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Study Identifies Promising Treatment for Aggressive Lymphoma CHICAGO -- May 27, 2010 -- New research illustrates that some patients with transformed lymphoma showed remarkable response to lenalidomide with few side effects. The international study, involving 24 medical centres in the United States and Europe, will be presented at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Of patients with transformed lymphoma treated with lenalidomide, 45% responded positively to this immunomodulatory medication, and of those patients, 21% showed complete remission, some for more than a year. "The study results show a remarkable response rate for transformed lymphoma patients who have a very poor prognosis," says Craig Reeder, MD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. The study included 217 patients with aggressive lymphoma. Of those, 33 had transformed lymphoma and were treated with lenalidomide. These patients ranged in age from 42 to 84 years and more than half had stage V disease. All patients had been treated with chemotherapy and some with stem cell transplant to curtail the cancer. The median number of previous treatments was 4 and ranged up to 12. Patients took oral lenalidomide 25 mg daily for 21 days. For 7 days, no medication was given. The medication continued until signs of cancer progression. Overall, 45% of patients responded positively to the therapy, but results varied by the particular type of transformed lymphoma. For transformed follicular lymphoma, the most common form of the illness, 13 of the 23 patients (57%) in this subgroup responded positively to lenalidomide. Ten patients with other types of transformed lymphoma did not respond. They included transformed chronic lymphocytic leukemia, small lymphocytic lymphoma, and others. Dr. Reeder noted that while the number of patients treated with lenalidomide was small, the results are promising because of the response rate, the length of the response, and the simplicity of treatment. In patients who responded, the positive effect of lenalidomide was seen for a median of nearly 13 months. Compared with chemotherapy drugs, lenalidomide is easy to administer and is well tolerated. "Its appeal is that it's not toxic to the patient," he said. Side effects were considered mild and included low white blood cell counts. SOURCE: Mayo Clinic E-mail this page to a friend or colleague! To print, use this version