In a nutshell This study compared the safety and effectiveness of BCD-020 (biosimilar rituximab) to rituximab (Rituxan) in patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). This study found that BCD-020 was just as effective as standard rituximab, with manageable side effects. Some background Rituximab is commonly used in the treatment of NHL....
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By Steve Gillman What my cancer taught me about medical “evidence” and how much is enough I exaggerate. My oncologist probably does believe humans need food, but I suspect the belief makes him uncomfortable, since no double-blind studies have been done to prove it. Like many doctors, his general approach to treatment is that if something hasn’t been...
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In a nutshell This study wanted to find out what put patients at risk of having immune-related side effects when they were treated with pembrolizumab (Keytruda). The study found that patients with a higher body mass index (BMI; a measurement of weight in relation to height) and more cycles of treatment were more likely to determine immune-related side...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This study evaluated two different dosing approaches for busulfan (Busilvex) chemotherapy for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) before an autologous stem cell transplant (SCT). The authors found that personalizing treatment dose for these patients was more effective than conventional weight-based dosing. Some background...
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In a nutshell This study evaluated the safety and effectiveness of pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for patients with primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) that has come back or stopped responding to treatment. This study concluded that pembrolizumab was safe and effective for these patients. Some background PMBCL is one rare and aggressive type...
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In a nutshell This study compared the effectiveness and safety of acalabrutinib (Calquence) to other targeted therapies for patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). The authors found that acalabrutinib was just as safe and more effective for these patients. Some background MCL is a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treated in...
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In a nutshell This study evaluated lenalidomide (Revlimid) maintenance therapy versus placebo for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The authors found that lenalidomide increased the number of side effects but did not impact health status. Some background DLBCL is an aggressive type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma....
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In a nutshell This study examined whether it is safe to switch from intravenous to subcutaneous rituximab (Rituxan) during first-line treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The authors concluded that subcutaneous rituximab was safe and effective, and improved quality of life for patients. Some background Rituximab is a standard...
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In a nutshell This study evaluated the risk factors associated with delayed engraftment (DE) in patients who had stem cell transplantation (SCT). The authors found that patients receiving blood transfusions, those with low platelet levels, and those given low numbers of stem cells during SCT were more likely to experience DE. Some background...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This study aimed to investigate the association of uric acid levels before a stem cell transplant and patient outcomes. This study concluded that high uric acid levels before the transplant led to an increased mortality. Some background Uric acid is a product of metabolic breakdown and is a normal component of urine. It can also be...
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In a nutshell This trial is examining the safety and effectiveness of experimental drug mRNA-2752 in patients with progressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). The main outcome of the trial will be the number of side effects experienced by patients and response to treatment. This trial is recruiting in the United States and Israel. The details Patients...
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In a nutshell The study aimed to identify cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) adverse drug reactions (CV-ADR) associated with ibrutinib treatment. This study concluded that severe and sometimes fatal cardiac events occur in patients exposed to ibrutinib. Some background Ibrutinib (Imbruvica) is a targeted therapy that can be used for...
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