New leukemia therapy promising say researchers

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is the most common hematologic malignancy in the western hemisphere and remains incurable, said the researchers.

While several phase II studies have demonstrated improved clinical response to chemotherapy alone, or combined with the monoclonal antibody rituximab, relapse is inevitable and treatment options are limited.

Lenalidomide is an immune modulating, non-chemotherapy, cancer drug that is chemically similar to thalidomide, but is more potent and appears to lack some of the more common side effects of thalidomide. Anticancer activity of this agent has been reported in various malignant disorders, including multiple myeloma and myelodysplastic syndrome.

In this phase II study major clinical responses were seen in 47% of the patients treated with lenalidomide, all with a predictable and manageable safety profile. The most common side effects included fatigue, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia.

“Collectively these data provide strong support for further pursuit of lenalidomide in confirmatory clinical studies,” noted Dr Chanan-Khan of the Roswell Park Cancer Institute.