Strategies to Improve Treatment - Remission Induction Therapy

This content has been reviewed and approved by

Hagop M. Kantarjian, MD
Chairman & Professor, Leukemia Department
MD Anderson Cancer Center
University of Texas
 

Researchers are currently investigating new treatments involving remission induction therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Participation in trials of these treatments may lead to improved therapies. If you wish to participate in a clinical trial, please talk to your doctor about the potential benefits and side effects of the treatment.

New drug development - All new drugs for the treatment of patients with AML are tested first in patients with relapsed or refractory disease. When they are found to be effective, they are then evaluated in remission induction regimens.

  • Mylotarg® (gemtuzumab ozogamicin) - Mylotarg is a targeted chemotherapy. It consists of a monoclonal antibody attached to calicheamicin, an antibiotic that kills cancer cells. Monoclonal antibodies are proteins that can be produced in a laboratory. They have the ability to attach themselves to certain types of cells.

    Gemtuzumab ozogamicin attaches specifically to leukemia cells. Once the monoclonal antibody binds to the cancer cells, calicheamicin is absorbed by the cells and kills them. Because gemtuzumab ozogamicin mainly targets cancer cells, healthy cells are not killed by it. This is unlike chemotherapy or radiation. Both of these attack cancer cells and healthy cells. This causes considerable side effects.

    Several research groups are now conducting clinical trials evaluating gemtuzumab ozogamicin plus intensive chemotherapy to treat AML. A recent study by the Medical Research Council in England showed that adding gemtuzumab ozogamicin to chemotherapy during induction and in the third chemotherapy treatment improves disease-free survival and decreases the relapse rate in patients with AML.
  • New drugs - Many new drugs are being tested alone or in combination to treat AML, including clofarabine, DacogenTM (decitabine), cloretazine, and vaccines. Ask your doctor about his or her opinion regarding these new trials.
This content was last modified on August 11, 2007 .
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