The FDA has approved idelalisib (Zydelig – Gilead), an oral kinase inhibitor, for use in combination with rituximab (Rituxan) for treatment of relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). It is also approved as monotherapy for treatment of relapsed follicular lymphoma and relapsed small lymphocytic lymphoma (both are subtypes of indolent non-Hodgkins lymphoma) in patients who have received at least two prior systemic therapies.

Obinutuzumab (Gazyva – Genentech), a humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, has been approved by the FDA for use in combination with chlorambucil (Leukeran) in patients with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Two other anti-CD20 antibodies, rituximab (Rituxan) and ofatumumab (Arzerra), were previously approved for treatment of CLL.

The FDA has approved ibrutinib (eye broo' ti nib; Imbruvica – Janssen/Pharmacyclics), an oral kinase inhibitor, for second-line treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). It is the first kinase inhibitor to be approved for CLL. Ibrutinib was approved earlier for second-line treatment of mantle cell lymphoma, a rare form of B-cell non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

Many drugs can cause psychiatric symptoms, but a causal connection is often difficult to establish. Psychiatric symptoms that emerge during drug treatment could also be due to the underlying illness, previously unrecognized psychopathology, or psychosocial factors. The withdrawal of some drugs can cause symptoms such as anxiety, psychosis, delirium, agitation or depression.

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(Med Lett Drugs Ther 2008; 50:91) In the Clinical Studies section, the complete response rate with chlorambucil for CLL was 2% (not 24%).

Bendamustine HCl (Treanda - Cephalon), an unusual DNA-alkylating agent that has been used in Europe for many years to treat lymphoma, has now been approved by the FDA for treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

Aprepitant (Emend - Merck), the first substance P/neurokinin 1 (NK₁) receptor antagonist to be approved by the FDA, is now available for oral use with corticosteroids and selective serotonin (5-HT₃) receptor antagonists to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by highly emetogenic anticancer drugs such as cisplatin.

The tables in this article list drugs used for treatment of cancer in the USA and Canada and their major adverse effects. The choice of drugs in Table I is based on the opinions of Medical Letter consultants. Some drugs are listed for indications for which they have not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. In some cases, such as elderly patients or those with many co-morbid illnesses, the regimen of choice might not be suitable. For many of the cancers listed, surgery and/or radiation therapy may be the treatment of choice or may also be part of the management. Anticancer drugs and their adverse effects are listed in Table II on page 46. A partial list of brand names appears on page 52.

Many drugs can cause psychiatric symptoms, but a causal connection is often difficult to establish. Psychiatric symptoms that emerge during drug treatment may also be due to the underlying illness, previously unrecognized psychopathology, or psychosocial factors. The withdrawal of some drugs can cause symptoms such as anxiety, psychosis, delirium, agitation or depression.

The tables in this article list drugs used for treatment of cancer in the USA and Canada. The choices of drugs in Table 1 is based on the opinions of Medical Letter consultants. Some drugs are listed for indications for which they have not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. For many of the cancers listed, surgery and/or radiation therapy are also part of the management of the disease.

The tables that follow list drugs used for treatment of cancer in the USA and Canada and their major adverse effects. The choice of drugs in Table I is based on the opinions of Medical Letter consultants. Some drugs are listed for indications for which they have not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. For most of the cancers listed, surgery and/or radiation therapy are part of the management of the disease. Anticancer drugs and their adverse effects are listed in Table II.

Several currently available antiemetic drugs can prevent vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy. Anticancer drugs that cause vomiting are listed in the table below.

Fludarabine phosphate (Fludara - Berlex), an analog of vidarabine (Vira-A), was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of patients with refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The drug has not yet been marketed but is still available, as it has been for two years, through the National Cancer Institute.

Some commonly used systemic drugs that may cause pulmonary toxicity are listed in the table below. These adverse effects may sometimes be difficult to distinguish from the underlying disease (JAD Cooper, Jr et al, Am Rev Respir Dis, 133:321, 488, 1986). Pulmonary effects that are part of a generalized reaction or are indirect effects of drugs - on respiratory muscles, for example, or on the immune system - are not included here.