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[18 Aug 2010 | No Comment | 477 views]
MGUS And Smoldering Multiple Myeloma: Experts Identify Risk Factors For Disease Progression And Establish Monitoring Guidelines – Part 2: Smoldering Myeloma

The International Myeloma Working Group, a group of top myeloma doctors, recently published a report identifying risk factors for disease progression in patients with the multiple myeloma precursor diseases, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and smoldering myeloma. In addition, the myeloma experts established guidelines for the monitoring and management of these two conditions.  This article, Part 2 in a series, covers the results for smoldering myeloma. Part 1 covers the results for myeloma monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance.

The…

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[17 Aug 2010 | 3 Comments | 502 views]
Birds In Spring: Your Quality Of Life – Don’t Forget To Live

Back in 2006, when I was initially diagnosed with myeloma, I learned of the interest among researchers in investigating maintenance therapies, particularly a Revlimid (lenalidomide)/dexamethasone (Decadron) combination.

This struck me at the time as an encouraging and exciting development, particularly for anyone who had paid attention to how a similar line of research and the introduction of protease inhibitors and combination therapies have changed the lives of many persons living with HIV/AIDS over the past 15 years.

I thought it…

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[16 Aug 2010 | No Comment | 727 views]
MGUS And Smoldering Multiple Myeloma: Experts Identify Risk Factors For Disease Progression And Establish Monitoring Guidelines – Part 1: MGUS

The International Myeloma Working Group, a group of top myeloma doctors, recently published a report identifying risk factors for disease progression in patients with the multiple myeloma precursor diseases, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and smoldering myeloma. In addition, the myeloma experts established guidelines for the monitoring and management of these two conditions.  This article, Part 1 in a series, covers the results for monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. Part 2 will cover the results for smoldering myeloma.

The…

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[9 Aug 2010 | 2 Comments | 869 views]
Personal Perspective: Myeloma Patient Pays It Forward By Creating A Myeloma Support Group

Kay Cromie, a bookkeeper and office manager from Burlington, Vermont, led a relatively normal and healthy life, until she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma on November 1, 2003.

Cromie was never prone to getting sick, and she worked out regularly at the gym to stay in shape. However, after turning 50, she noticed that she was getting tired during her workouts and could no longer lift weights with as much ease as before, prompting her to see a doctor.

“They…

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[3 Aug 2010 | 11 Comments | 1,421 views]
Sean’s Burgundy Thread: New Multiple Myeloma Patients Are Put To The Test

“You have multiple myeloma.”

That phrase, delivered by physicians at the University of Arkansas for Medical Science’s (UAMS) in November of 2008, was the first official, irrefutable diagnosis of my cancer career. We suspected that I had myeloma, but there it was. They said it out loud, and it still reverberates in my mind.

While I would have much rather heard, “Tests show that there is a pea underneath your mattress that has been causing your back pain,” I knew…

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[30 Jul 2010 | No Comment | 694 views]
Double Stem Cell Transplant With Low-Dose And High-Dose Melphalan Is An Effective Treatment For Multiple Myeloma

The results of a recent study suggest that consecutive low-dose melphalan and high-dose melphalan treatment combined with autologous stem cell transplants is an effective treatment for multiple myeloma patients with manageable side effects.

“The low-dose melphalan step led to complete response and very good partial response rates similar to those of combinations containing Velcade and steroids at a fraction of the cost,” wrote Dr. Nicolas Novitzky, the study’s lead author, in an email to The Myeloma Beacon.

Melphalan (Alkeran) is…

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[28 Jul 2010 | 4 Comments | 689 views]
Higher Quality Response To Revlimid-Dexamethasone Combination Yields Better Prognosis For Relapsed And Refractory Multiple Myeloma Patients

A statistical analysis of two Phase 3 trials found relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma patients who achieved complete remission and very good partial response to Revlimid and dexamethasone combination treatment had higher overall survival rates and longer times to disease progression compared to patients who only achieved partial response.

The analysis also showed that patients’ response to Revlimid and dexamethasone improved over time with continuous treatment.

The authors of the analysis therefore suggested continuing treatment in patients who achieved partial…

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[12 Jul 2010 | 3 Comments | 1,668 views]
Study Reveals Common Features Of Long-Term Surviving Multiple Myeloma Patients (EHA 2010)

A recent study reported that long-term surviving myeloma patients are generally younger and have received and responded well to treatment with conventional chemotherapy. Dr. M. Kraj of the Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine in Warsaw, Poland, presented the findings at the European Hematology Association (EHA) meeting in Barcelona last month.

Dr. Kraj and her colleagues aimed to identify common clinical and laboratory features in long-term surviving myeloma patients, as these may assist physicians in determining an accurate prognosis for…

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[22 Jun 2010 | One Comment | 1,891 views]
Zometa Increases Overall Survival And Slows Bone Disease In Multiple Myeloma Patients (ASCO 2010)

In a recent study, treatment with Zometa (zoledronic acid) increased overall and progression-free survival rates among multiple myeloma patients compared to Bonefos (clodronate). Additionally, Zometa was more effective in preventing bone loss and fractures. The results were presented June 6 at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago by Dr. Gareth Morgan of the Royal Marsden Hospital in London.

Bone is in a constant balance of being broken down and being replenished. A perfect balance…

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[16 Jun 2010 | No Comment | 767 views]
Treatment Of Myeloma With Novel Agents May Be As Effective As Stem Cell Transplantation – Part 1: Melphalan-Prednisone-Revlimid (ASCO 2010)

Advances in the development of multiple myeloma drugs have had a profound impact on the way the disease is treated. Given the efficacy and relative safety of these novel agents, studies are being conducted to determine whether they may be as effective, or possibly even more effective, than an autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). Two such studies were presented June 6 at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago.

Results from the two studies suggest…