The Stanford trials used some newly identified techniques, and achieved significant positive results. 37 test patients (with an average age of 52) were treated with a combination of two weeks of low-dose chemotherapy and immune suppressing drugs after receiving their transplants. Only two patients developed graft-versus-host disease when, under normal circumstances, nearly half would have. One year later, almost 70 per cent of the patients were alive and cancer was in complete remission in 24 patients.
Although this is a small-scale study, the results appear very encouraging. Additionally, these techniques have proved highly successful in laboratory studies on mice. In all, it appears that there are some hopeful treatments for older blood cancer patients in the offering.
While there is no known cause for leukemia and blood cancers, certain high risk factors have been identified. Exposure to high levels of radiation and hazardous chemicals can play a role, especially the chemicals asbestos and benzene (found in unleaded gasoline). Some pesticides are known carcinogens, and should be avoided. If you must come into contact with these substances, use the appropriate protection -- and always be aware of their potential effects.
Oncologists are aggressively targeting the diseases, and making leaps and bounds in how they are treated. At the current rate of innovation, mortality rates should decline even further in the coming years.
