title: Immunomodulating drugs for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
abstract: Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is a malignant haematological disorder that remains mostly incurable; more than 95% of patients have disease of B-cell origin. Advances with targeted agents such as monoclonal antibodies, antisense therapy, or both these techniques combined with traditional chemotherapy have improved the frequency of remission. The clinical course of CLL is marked by frequent relapse, and there are limited therapeutic options for patients with relapsed or refractory disease. The morphologically mature CLL clone regulates the microenvironment through modulation of the cytokine milieu that aids its growth and survival, and has a role in immune escape. Targeting of the tumour-cell microenvironment has not been investigated as a treatment option for CLL. Immunomodulating agents are a new class of drugs that change expression of various cytokines and that costimulate immune effector cells.
authors.affiliation: Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA. asher.chanan-khan@roswellpark.org
authors.forename: Asher
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chanan-Khan
authors.forename: Carl W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Porter
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D015536:Down-Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077269:Lenalidomide; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008875:Middle Aged; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D013792:Thalidomide; C467566:pomalidomide; D000077269:Lenalidomide