What is myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)?
When a 6-year-old boy who loves Facebook missed Halloween because of a rare blood disorder, inpatient nurses at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center stepped in. They organized a belated Halloween celebration, and Boston Children’s Hospital posted a photo on its Facebook page, along with a request “to show him support and cheer him on.” Now it was Facebook users’ turn to step in, and step in they did. By the next morning, the post had more than 10,000 likes. Local media and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute posted the story on their Facebook pages, leading to thousands more likes. By the next...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - March 31, 2015 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Irene Sege Tags: Cancer Source Type: news
Researchers discover genetic origins of myelodysplastic syndrome using stem cells
(The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine) Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) -- adult cells reprogrammed back to an embryonic stem cell-like state -- may better model the genetic contributions patient's particular disease. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - March 25, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Source Type: news
Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Myeloproliferative Disorders
What are myelodysplastic syndromes?Myelodysplastic syndromes are clonal marrow stem-cell disorders, characterized by ineffective hemopoiesis leading to blood cytopenias, and by progression to acute myeloid leukemia in a third of patients. Who is affected?15% of cases occur after chemotherapy or radiotherapy for a previous cancer. The syndromes are most common in elderly people. What is the cause?The pathophysiology involves cytogenetic changes with or without gene mutations and widespread gene hypermethylation at advanced stages. What are the symptoms?Clinical manifestations result from cytopenias (anemia, infection, and b...
Source: Clinical Cases and Images - March 3, 2015 Category: Journals (General) Tags: Hematology Mayo Clinic Oncology Video Source Type: news
Healthy older adults carry leukaemia mutations
Conclusion
This study estimated that 0.8% of individuals under 60, and 19.5% of those aged 90 years and over, had leukaemia-linked mutations. These mutations caused no immediate harm and the people didn’t have leukaemia. The mutations were lurking in the background, but could have the potential to contribute to leukaemia in the future.
The research primarily focused on 15 genetic hotspots of leukaemia-linked mutations.
However, in their discussion, they predicted that more than 70% of people aged 90 or older would have some form of leukaemia-associated mutation. This formed the basis of their comment that these mutations...
Source: NHS News Feed - February 27, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Cancer Genetics/stem cells Older people Source Type: news
Opsona begins Phase I/II trial of OPN-305 to treat second-line lower MDS
Irish drug development firm Opsona Therapeutics has started a Phase I/II clinical trial of its lead drug candidate, OPN-305, in second-line lower (Low and intermediate-1) risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients. (Source: Drug Development Technology)
Source: Drug Development Technology - January 27, 2015 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: news
FASEB Science Research Conference: Hematologic Malignancies
(Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology) This FASEB Science Research Conference has a long pedigree as one of the premier meetings for fundamental and translational research in the hematologic malignancies including acute and chronic leukemia, the myeloproliferative neoplasms, myelodysplastic syndromes, myeloma and lymphoma. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - January 22, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Source Type: news
MD Anderson and Amgen announce agreement to develop BiTE® therapies for myelodysplastic syndrome
(University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center) The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Amgen have announced a research collaborative agreement focusing on Amgen's bispecific T cell engager (BiTE®) antibody constructs, an immunotherapy that serves as a 'bridge' between T cells and cancer cells. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - January 12, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Source Type: news
MD Anderson and Amgen announce agreement to develop BiTE® therapies for myelodysplastic syndrome
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Amgen have announced a research collaborative agreement focusing on Amgen's bispecific T cell engager (BiTE®) antibody constructs, an immunotherapy that serves as a "bridge" between T cells and cancer cells. (Source: M. D. Anderson Cancer Center - News Releases)
Source: M. D. Anderson Cancer Center - News Releases - January 12, 2015 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: news
Novel Agent Reduces Need for Transfusion in MDSNovel Agent Reduces Need for Transfusion in MDS
The first-in-class investigational agent sotatercept reduced the transfusion burden in ESA-refractory, anemic, lower-risk patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Hematology-Oncology Headlines)
Source: Medscape Hematology-Oncology Headlines - December 11, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: Hematology-Oncology News Source Type: news
Combination therapy shown as effective for higher-risk MDS/AML patients
(University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center) A phase two study that investigated the potential of the drugs azacitidine (AZA) and lenalidomide (LEN), demonstrated that the two therapies in combination may be an effective frontline treatment regimen for patients with higher-risk forms of myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia. (Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer)
Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer - December 7, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: news
Combination Therapy Shown As Effective For Higher-Risk MDS/AML Patients
A phase two study that investigated the potential of the drugs
azacitidine (AZA) and lenalidomide (LEN), demonstrated that the two
therapies in combination may be an effective frontline treatment regimen
for patients with higher-risk forms of myelodysplastic syndrome and
acute myeloid leukemia. (Source: M. D. Anderson Cancer Center - News Releases)
Source: M. D. Anderson Cancer Center - News Releases - December 7, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: news
Studies Find Detectable Pre-cancerous State in the Blood
Researchers from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard-affiliated hospitals have uncovered an easily detectable, "pre-malignant" state in the blood that significantly increases the likelihood that an individual will go on to develop blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, or myelodysplastic syndrome. The discovery, which was made independently by two research teams affiliated with the Broad and partner institutions, opens new avenues for research aimed at early detection and prevention of blood cancer. Findings from both teams appear this week in the New England Journal of Medicine. ...
Source: Disabled World - November 27, 2014 Category: Disability Tags: Treatments Source Type: news
Studies Find Detectable Pre-cancerous State in the Blood
Researchers uncover easily detectable pre-malignant state in blood that increases likelihood a person will develop blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, or myelodysplastic syndrome (Source: Disabled World)
Source: Disabled World - November 27, 2014 Category: Disability Tags: Treatment of Cancer Source Type: news
Two studies identify a detectable, pre-cancerous state in the blood
(Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard) Researchers from the Broad Institute, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard-affiliated hospitals have uncovered an easily detectable, 'pre-malignant' state in the blood that significantly increases the likelihood that an individual will go on to develop blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, or myelodysplastic syndrome. The discovery, which was made independently by two research teams affiliated with the Broad and partner institutions, opens new avenues for research aimed at early detection and prevention of blood cancer. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - November 26, 2014 Category: Biology Source Type: news
Moffitt Cancer Center announces development of experimental treatment for myelodysplastic syndromes
(H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute) In a major step to treat patients living with Myelodysplastic Syndromes, a group of diseases that affect the bone marrow and blood, Moffitt Cancer Center today announced the development of an innovative investigational biologic agent that could improve patient response and outcomes for MDS and other diseases. (Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer)
Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer - November 18, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: news
