WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., June 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Today’s U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of lenalidomide (Revlimid) to treat patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is encouraging news for these patients.

“Despite advances in treatment, most mantle cell lymphoma patients relapse over time. So, lenalidomide is a welcome effective treatment option for these patients,” said Clare Karten, senior director of mission education for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).

The approved indication is for MCL patients whose disease has relapsed or progressed after two prior therapies, one of which included bortezomib (Velcade ). This also marks the first oral therapy for patients with MCL.

Lenalidomide was originally approved by the FDA in 2006 to treatment patients with multiple myeloma who had undergone at least one prior treatment. The FDA approved lenalidomide in 2006 for a certain subset of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

Many LLS-funded researchers have helped advance lenalidomide by testing its effectiveness for patients with myeloma and MDS, as well as patients diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, both alone and in various combinations with other therapies.

LLS is also pleased to announce that it will be hosting an education program on treatment options for mantle cell lymphoma on June 26, 2013, from 1-2 p.m. ET. John P. Leonard, M.D., of Weill Cornell Medical Center, will be the featured speaker. Click here to register for this program or visit this link: http://www.cancereducation.com/cancersyspagesnb/a/lls/lls1303/index.html

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services.

Founded in 1949 and headquartered in White Plains, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org. Patients should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

Contact: Andrea Greif
914-821-8958
andrea.greif@lls.org

SOURCE The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society