Newly diagnosed, high-risk multiple myeloma patients can be effectively treated with sequential therapy, according to the results of a recent Phase 2 study.  Participants in this study initially received a combination of Velcade, Doxil, and dexamethasone followed by a combination of thalidomide and dexamethasone, with the potential addition of Velcade to the second phase.

The study authors found that the sequential treatment provided rapid responses, which they said is crucial for patients with organ damage or those with advanced disease…

Multiple myeloma patients being treated with Velcade often experience peripheral neuropathy, which is nerve damage that causes pain, numb­ness, or tingling in the extremities.  Recent studies have identified two ways of reducing neuropathy and other side effects associated with Velcade, while maintaining similar efficacy: administering Velcade intravenously once weekly instead of twice weekly or administering Velcade subcutaneously instead of intravenously.

Velcade (bortezomib) is currently approved to be used intravenously for the treatment of multiple myeloma in the United States and…

A group of international researchers analyzed the outcomes of multiple myeloma patients after they failed to respond to therapy with novel agents, such as Velcade, Revlimid, and thalidomide.

The study authors stated that the results will help physicians and patients better understand patients’ prognoses and select appropriate clinical trials.

“The study provides an estimate of the expected outcome among patients with myeloma that has stopped responding to the newly available drugs,” said Dr. Shaji Kumar from the Mayo Clinic in…

A promising experimental method for treating advanced leukemia may point the way to important new treatment options for multiple myeloma.

“It is very exciting,” said Dr. Leif Bergsagel, a myeloma specialist from the Mayo Clinic in Arizona who was not involved in the study investigating the leukemia treatment. “I think this approach could and should be extended to multiple myeloma.”  He pointed out, however, that “It will be several years before myeloma patients will be treated this way.”

In two recently published research articles, scientists…

Results of a Phase 2 clinical trial show that elotuzumab in combination with Revlimid and low-dose dexamethasone is safe and effective in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma patients.

“Elotuzumab in combination with Revlimid and low-dose dexamethasone has a very high response rate,” said Dr. Philippe Moreau from the University Hospital in Nantes, France, when he presented the findings at the 47^th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) on Sunday.

“[The combination] seems to be superior to Revlimid plus…