Leukemia & lymphoma
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Leukemia & lymphoma · Oct 2013
Meta AnalysisLenalidomide versus thalidomide based regimens as first-line therapy for patients with multiple myeloma.
Thalidomide (T) and lenalidomide (R) have been used as first-line therapy for previously untreated myeloma. However, direct head-to-head comparison between them is lacking. We performed an indirect meta-analysis to assess the treatment effects of lenalidomide- versus thalidomide-based regimens using common comparators. ⋯ Additionally, the significant heterogeneity among pooled studies for the outcome of discontinuation rate due to treatment-related adverse events between MPT-T and MPR-R subgroups (p = 0.007) indicated that the discontinuation rate from thalidomide trials seems to be higher than that from lenalidomide trials. In conclusion, lenalidomide seems to be a more potent and less toxic agent than thalidomide in the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma. Further, a direct head-to-head trial comparing lenalidomide versus thalidomide is clearly warranted.
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Leukemia & lymphoma · Oct 2013
Medical emergency team involvement in patients hospitalized with acute myeloid leukemia.
Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are at risk for sudden clinical deterioration. We aimed to describe the incidence of medical emergency team (MET) activation, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and outcomes for patients with AML. We performed a 5-year retrospective cohort study of patients hospitalized with AML. ⋯ Changes to goals of care were more common with MET activation. Patients with AML commonly receive MET activation. Approximately one in 10 fulfill MET criteria, however do not receive MET activation.
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Leukemia & lymphoma · Oct 2013
Brentuximab vedotin (SGN-35) in patients with transplant-naive relapsed/refractory Hodgkin lymphoma.
Only limited data are available on the role of brentuximab vedotin (SGN-35) in transplant-naive relapsed or refractory patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). We thus retrospectively analyzed 14 patients with primary refractory or relapsed HL who were treated with brentuximab vedotin as single agent in a named patient program, who had not received prior high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) and autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) due to refractory disease (n = 9), comorbidity (n = 4) and unknown reasons (n = 1). Brentuximab vedotin resulted in an overall response rate of 71% (10/14) with five complete responses (CRs). ⋯ Consolidating ASCT (n = 4) or allogeneic SCT (n = 1) was performed in five patients. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 9 months and the median overall survival (OS) was not reached. These data indicate the therapeutic efficacy of brentuximab vedotin in chemotherapy-refractory transplant-naive patients with HL.