to any of them. These people include nurse practioners, family medicine physicians, physician assistants, internists, and also pediatricians. The leukemia doctor that will actually diagnose you will be a hematologist or a medical oncologist.

Dependent on the type of leukemia you could have, your choices can vary. Should you be dealing with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, you will likely go through a period known as watchful waiting. In that time, the goal is usually to see what occurs with your symptoms. If you see things such as night sweats, frequent fevers, rapid weight loss, or swollen glands, you will need to call the doctor.

No matter whether you have currently been diagnosed with leukemia or you think you might have it, it’s a good plan to find out who to see next. For people who haven’t been diagnosed, you will be referred to a specialist that will be able to conclusively detect whether or not you are dealing with it. These kind of professionals include medical oncologists and also hematologists.

Once you have been diagnosed, you will be able to get the help of others and won’t be limited by just seeing a leukemia doctor. You’ll be able to call a physician assistant, pediatrician, family medicine physician, or possibly a nurse in case you notice your signs and symptoms getting worse or lasting for over a couple of weeks.

UP-TO-DATE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO LEUKAEMIA DIAGNOSIS

Written by a renowned expert this practical guide had been fully revised and updated. The book covers recent advances in the fields of immunophenotyping, cytogenetics and molecular genetics. It illustrates how laboratory techniques are used for the diagnosis and classification of leukaemia and includes images of abnormal cells to aid diagnosis.

This fourth edition:

Incorporates the recommendations of the 2008 WHO Classification of Tumours of Haematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues
Includes 300 high quality full colour digital images of abnormal cells in leukaemia and lymphoma – 50 of which are completely new

Every haematologist and haematopathologist should keep a copy close at hand for quick reference.

Types of Leukemia

Leukemia is caused by excessive production of abnormal or immature blood cells (mostly leukocytes). It starts with problem in DNA of cells. This results in shortage of normal blood cell and body stops working properly.

The production of cells in bone marrow consists of several steps. Cells get converted into many intermediate types before forming white, red cells and platelets.

Bone marrow initially consists of stem cells. Stem cells have three main categories including Hematopoietic, mesenchymal and endothelial stem cells. Of these three types, hematopoietic stem cells are the root of normal cells. Hematopoietics can be classified into Lymphoid and Myeloid cells. Often, the root cause of leukemia is the abnormal production of white cells. White blood cells or leukocytes have many sub types. Few of these types are produced from Lymphoid cells and other are produced from myeloid. Red blood cells and platelets are grown up form of myeloid cells. In leukemia, DNA of cells produced either from lymphoid or myeloid origin becomes damaged. This causes production of abnormal production of white blood cells which eventually crowd out normal blood cell. The cancer caused by myeloid origon is called Myelogenous Leukemia and cancer caused by lymphoid is known as Lymphocytic Leukemia. Myelogenous leukemia and lymphocytic leukemia are the two basic types of leukemia.

Leukemia is further categorized into acute and chronic levels. Including this factor, leukemia has four types including acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and chronic myelogenous Leukemia (CML).

Acute refers to the fact that this cancer has potential to become fatal in quick time. Acute lymphocytic leukemia requires immediate treatment otherwise recovery becomes impossible. It is mostly seen in childhood. Acute myelogenous and chronic cancer does not require immediate treatment. Patient suffering from chronic leukemia are kept under observation and treated only when leukemia starts to damage body tissues. Chronic type is mostly seen in aged peoples. The treatment options for all leukemia types include chemotherapy, biological therapy, radiation therapy, and bone marrow transplant.

Posts tagged "chronic lymphocytic leukemia"

The New Leukemia Drugs

Recommended Reading

Chronic Adult Leukemia The Cause of Low Platelets

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Learning To Live With A Leukemia Diagnosis

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Types of Leukemia

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