Wilmot Study on Follicular Lymphoma Ranked Among the Best

Wilmot scientists Carla Casulo, M.D., and Jonathan Friedberg, M.D., published a study this year that was named to “Best of JCO 2015” hematologic malignancies edition. The Journal of Clinical Oncology describes itself as the single-most credible, authoritative resource for clinical oncology research.

The Casulo-Friedberg study defined a unique group of high-risk follicular lymphoma (FL) patients—about 20 percent—who consistently experience their disease coming back within two years of treatment, despite the fact that most FL patients can expect to live 20 years.

Casulo, who led the study, believes that the people who relapse early may have a form of the disease with distinctly different biology.  The Wilmot team suggested that all follicular lymphoma patients should not be approached the same at the start of treatment or when new therapies are considered after the cancer returns.

The National Cancer Institute is starting to develop clinical trials for this high-risk subgroup of follicular lymphoma patients. Best of JCO 2015 Hematologic Malignancies Edition is a collection of the most-accessed clinical research articles recently published on blood cancers. It was mailed to thousands of oncologists in December, and was available recently at the American Society of Hematology Oncology annual meeting.

Friedberg is director of the Wilmot Cancer Institute and the Samuel E. Durand Professor of Medicine; Casulo is an assistant professor of Medicine.

Read the full URMC press release of the study.