An image shows rituximab binding to a cell-surface. In particular, the targeted drug Rituxan, in combination with chemotherapy, has helped younger patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which occurs in roughly 20 of 100,000 people, researchers found. The improved treatments for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma helped patients live longer.(File Photo)

German researchers found that improved treatments for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma helped patients live longer, according media reports Tuesday quoting the Archives of Internal Medicine.

In particular, the targeted drug rituximab, in combination with chemotherapy, has helped younger patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which occurs in roughly 20 of 100,000 people, Dr. Dianne Pulte and colleagues at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg found.

The researchers analyzed data on nearly 86,000 patients from the U.S. National Cancer Institute and found that two-thirds of patients diagnosed between 2002 and 2004 will survive at least five years, compared to half of patients diagnosed between 1990 and 1992.

Ten-year survival rates were projected to rise to 56 percent in patients diagnosed from 2002 to 2004, up from 39 percent in 1990-1992 "Improvements were most pronounced in patients younger than 45 years, but improvements were seen in all age groups," wrote the researchers in the study.

The disease attacks the lymph nodes, spleen and other organs responsible for the body's immune system.

(Agencies via Xinhua News Agency March 11, 2008)