title: Old disease, new targets. Part-II, haematological malignancies.
abstract: In last two decades newer therapies in cancer treatment have emerged and have opened new horizons. New term of targeted therapy has emerged and for certain malignancies the paradigm has really changed after the introduction of these agents. We have learnt and have seen the outcome of some diseases after the addition of these monoclonal antibodies (MoABs) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Rituximab a MoAB against CD-20 has really paved its role in the treatment of B-cell lymphomas and become the sort of standard therapy. The TKIs are newer agents available in a pill form and have inhibited many pathways at cellular level which are necessary for cancer development. Imatinib has really changed the prognosis and outcome of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) remarkably. For those patients who develope intolerance to imatinib or their disease became resistant to the imatinib the newer agents like dasatinib and nilotinib are second line options. The major edge of these newer agents is more potency with low side-effect profile. The major concern remains the cost.
authors.affiliation: Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Shiyam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Nehal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Masood
authors.forename: Salman Naseem
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Adil
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001549:Benzamides; D016527:Drug Costs; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069283:Rituximab; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000069283:Rituximab; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate