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Article: Organ transplant drug tied to cancer risk. (OKT3)
- Article from:
- Science News
- Article date:
- June 2, 1990
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1990 Science Service, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Organ transplant drug tied to cancer risk
A new study links an anti-rejection drug used in most organ transplants to the development of cancer in heart recipients. The cancer, called non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, appears especially prevalent in patients who received higher-than-average doses of the drug, known as OKT3. But even low doses may carry an added risk of the lymphoma, which can kill the patient within a month or two after an otherwise successful transplant, researchers reported last week.
The study is the first to look for a specific link between OKT3 and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Many transplant surgeons express surprise at the new findings, saying ...