Blood Advances
, redefines the classification of CD and promises more precise treatments for a substantial subset of patients.
Imagine being misdiagnosed for years, receiving treatments that are too harsh for your actual condition. That’s the reality for many Castleman Disease patients. Until now, CD was broadly divided into unicentric (UCD) and multicentric (iMCD) types. However, a significant number of patients didn’t neatly fit into either category, leading to diagnostic confusion and potentially harmful treatments.
What makes OligoCD different? OligoCD presents with fewer and less severe symptoms compared to iMCD. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, utilizing the ACCELERATE registry, analyzed data from 179 patients and found that OligoCD patients may benefit more from surgical removal of affected lymph nodes—a common treatment for UCD—rather than the aggressive immunotherapies and chemotherapies typically used for iMCD. About 15 percent of all Castleman cases are OligoCD.
The ACCELERATE registry, a comprehensive database of patient medical information, proved crucial in identifying OligoCD as a distinct entity. By analyzing patterns in symptoms, disease progression, and treatment responses, researchers were able to differentiate OligoCD from the existing classifications.
What does this mean for patients? The identification of OligoCD allows doctors to better match patients with appropriate treatments, avoiding potentially harmful over-treatment. For example, patients with OligoCD may no longer need to undergo chemotherapy, which comes with significant side effects.
“This discovery is a game-changer for Castleman disease patients,” said Dr. David Fajgenbaum, a leading researcher in the field. “Now we can match these patients…with the right treatments for their specific condition.”
The discovery of OligoCD highlights the importance of patient collaboration in medical research. Patients from the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network (CDCN) shared their experiences, helping researchers identify gaps in the existing classifications and ultimately leading to the definition of OligoCD as a new subtype. This collaborative approach underscores the value of incorporating patient perspectives in the quest to better understand and treat complex diseases. Further research is underway to refine treatment guidelines for OligoCD and gain a deeper understanding of its development, with the ACCELERATE registry continuing to provide valuable insights.