The John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center has announced important research findings presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) in Orlando, Florida. The ASH meeting is the world’s leading scientific gathering of hematologists and hematology researchers.
Research highlights from the 40 abstracts from the John Theurer Cancer Center include a comparison of treatment with stem cell transplantation versus continued combination drug therapy for early-stage myeloma; tests of a newly approved drug for patients unresponsive to a second-line therapy for an aggressive lymphoma; a phase 2 study of a promising acute myelogenous leukemia drug; a trial of a new proteasome inhibitor for myeloma patients whose disease had not responded to other therapies; a study comparing low and high-dose therapies in newly diagnosed myeloma; and a study of a new approach to increase the effectiveness of stem cell transplantation.
“This year, we showcased 12 oral sessions and 28 poster presentations at ASH, including multicenter, international trials in collaboration with leading cancer institutions, such as the National Cancer Institute, MD Anderson, Dana-Farber, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic and Memorial Sloan-Kettering,” said Andrew L. Pecora, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.P.E., Chief Innovations Officer, Professor and Vice President of Cancer Services, John Theurer Cancer Center. “We are proud that our research improves outcomes for our patients and helps set new benchmarks for the cancer treatment community.”
The studies presented by the John Theurer Cancer Center include research advancements in lymphoma, multiple myeloma, stem cell transplantation, and leukemia. Oral and poster presentation highlights presented at ASH include:
A Randomized Clinical Trial of Lenalidomide Plus Dexamethasone Followed by Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation (ASCT) in Multiple Myeloma. (Abstract number 38; oral session)
As lead author of a study by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG), David S. Siegel, M.D., Ph.D., Co-Chief of Multiple Myeloma at the John Theurer Center, retrospectively analyzed data from the ECOG E4A03 trial. The earlier trial tested combination therapies for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients.
“We wanted to look at the effect of early autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation,” said Dr. Siegel. “Transplantation in early-stage myeloma has become controversial because combination therapies with lenalidomide and dexamethasone have been shown to dramatically improve outcomes.”
This transplantation technique, which uses a patient’s own adult stem cells, has been a first-line treatment for patients who are newly diagnosed with this blood cancer. Multiple myeloma is a cancer that attacks plasma cells, which protect the body against disease and infection. It currently has a very poor prognosis.
Patients in the study were randomized to receive either lenalidomide with high-dose dexamethasone or lenalidomide with low-dose dexamethasone. After four rounds of treatment, patients had the option of continuing with drug therapy or receiving a stem cell transplant. For patients under the age of 65 who survived four cycles of treatment, overall survival at three years was 94 percent with early stem cell transplantation, vs. 78 percent for those who continued to receive a drug regimen instead.
“This analysis shows that the strategy of combining these medications followed by early adult stem cell transplantation has a remarkably good outcome and supports the continued role of early transplantation in the newly diagnosed,” said Dr. Siegel. “Additional randomized trials on the timing of ASCT in myeloma may provide more answers on optimal treatment strategies.”
Source: Amy Leahing
John Theurer Cancer Center