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Welcome to LeukemiaLinks,
your monthly source of leukemia news, research
updates, clinical trials and events sponsored
by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
(LLS). For even more information, regularly
visit our Patient
Services and Disease
Information Web
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LLS Features
::READ MORE::
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Research
Roundup ::READ MORE::
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IRC Question of
the Month
:: READ
MORE::
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Inspirational
Stories
 Learn
how individuals touched by blood cancer
cope. The LLS LifeMosaic
Web feature offers hundreds of
inspiring stories by patients and families. Read
them or submit
your own. This month, read about Evelyn
Ann
Hollier. |
Here to
Help
For even more information,
regularly visit the LLS Web site, www.LLS.org, where many of our education programs
are archived free of charge for convenient
access 24/7.
If you haven't found what
you're looking for in LeukemiaLinks ,
please call our Information Resource Center
(IRC) to speak with trained information
specialists. IRC staff are available Monday
through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, toll free
at (800) 955-4572; email infocenter@lls.org; or click the "Live Patient Help" button
on the www.LLS.org homepage.
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Commentary
Deborah Banker, Ph.D., shares more
news on vaccines and stem cell
transplants.
Clinical
Trials
We invite you to use
our LLS-supported TrialCheck® Web
site, a clinical trial search service that
offers patients and caregivers immediate access
to listings of all leukemia clinical
trials. Answer just a few simple questions and a
list of available clinical trials related to
your cancer will appear in an easy to read list
of search results.
You may also
want to visit the National Cancer Institute's Cancer
Trials Support Unit, providing resources and
information on Phase III cancer treatment trials
supported by the National Cancer
Institute. :: SELECTED
TRIALS::
Newsfeeds &
Podcasts
Now
you can get RSS Feeds and Podcasts from LLS.
:: CLICK HERE TO SIGN
UP::
Free
eNewsletters
Free LLS
eNewsletters deliver the latest information on
research and treatment options, patient services
programs and fundraising events.
::CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
::
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Online
Support Groups
The Leukemia &
Lymphoma Society is pleased to announce the
launch of our new Online Support Groups, in
partnership with The Wellness Community.
Online Support Groups are free, password
protected weekly groups led by trained
professionals for adults living with leukemia,
lymphoma, myeloma and myelodysplastic syndromes
and their caregivers. Please visit www.lls.org/onlinesupport
for more information or to join a free online
support group.
My
Personal CLL Journey
LLS is proud to
offer My Personal CLL Journey, an
interactive program following the story and
experience of Mike, a CLL survivor. Kanti Rai,
MD, of the Long Island Jewish Hospital and
Physician Assistant Nancy Driscoll provide
expert insights along the way. Learn
More.
My
Personal CML Journey
LLS is proud to
offer My Personal CML Journey, an
interactive, online video education
program. This program follows the stories
and experiences of two chronic myelogenous
leukemia (CML) survivors. Learn
more.
My
Clinical Trials Journey
Participate in
this personalized and interactive program that
follows the stories and experiences of three
cancer survivors who have participated in
clinical trials. Learn
More.
LLS
Advocacy
LLS's advocacy team represents
the needs of cancer patients and their
families in Washington, DC and state
capitals throughout the United States. We need
your help. Join our
Advocates Network and make your
voice
heard.
ACT
NOW! Urge Your Representative to Co-Sponsor
Pediatric Cancer Survivorship
Legislation
We'd Like to Hear from
You!
Please give us your feedback
after you read an LLS Publication by completing
our evaluation:
LLS
Disease & Treatment Publications - Survey
for Patients, Family and Friends
Nos gustaría saber sus
opiniones
Por favor denos sus
comentarios después de leer una publicación de
LLS completando nuestra evaluación:
Publicaciones
de LLS sobre enfermedades y tratamiento:
Encuesta para pacientes, familiares y
amigos
LLS Blog
The
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is committed to
curing blood cancers and helping patients and
their families. Learn
the many ways you can help advance
LLS's mission.
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Long-term outcome of patients with chronic
myeloid leukemia treated with second generation
tyrosine kinase inhibitors after imatinib
failure is predicted by the in vitro sensitivity
of BCR-ABL kinase domain mutations ::READ MORE::
Dasatinib in the Treatment of Chronic Myeloid
Leukemia in Accelerated Phase After Imatinib
Failure: The START A Trial. ::READ
MORE::
Phase I Trial of Daily Oral Polyphenon E in
Patients With Asymptomatic Rai Stage 0 to II
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. ::READ
MORE::
Clinical significance of minimal residual
disease at day 15 and at the end of therapy in
childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia ::READ
MORE::
Sperm cryopreservation practices among
adolescent cancer patients at risk for
infertility ::READ
MORE::
Treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes
patients with erythropoietin with or without
granulocyte colony-stimulating factor: results
of a prospective randomized phase III trial by
the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group ::READ
MORE::
Risk score for outcome after allogeneic
hematopoietic stem cell transplantation ::READ
MORE::
> Back to the
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 Selected Trials
Erwinase for Patients with
Relapsed/Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
(ALL) ::READ
MORE::
Vorinostat, Fludarabine Phosphate,
Cyclophosphamide, and Rituximab in Treating
Patients with Previously Untreated B-Cell
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia or Small
Lymphocytic Lymphoma ::READ
MORE::
Phase II: Azacitidine and Gemtuzumab in
Treating Older Patients with Previously
Untreated Acute Myeloid Leukemia ::READ
MORE::
Nilotinib in Adult Patients with
Imatinib-Resistant or Intolerant Chronic Myeloid
Leukemia in Blast Crisis, Accelerated Phase or
Chronic Phase ::READ
MORE::
Phase I/II: Bendamustine in Acute Leukemia
and MDS ::READ
MORE::
>
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IRC Question of
the Month
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Q: I
am being treated for leukemia. What should I
know about flu shots?
A: According to the US
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), approximately 83 percent of the US
population is specifically recommended for
annual vaccination against seasonal influenza.
Chief medical officer at LLS, Barton Kamen, MD,
PhD says "Seasonal flu shots are recommended for
cancer survivors and anyone who has contact with
a cancer patient. The ideal time to be
vaccinated for seasonal flu is in the fall. Keep
in mind that it takes about two weeks for the
shot to begin providing protection. Before you
get the shot let your doctor know about any
allergies you have and any previous reactions to
a flu shot."
In general, patients undergoing cancer
treatment are advised to receive a flu shot
rather than the nasal mist form of the flu
vaccine. Shots are safe for people with
compromised immune systems because they are made
from inactivated virus; the flu mist is made
from a live virus. For cancer patients who have
had a stem cell transplant, guidelines
established by the CDC and the American Society
for Blood & Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT)
recommend flu shots for all bone marrow, stem
cell and cord blood transplant survivors
beginning one-year post-transplant and
continuing every year thereafter. The flu shot
is also recommended for others living or working
in the household. Although most transplant
centers follow the current CDC guidelines
regarding flu shots, some recommend flu shots
even earlier than one year post-transplant. For
more information about recommended vaccinations
after transplant from the Center for
International Blood and Marrow Transplant
Research click
here.
A type of flu virus called "novel influenza A
(H1N1)" and also referred to as "swine flu" was
first detected in people in the United States in
April 2009. It is spread from person-to-person,
probably in a similar way as regular seasonal
flu viruses. Recently, the CDC's Advisory
Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)
issued guidelines regarding the use of vaccine
against infection with novel influenza A (H1N1)
virus. The guidelines are intended to provide
healthcare providers and the public with
information about the population groups who are
recommended to be first to receive the H1N1 2009
vaccine. The licensed H1N1 vaccine was recently
approved by the US Food and Drug Administration
(FDA). The vaccine is expected to be available
by mid-October 2009.
The CDC says that all persons, including
those older than 65 years of age, who are
currently recommended for seasonal influenza
vaccine, should receive the seasonal vaccine as
soon as it is available. In addition, persons
aged 25 to 64 years who are at greater risk for
influenza-related complications because of
underlying medical conditions, pregnant women,
household contacts or caregivers for infants
younger than 6 months, healthcare and emergency
medical services personnel, children and young
adults 6 months to 24 years of age, comprise the
general population groups that should be
targeted as an initial focus of vaccination
efforts. Inactivated vaccines against seasonal
flu and H1N1 viruses may be administered at the
same time, using different injection sites on
the body.
The medical conditions that increase the risk
for flu-related complications include
- Hematologic, renal, hepatic, cognitive,
neurologic/neuromuscular, or metabolic
disorders, including diabetes;
- Immunosuppression caused by medications or
by human immunodeficiency virus
- Chronic pulmonary conditions, including
asthma; cardiovascular conditions except for
hypertension.
Although the H1N1 vaccine is not available
yet, there are steps you can take to help
prevent the spread of germs that cause
respiratory illnesses like the flu. For more
information on the H1N1 virus click
here. The CDC recommendations for seasonal
flu are available at the CDC
Web page.
Please call our
Information Resource Center (IRC) to speak with
a trained information specialist. IRC staff are
available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6
p.m. ET, toll free at (800) 955-4572. Contact
us online or click the "Live
Patient Help" button on the www.LLS.org
homepage.
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Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 1311 Mamaroneck
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