FDA approves drug to combat
leukemia during early
stages
By Morgan Conklin
Summer
Reporter
On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration approved
a drug that will help combat Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. Gleevec, scientifically
known as STI571, provides a new alternative to those suffering from
this disease.
Chronic Myeloid Leukemia is a cancer that affects
nearly 4,500 middle-aged men and women each year. It occurs when the
bone marrow produces a large amount of what appear to be normal cells.
However, these cells contain the Philadelphia chromosome,
which is responsible for making this disease occur. The cells that contain
this chromosome continue to reproduce rapidly and are unable to stop,
resulting in the first stage of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia.
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation is responsible
for designing Gleevec, which has been used in numerous clinical trials
for the past 2 1/2 months. Positive results from these studies are the
reason why this drug received quick approval.
Gleevec is unlike many of the drugs available to
treat cancer. Past medications have had no specific cell target and
are toxic to the body, but Gleevec is not a toxin and targets only Chronic
Myeloid Leukemia cells.
Marietta Harrison, the associate director of the
Purdue Cancer Center said, "The wonderful thing about this drug
is that it seems to be working extremely well and is proof that you
don’t have to use general poisons to combat disease."
Short-term side effects of Gleevec include nausea,
muscle cramps, diarrhea and headache.
However, it is too soon to tell what some of the
more serious, long-term effects might include.
One long-term side effect that patients may develop
is resistance to the medication. Harrison said that if patients are
diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in its early stages, then Gleevec
may cure the disease before the body develops this resistance that preliminary
studies seem to be suggesting.
Although there is no preventative measure a person
can take to ensure that they can avoid this cancer, it can be detected
during routine blood tests. Harrison stresses the importance of routine
physicals to aid in the early detection of this disease.
Gleevec comes in the form of an oral pill that
is taken once daily. It is expected to be released to the public by
the end of this month. At this time Gleevec will not be covered under
Medicare.
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