New Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Treatment Guidelines Available for Patients

JENKINTOWN, PA, January 6, 2004 – The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and the American Cancer Society today announce a new booklet designed to help educate patients and their families about non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Treatment Guidelines for Patients is just one title in a series, available free in booklet form or online (www.nccn.org).

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a cancer that begins in the lymphoid tissue, the main component of the immune system. The American Cancer Society estimates that 53,900 new cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (both adults and children) will be diagnosed in the United States this year.

“The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology, on which the patient guidelines are based, are updated at least annually, or more frequently as changes are made in the field and new treatments are discovered,” said William T. McGivney, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of NCCN. “These new non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma treatment guidelines reflect the most current information available, and we encourage patients to discuss the contents of the booklets with their physicians.”

NCCN Treatment Guidelines for Patients are the result of a collaborative effort between NCCN and the American Cancer Society and are derived directly from the Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology developed for physicians by the NCCN. The patient guidelines also provide background information on different types of cancers, their causes, various treatment options, and a glossary of terms. The guidelines provide the most up-to-date information about treatment options and are written in easy to understand language.

“These patient guidelines offer non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients the reliable, specific, and easy-to-understand information they need to make timely and informed decisions,” said Ralph B. Vance, MD, FACP, national volunteer president of the American Cancer Society. “The American Cancer Society is pleased to work with NCCN in developing these materials.”

Other available Treatment Guidelines for Patients include: breast cancer, colon and rectal cancer, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, melanoma, nausea and vomiting, cancer pain management, fatigue and anemia, and fever and neutropenia. These guidelines are also available in Spanish. The materials are available free of charge on NCCN’s Web site at www.nccn.org and by calling NCCN toll-free at 1-888-909-NCCN. Materials also are available on the American Cancer Society’s Web site at www.cancer.org or by calling 1-800-ACS-2345.

About the National Comprehensive Cancer Network

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network^® (NCCN^®), a not-for-profit alliance of 23 of the world's leading cancer centers, is dedicated to improving the quality and effectiveness of care provided to patients with cancer. Through the leadership and expertise of clinical professionals at NCCN Member Institutions, NCCN develops resources that present valuable information to the numerous stakeholders in the health care delivery system. As the arbiter of high-quality cancer care, NCCN promotes the importance of continuous quality improvement and recognizes the significance of creating clinical practice guidelines appropriate for use by patients, clinicians, and other health care decision-makers. The primary goal of all NCCN initiatives is to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of oncology practice so patients can live better lives. For more information, visit NCCN.org.

The NCCN Member Institutions are:

City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center
Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center
Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center
Duke Cancer Institute
Fox Chase Cancer Center
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center / Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins
Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Moffitt Cancer Center
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute
Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital/The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Stanford Cancer Institute
University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center
UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center
UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
University of Colorado Cancer Center
University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
UNMC Eppley Cancer Center at The Nebraska Medical Center
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center