title: Lenalidomide  as a novel treatment of acute myeloid leukemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lenalidomide is an oral immunomodulatory drug derived from thalidomide. This drug has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for transfusion-dependent anemia due to low-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) associated with deletion 5q abnormality with or without additional cytogenetic abnormalities and multiple myeloma in combination with dexamethasone. Trials have been conducted for its use in higher-risk MDS and acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
  
  
  METHODS
  The pharmacokinetic and mechanism of action are discussed and clinical studies of lenalidomide in AML are reported herein in detail. An overview of safety and tolerability is also presented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lenalidomide has clinical activity in AML with manageable toxicity. The population that would benefit from lenalidomide and optimal dose needs to be better defined. Recent trials have focused on combining lenalidomide with other agents active in MDS and AML and promising data are emerging.
authors: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Leukemia, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 428, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
authors: Yiming
authors: Y
authors: Chen
authors: Gautam
authors: G
authors: Borthakur
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D006801:Humans; D000077269:Lenalidomide; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D013792:Thalidomide; D000077269:Lenalidomide