Halted Clinical Trial Comparing Revlimid and Chlorambucil in Patients > 65

[bkoffman]

An unexpected significant increase in deaths in the lenalidomide arm of the trial lead the FDA to stop it. But I don't believe that is the whole story and this is too good a drug to throw out.

I have two posts on my blog at bkoffman.blogspot.com that deal with this that also have links to other news.

[Mikey47]

Hi Brian,

Thanks for that. As you say, it would be a pity to throw out the baby with the bath water.

Could it be used as a consolidation treatment to sustain remission for patients with 11q deletion like myself?

I have recently had a CT scan (which I had to ask for myself after lots of abdominal problems) which revealed bulky abdominal and pelvic lymphadenopathy and abnormal nodes elsewhere.

There is also something else which which I would like to ask you to interpret for me, if you would. From a copy of the letter of referral to Bournemouth Hospital, I quote below:

"However, there was extensive paravertebral thoracic soft tissue extending through multiple neural foramina and into the spinal canal".

Would this be lymph nodes around the spine?

Mikey

[bkoffman CLL CURE Hero in reply to Mikey47]

I am not sure what that spinal CT finding means without more context and clinical information. Lymphoma can spread around the spinal cord, but it would be rare in CLL.

[Ernest2]

Many thanks Brian for your great blog and posting your latest test results - I think that's a real morale booster for a lot of us here on HU.

Don't think I'd get a hang up about the 1mm stuff. It seems a feature of CLL that you always wait for your next results, it's just part of life.

The bits about the effect of the contrast, remind me of my biggest concern about the effect of the new drugs (and probably some of the existing ones) is the potential effect on the digestive system for some patients - I guess there is a big range in the effect of the response in different patients. In your case, it doesn't seem to hinder you at all from jetting around the planet - you have posted about that previously I think.

In my case (watch and wait) I've already not got the worlds greatest digestive system (Just been on a plane this summer though, after not flying for many years)

I'm intrigued therefore if the effects of various drugs might be a parallel effect, or make any existing digestive problem worse (or probably either).

Anyhow I'll work on the basis that it's hopefully an insignificant price to pay, compared to the benefits you demonstrate to us.

All the best,

Ernie.

[bkoffman CLL CURE Hero]

Ernie,

Everything comes with a price, but with ibrutinib, the price is cheap for what you get

Brian.