The Comprehensive Cancer Center At Our Lady Of Mercy Medical Center Reports Promising Results Using REVLIMID In Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Patients

Main Category: Lymphoma / Leukemia / Myeloma
Also Included In: Blood / Hematology;  Cancer / Oncology;  Clinical Trials / Drug Trials
Article Date: 12 Dec 2006 - 0:00 PDT

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The Comprehensive Cancer Center at Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center in the Bronx, New York today announced positive results from a pivotal Phase II trial of REVLIMID in patients with relapsed/refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Final results showed that 67 percent of patients, who had received a prior stem cell transplant, and 45 percent of patients, who have had one to two prior treatment regimens, achieved objective responses within a median time of two months with REVLIMID. Additionally, study results showed a 59 percent tumor control rate in patients.

NHL is the most common form of blood cancer in the United States affecting more than 360,000 people. Approximately 50 percent have aggressive NHL, while the other half have indolent or follicular lymphoma. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 56,000 men and women in the United States are diagnosed with NHL each year, and 19,000 are expected to die from NHL in 2006.

"These data are very promising for the non-Hodgkin's lymphoma community in that more treatment options are showing benefits for patients," says Peter H. Wiernik, MD, Professor of Medicine at the New York Medical College and the Director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center, and the study's lead investigator. "Rather than taking combination medications to treat NHL, these results show that taking a single oral pill like REVLIMID can be enough to produce favorable responses."

The study, sponsored by Celgene, enrolled 32 patients. In addition to achieving significant objective responses, only 13 percent experienced a Grade 4 adverse reaction.

REVLIMID is indicated for use as a treatment in combination with dexamethasone for multiple myeloma patients who have received at least one prior therapy. REVLIMID is also indicated for treatment of patients with transfusion-dependent anemia due to Low- or Intermediate-1-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) associated with a deletion 5q cytogenetic abnormality with or without additional cytogenetic abnormalities.

About The Comprehensive Cancer Center at Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center

The Comprehensive Cancer Center at Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center offers a wide range of opportunities for cancer patients in the region. This "Center of Excellence" combines the latest advances in the treatment and care of cancer patients with research facilities dedicated to advancing the understanding of cancer and improving treatment modalities. Visit our website at http://www.olmcancer.org

About Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center

The Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center is a University Hospital of New York Medical College and a member of the Montefiore Health System. Visit our website at http://www.olmhs.org.

Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center
http://www.olmhs.org

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