Category Archives: Treatments

Cancer due to Radiation Therapy

Posted on March 30, 2010 by admin

Cancer due to Radiation Therapy

Cancers due to previous radiation therapy is an issue that is difficult to gauge and there is limited data available.  Below is a recent study on second malignancies after treatment with radiation.

Strahlenther Onkol. 2010 Feb 22.

Second Malignancies in High-Dose Areas of Previous Tumor Radiotherapy.

Welte B, Suhr P, Bottke D, Bartkowiak D, Dörr W, Trott KR, Wiegel T.

Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
PURPOSE: : To characterize second tumors that developed in or near the high-dose areas of a previous radiotherapy, regarding their frequency, entities, latency, and dose dependence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: : 9,995/15,449 tumor patients of the Radiation Oncology Department in Ulm, Germany, treated between 1981 and 2003, survived at least 1 year after radiotherapy. By long-term follow-up and review of treatment documentation, 100 of them were identified who developed an independent second cancer in or near the irradiated first tumor site. RESULTS: : Major primary malignancies were breast cancer (27%), lymphoma (24%), and pelvic gynecologic tumors (17%). Main second tumors were carcinomas of the upper (18%) and lower (12%) gastrointestinal tract, head and neck tumors (10%), lymphoma (10%), breast cancer (9%), sarcoma (9%), and lung cancer (8%). Overall median second tumor latency was 7.4 years (1-42 years). For colorectal cancer it was 3.5 and for leukemia 4.3 years, but for sarcoma 11.7 and for breast cancer 17.1 years. The relatively frequent second tumors of the upper gastrointestinal tract were associated with median radiation doses of 24 Gy. By contrast, second colorectal cancer and sarcoma developed after median doses of 50 Gy. CONCLUSION: : The 5- and 15-year probability to develop a histopathologically independent second tumor in or near the irradiated first tumor site, i.e., after intermediate or high radiation doses, was 0.5% and 2.2%, respectively. To identify potentially radiogenic second malignancies, a follow-up far beyond 5 years is mandatory. The incidence and potential dose-response relationship intermediate will be analyzed by a case-case and a case-control study of the Ulm data.

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Monoclonal Antibody Safety and Side Effects

Posted on March 30, 2010 by admin

 A great article on the side-effects and safety of monoclonal antibodies, which are new therapeutics that are becoming more common in the treatment of many diseases, including autoimmune diseases, infections, transplant rejection and cancers.

Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2010 Mar 22.

The safety and side effects of monoclonal antibodies.

Hansel TT, Kropshofer H, Singer T, Mitchell JA, George AJ.

Imperial Clinical Respiratory Research Unit (ICRRU), Mint Wing First Floor, St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London W2 1NY, UK.  National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, Dovehouse Street, London SW3 6LY, UK.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are now established as targeted therapies for malignancies, transplant rejection, autoimmune and infectious diseases, as well as a range of new indications. However, administration of mAbs carries the risk of immune reactions such as acute anaphylaxis, serum sickness and the generation of antibodies. In addition, there are numerous adverse effects of mAbs that are related to their specific targets, including infections and cancer, autoimmune disease, and organ-specific adverse events such as cardiotoxicity. In March 2006, a life-threatening cytokine release syndrome occurred during a first-in-human study with TGN1412 (a CD28-specific superagonist mAb), resulting in a range of recommendations to improve the safety of initial human clinical studies with mAbs. Here, we review some of the adverse effects encountered with mAb therapies, and discuss advances in preclinical testing and antibody technology aimed at minimizing the risk of these events.

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