Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia - RAD001 Research Conducted By Winship Cancer Institute

The Emory's Winship Cancer Institute is the research center in Georgia research on Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia - RAD001. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) June 16, 2011 - Georgia, in the USA, has one facility available where the treatment of Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia is being carried out. The Emory's Winship Cancer Institute is the research center where clinical trials for Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia are carried out. Compared to various types of cancer research the results so far have been quite promising. Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia is a type of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, in this condition the immune system of the patient is directly affected, thus increasing his chances of catching bacterial & viral infections. Protein content of blood increases abnormally, making it thicker and hence difficult to flow into smaller blood vessels. Due to this many parts of the body have lower supplies of blood and oxygen. This results in symptoms like weight loss, weakness and enlargement of glands among others.

The major challenge is to identify these symptoms at an early stage and start medication. One more revelation has been discovered is that the average age of patients is more than 60 years which creates further issues with health.

Although the number of patients who are diagnosed with this disease is very rare, roughly 1500 per year, a conclusive research for the cure is being undertaken at Winship Cancer Institute. The study here has come out with a some medicines called everolimus (RAD001). This has to be given to patients who are more than 18 years old and have not been treated by other medicines. RAD001 has to be taken orally for 28 continuous days and then if the patient shows to be responding to the medicine the patient then has to take it for 48 months. Currently it has been observed that after this period the patients blood circulation returns to normal.

A Phase II study of RAD001 which was done on 50 patients with symptoms of Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia yielded satisfactory results. About 70% of patients have showed positive responses to treatment, which has raised hopes of the research team. RAD001 has also been approved for other medical trials also. One of them is for immunosuppressant in solid organs and also for treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma. These studies have made the case of RAD001 as a successful medicine for Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia very strong.

The advanced trials of RAD001 being done at the Winship Institute are part of a study done by the clinical trials group for Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia. Thomas Heffner who is an associate professor of Medical Oncology and Hematology with the institute is head of the project study going on at Winship. One hopes that with such progress we can soon have a completely approved medicines for Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia and cure the patients of this condition easily.

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