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NCCN Announces Important Updates to Several Clinical Practice Guidelines

JENKINTOWN, Pa., January 27, 2006 — The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) announces updates to the NCCN Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL), Hodgkin Disease/Lymphoma, Head and Neck Cancers and Gastric and Esophageal Cancers Guidelines. The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology 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.

The NCCN NHL Guidelines include recommendations for new regimens for the management of many subtypes of NHL. In Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma, rituximab (Rituxan, Genentech) should be administered with CHOP chemotherapy for induction therapy. Thalidomide (Thalomid, Celgene) in combination with rituximab was added as a new treatment option for second-line therapy in Mantle Cell Lymphoma.

Specific recommendations have been added to the NCCN Hodgkin Disease/Lymphoma Guidelines to monitor for late effects of therapy due to the risk of second cancers and cardiovascular disease.

The Head and Neck Cancers Guidelines emphasize patient risk factors in establishing treatment recommendations. Major risk factors, defined as extranodal spread and/or positive margins, warrant treatment with chemoradiation. Cetuximab (Erbitux, BMS/ImClone) is now included as a treatment option for recurrent or unresectable Head and Neck Cancers.

PET scan is now a recommended part of initial workup in the Gastric and Esophageal Cancer Guidelines. An updated listing of systemic therapy options is also included.

“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.