The recently reported findings of a study conducted by Dr. Mansoor Saleh of Georgia Cancer Specialists (GCS) have received widespread recognition from national medical publications like Hematology and Oncology Today.
Dr. Saleh’s study found that the use of eltrombopag on patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) maintained platelet counts for up to three years. These findings are significant given that previous tests of eltrombopag use on patients with this immune deficiency were only able to prove its success in treatments lasting 6 months or less.
Low platelet counts in patients suffering from ITP can have severe effects including excessive bleeding. This symptom, which occurred in 56% of the participating patients at baseline, was reduced to 20% after two years of treatment, and even further to 11% after three years of treatment.
“The data of this analysis and future data on long-term treatment with eltrombopag—including those derived from two ongoing trials in pediatric chronic ITP—will help physicians decide in which patients and when in the course of the disease to introduce thrombopoietin-receptor (TPO-R) agonists in patient treatment paradigms,” said Dr. Saleh.
Regarding the next steps for this treatment’s use, Dr. Saleh said, “Treatment algorithms need to be derived that include TPO-R agonists and maximize clinical benefit while minimizing risk.”
Read some of the online coverage of Dr. Saleh’s work here:
http://www.cancernetwork.com/conference-reports/aacr2013/content/article/10165/2137220
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-akt-pathway-inhibitor-arq-safety.html
http://www.pharmiweb.com/pressreleases/pressrel.asp?ROW_ID=72886#.UXFBwLXqnNs
Loading map...
