Research Notes

Promising Treatment for Cancer-Caused Anemia

bone marrow cells in pink and white Abnormal blood cells resulting from myelodysplastic syndrome.

Promising Treatment for Cancer-Caused Anemia

In myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a cancer of the bone marrow, anemia occurs because the proliferation of abnormal blood cells leaves people with too few normal ones. An experimental cancer drug called galunisertib may offer a way to treat anemia in low- to intermediate-risk MDS patients without the need for blood transfusions.

The findings, published in September 2019 in Clinical Cancer Research, come from an international phase 2 clinical trial conducted at 14 centers in Italy, Spain, and Germany. The study’s principal investigator was Amit K. Verma, M.B.B.S., professor of medicine and of developmental and molecular biology at Einstein and director of the division of hemato-oncology at Montefiore.

Dr. Verma and colleagues developed galunisertib using tumor samples from patients at Montefiore. The drug inhibits a molecule called ALK5 that plays a role in activating defective MDS stem cells.

The research was co-led by Valeria Santini, M.D., associate professor of hematology at the University of Florence in Italy.

More From Einstein

Preparing New Grads for Hospital Roles
Einstein Celebrates 65th Commencement
Class of 2027 Receives White Coats
Mentoring in Medicine Paves Way for Success
Biomedical Sciences Leadership Program Begins
Einstein, Lehman Launch M.S. Program
2023 National Diversity Award
Health Equity Scholarship Honors Nilda Soto
Longevity Gene Project Awarded $13.6M

Content

Highlights
Features
Campus News
Research Notes
Motivations: Donors & Alumni
More From This Issue

Past Issues

Download Magazine

Search

Subscribe

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.