NCCN ANNOUNCES IMPORTANT UPDATES TO MYELODYSPLASTIC SYNDROMES CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)

announces updates to the NCCN Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) Guidelines. The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology(TM) are widely recognized and applied as the standard for clinical policy in oncology in both the community practice setting and in academic cancer centers. These guidelines are used extensively by managed care companies and by Medicare as the basis for coverage policies. These guidelines are updated continually and are based upon evaluation of scientific data integrated with expert judgment. Ads by GoogleWomen Yearly Health Check Save 50% with more screening Free Cancer markers with promotion
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The MDS panel provided two recent updates to the MDS guidelines after reviewing the literature supporting new agents approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the management of MDS. The guidelines updated to a 2.2006 version with the incorporation of deferasirox. This agent was granted accelerated approval by the FDA for the treatment of chronic iron overload. The MDS panel strongly recommends the consideration of deferasirox as an iron chelating agent for patients who have received greater than 20-30 red blood cell transfusions. The guidelines updated to a 3.2006 version with the review and inclusion of lenalidomide. This agent was granted restricted distribution for transfusion-dependent anemia due to low or intermediate MDS associated with deletion 5q cytogenetic abnormalities. The MDS panel recommends lenalidomide for the treatment of patients with clinically significant cytopenias and a deletion 5q abnormality. "NCCN Guidelines highlight the cutting-edge developments in treatment and are an essential tool for physicians, allied health professionals, patients and public and private payors," said William T. McGivney, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of the NCCN. For a detailed listing of all updates to the NCCN Guidelines, please go to www.nccn.org. About the National Comprehensive Cancer Network The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), a nonprofit alliance of 19 of the world's leading cancer centers, is dedicated to improving the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of oncology practice so patients can live better lives. Through the leadership and expertise of clinical professionals at NCCN member institutions, NCCN develops resources that present valuable information to the numerous stakeholders throughout the health care delivery system. As the arbiter of high-quality cancer care, NCCN emphasizes the importance of and promotes continuous quality improvement, creating and publishing clinical practice guidelines appropriate for use by patients, clinicians, and other health care decision-makers. NCCN programs include: Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology(TM), the Drugs & Biologics Compendium(TM), Treatment Guidelines for Patients, the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (JNCCN), Cancer Resource Lines for Leukemia and Multiple Myeloma, educational conferences and symposia for clinicians, the Oncology Outcomes Database Project, the Oncology Research Program, Cancer Case Manager(TM), and collaborations with managed care organizations. The NCCN member institutions are: --City of Hope Cancer Center --Dana-Farber/Partners CancerCare --Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center

--Fox Chase Cancer Center --Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah --Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center / Seattle Cancer Care Alliance --Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute at The Ohio State University --The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins --Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University --Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center --H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute at the University of South Florida --Roswell Park Cancer Institute --St. Jude Children's Research Hospital / University of Tennessee Cancer Institute --Stanford Hospital & Clinics --University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center --UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center --University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center --UNMC Eppley Cancer Center at The Nebraska Medical Center --The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center