In 2006, there will be more than 35,000 new cases of leukemia and more than 66,000 new cases of lymphoma, according to the American Cancer Society. While the rates of both leukemia and lymphoma are slightly higher in Whites than Blacks, there have been some new developments in research in these two types of bone marrow cancers.
In a recent study from a group of researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, patients with a type of bone marrow cancer called myelodysplastic syndrome were treated with the drug decitabine, which is still undergoing clinical trials. Myelodysplastic syndrome generally occurs in patients who are older than 60. In some cases, the disease can progress into acute myeloid leukemia. According to the study, the quality of life of the patients treated with the drug improved significantly. But researchers say the drug has little impact on the patients' survival.
In another study, a group of researchers from the University of Rochester Medical Center's James P. Wilmot Cancer Center discovered that adding monoclonal antibodies to the standard treatment methods for patients with follicular lymphoma helped patients live longer. Three different groups of patients were treated with different treatment regimens, the group of patients who were treated with monoclonal antibodies along with the standard therapy had the highest survival rate of the three groups--which was 91 percent.
Bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplants are treatment options for patients with life-threatening blood, immune system or genetic disorders. Leukemia and lymphoma are two common diseases often treated with bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplants.
While patients with life-threatening bone marrow diseases may have other treatment options, bone marrow or blood stem cell transplants are used to treat patients who have received high doses of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. Without healthy bone marrow, the patient is not able to make blood cells needed to carry oxygen, fight infection and prevent bleeding, according to the National Cancer Institute. Medical experts say individuals in need of a transplant have a better chance of finding a donor match with a brother or sister. Yet only about 30 percent of patients who need a bone marrow or blood cell transplant find a matched donor in their family, according to the National Marrow Donor Program. There are more than 6 million donors registered with the National Marrow Donor Program, but less than 8 percent of those registered donors are African-Americans. And while it's possible to receive a donor match from another racial or ethnic group, the most likely match is found within one's own racial background. African-Americans have the toughest challenge because of the lack of African-American registered bone marrow donors. To find out more information about how you can became a donor you can go to www.marrow.org or greekgrayleukemiafoundation.org.
COPYRIGHT 2006 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning
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