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The article presents a study on the engraftment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in mice. A chart is presented depicting primary adult ALL samples engraft reliably in NSG mice and lentiviral transduction. Also mentioned is the evaluation on the correlation between cell viability and transduction efficiency.

Sorafenib is a multi-kinase inhibitor with activity against several intracellular kinases which may play a role in the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In vitro data and results from early clinical trials suggest that sorafenib might be an effective drug for the treatment of AML. However, clinical data are still sparse, and there are only a few reported cases of monotherapy. The aim of the present research was to collect clinical data on efficacy and safety in a systematic way by conducting a survey on clinical experience with sorafenib. Thirty institutions were asked to document all patients treated with sorafenib diagnosed with AML. Of all 29 evaluable patients, six (21%) responded to sorafenib containing treatment by achieving a complete remission (CR, n = 2) or complete remission with incomplete platelet recovery (CRi, n = 4). In 23 patients receiving sorafenib as monotherapy, the CRi rate amounted to 13% and no CRs were documented. Of the 18 FLT-ITD positive patients with sorafenib monotherapy, two patients achieved a CRi (11%). In five FLT3-ITD negative cases, one CRi was documented (20%). Our results suggest the potential ability of the drug to induce remissions in refractory or relapsed AML even when given as monotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The safety and efficacy of azacitidine (5-day schedule) were assessed in a multicenter study in 40 patients (median age 72 years) with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) medically unfit for ( n == 20) or resistant to chemotherapy ( n == 20) from April to October 2008. Median marrow blasts were 42%. After a median follow-up of 13 months, response (complete remission [CR]/partial remission [PR]/hematologic improvement [HI]) was 50% and 10% in newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory patients, respectively ( p == 0.008). Median time-to-response was 2.5 months with a median duration of 5.9 months. Median survival was not reached for responders versus 3.8 months for 15 (38%) patients with stable disease ( p < 0.045). High-risk cytogenetics was associated with inferior survival ( p == 0.05). Lower marrow blasts on day 15 of cycle 1, irrespective of pretreatment count, predicted subsequent response ( p == 0.01). Azacitidine is active and well tolerated in elderly patients with newly diagnosed AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]