Clinical management of T-cell malignancies: current perspectives, key issues, and emerging therapies

Peripheral T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas are a diverse group of disorders, most of which carry a poor prognosis. Relapse is common following the administration of most currently available agents, and there are few effective options for salvage therapy. This article discusses a number of novel emerging therapies for the treatment of patients with T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, including the antimetabolite nelarabine, the purine nucleoside phosphorylase inhibitor forodesine, the pyrimidine analogue gemcitabine, and the fusion protein denileukin diftitox. Other therapies discussed for the treatment of patients with T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas include bendamustine, gallium nitrate, and bortezomib, as well as the mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors, small molecules that target the apoptotic pathways, immunomodulatory agents, and monoclonal antibodies.