Scientists Say New Drug Combo May Help Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, According to the Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Center
Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) February 24, 2014 -- The Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Center is reporting on a new article in the Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology detailing a promising new treatment for people with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), a variety of T-cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma involving the skin.
Patients with CTCL may develop dry, red skin rashes and enlarged lymph nodes. While many patients have only skin symptoms, about ten percent of those who progress to later stages of the disease develop serious complications. Phototherapy, involving a photosensitizing drug and ultraviolet light, is a popular skin-directed therapy for CTCL.
In the new study, scientists in Australia focused on histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi), a class of drugs long used as anti-epileptics and mood stabilizers that have recently gained attention as possible treatments for cancer. Hypothesizing that these drugs might improve the effects of phototherapy, they exposed CTCL cells in the laboratory to a powerful photosensitizing drug along with HDACi. When these Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cells were exposed to the UV light, the treatment “decreased cell viability and increased apoptosis” and induced DNA damage.
CTCL is one of the most common types of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphomas involving the immune system T-cells. Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphomas can also involve the immune system B-cells. Doctors are still unsure of the cause of these cancers, although environmental factors may play a role. The Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Center provides education and information for patients diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and their families.
The new study on CTCL appears in the Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology. (Sung, Jan, “Histone deacetylases inhibitors potentiate photochemotherapy in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma MyLa cells”, February 5, 2014, Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology, pp. 104-112. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1011134414000189)
The Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Center is part of the Cancer Monthly organization. The Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Center has been established by Cancer Monthly to provide more comprehensive information on the causes, diagnosis, and treatments for the many different subtypes of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. For over ten years, Cancer Monthly has been the only centralized source of cancer treatment results. Patients can see the actual survival rate, quality-of-life indicators, and other key data for approximately 1,500 different cancer treatments. Cancer Monthly provides timely and ground-breaking news on the causes, diagnoses and treatments of the most common cancers including Bladder, Brain, Breast, Colon, Kidney (Renal), Liver, Lung (NSCLC), Ovarian, Prostate, and Rectal Cancers, Melanoma, Mesothelioma, and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Written for patients and their loved ones, Cancer Monthly helps families make more informed treatment decisions.
Michael Ellis, Cancer Monthy, http://www.survivingmesothelioma.com, +1 (919) 570-8595, [email protected]
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