ASCO Audio Journal of Oncology – June 6th 2006, from the ASCO Annual Meeting in Atlanta, June 2-6

Robert Mayer

Thierry Facon

Ibrahim Yakoub-Agha

Peter Paschka

Robert Mayerof the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston joins Derek Thorne to discuss the major hematologic malignancy news reported at the 2006 ASCO meeting.

– Older patients with multiple myeloma can benefit from adding thalidomide to their standard therapy of melphalan and prednisone; and the thalidomide regimen is also better than melphalan followed by autologous stem cell transplantation.Thierry Faconfrom the University of Lille told ASCO delegates about his group’s findings (Abstract 1)
– A decreased dose of thalidomide may be just as effective in multiple myeloma while having a better side effect profile – but should these results change practice?Ibrahim Yakoub-Aghafrom the University of Lille had the data at ASCO (Abstract 7520)
– Imatinib is still proving effective at treating chronic myeloid leukemia, even after more than 5 years of follow up.Robert Mayerdescribes the latest findings from the IRIS study
– In the “core-binding factor” subtype of acute myeloid leukemia, certain mutations in the KIT gene predict for a poor prognosis. This could help tailor therapy for this disease, according toPeter Paschkaof Ohio State University