According to a story from adc.net.au, an innovative new cancer treatment regimen is responsible for doubling survival rates for patients with certain types of rare, difficult-to-treat blood cancers. This combination treatment also does not involved the use of chemotherapy drugs, which can mean less severe side effects for patients.

In a recent clinical trial, the new treatment appeared to be responsible for an 85 percent cancer free rate over a period of two years. This rate is dramatic compared to conventional treatments that could only deliver a 23 percent cancer free rate. The combination is comprised of the new drug, called Venetoclax, which is then taken with ibrutinib or rituximab. Venetoclax was actually developed after cancer research conducted in the 1980s, but the drug has only recently been ready for trials.

In the trials, the treatment was tested against two types of rare blood cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukemia and mantle cell lymphoma. Mantle cell lymphoma is known for its poor responsiveness to conventional treatments like chemotherapy, and it often relapses quickly after being treated with it. In the U.S., there are only about 15,000 people who have it. The majority of patients are not diagnosed until the disease has reached an advanced stage; five year survival rate stands at about 50 percent.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is also very rare. It is caused when the blood marrow produces an excess of white blood cells called lymphocytes. This cancer and its symptoms progress very slowly, and it often is not detected in early stages, and may not be treated even when it is. While conventional treatments can be effective, it is can develop into a refractory state in which it is no longer responsive to typical treatment regimens.

This new combination treatment, presents advantages for patient quality of life while being more effective than conventional chemotherapy. Patients were simply able to take a daily combination of two oral tablets, without having to travel to a center for chemo. In addition, side effects were far less profound. Patients can now live relatively typical lifestyles while being able to control and manage their mantle cell lymphoma at the same time.

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