Prolonged follow-up after initial therapy with 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine in patients with indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma: results of Cancer and Leukemia Group B Study 9153.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy and toxicity of 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CdA) in patients with untreated, indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

Methods: For this multicenter, single-arm, Phase II study, 44 patients with treatment-naive, stage III or IV, indolent NHL (International Working Formulation subtypes A, B, and C) were enrolled. Patients received 0.

Enhanced survival associated with vitiligo expression during maintenance biotherapy for metastatic melanoma.

Vitiligo, an autoimmune skin disorder, was evaluated in 49 metastatic melanoma patients treated with an immunotherapy regimen of maintenance biotherapy (mBT) following induction concurrent biochemotherapy (cBCT). Patients receiving mBT demonstrated a stable or better response to cBCT. The mBT regimen consisted of outpatient subcutaneous injections of low-dose IL-2 (1 MIU/m(2)) 5/7 days weekly, GM-CSF (125 mcg/m(2)) 14 days monthly, and high-dose pulses of in-patient continuous infusion decrescendo IL-2 (54 MIU/m(2)) over 48 hours monthly for the first 6 months and every 2 months thereafter.

Apoptosis, Bcl-2 antisense, and cancer therapy.

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is a complex process of cell turnover involved in both normal and pathologic processes in the body. Impairments in the apoptotic pathways contribute to tumorigenesis and the development of tumor resistance to chemotherapy. The proto-oncogene bcl-2 appears to serve a critical antiapoptotic function.