Articles related to LEUKEMIA

Published recently in Blood, the University of Guelph study highlights a compound only found in avocados – avocatin B – that inhibits the enzyme VLCAD, which is highly prevalent in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Because the cancer cells rely on this pathway to survive, scientists are hoping to hold human clinical trials to gauge whether avocatin B can be used as a safer, less toxic treatment than traditional chemotherapy.

This Research Article from Blood – available as a PDF – discusses two main points. First, antibody response to BNT162b2 mRNA COVID19 vaccine in CLL patients is markedly impaired and affected by disease activity and treatment. The second point shows that, in patients treated with either Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) or venetoclax ± anti-CD20 antibody, responses are relatively low.

From the pages of Blood Advances comes this Clinical Trials & Observations piece discussing the IDEAL trial. Backed by visual abstracts, tables, and charts supporting the data, the article explores two key points in augmenting chemotherapy efficacy: caloric restriction and using insulin and adiponectin as potential biomarkers of B-ALL chemosensitivity.

In this Q&A with Dr. Jorge Cortes, the Director of the Georgia Cancer Center, the drug asciminib is discussed based on its utility as a third-generation TKI as well as its favorable, unique characteristics. Early data has shown promising results with few adverse events, possibly illuminating the drug as a potential first-in-class agent.

The ECOG-ACRIN E1412 study demonstrated a potential clinical benefit of adding lenalidomide to R-CHOP (rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) (R2CHOP) in newly diagnosed patients regardless of cell-of-origin (COO) and in patients with activated b-cell-like (ABC) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Although the results are not practice changing, they support further studies of lenalidomide and/or novel lenalidomide analogues in frontline therapy of DLBCL.

The FDA announced a trial hold after two participants with sickle cell disease (SCD) in the LentiGlobin gene therapy trials developed AML and MDS. According to bluebird bio, the manufacturer of LentiGlobin products, the company was unable to find any cancer cells in the patient’s bone marrow and has asked the FDA for permission to resume clinical trials.