The Myeloma Beacon™

The findings of a recent study indicate that the combination regimen of Revlimid (lenalidomide) and dexamethasone (Decadron) is effective and safe in multiple myeloma patients with reduced kidney function and may even improve kidney function in some patients when the Revlimid dosage is adjusted according to kidney function. The study was published in the European Journal of Haematology.

Because of its effectiveness, the combination of Revlimid and dexamethasone (RD) has become a standard treatment option for patients with relapsed or refractory myeloma. However…

Exposure to prior myeloma therapies, specifically thalidomide (Thalomid) and autologous stem cell transplants (ASCT), does not influence the superior efficacy of Velcade (bortezomib) compared to dexamethasone (Decadron) in patients with relapsed/refractory myeloma, according to an analysis published in the British Journal of Haematology.

Researchers had previously found that Velcade resulted in a better response rate, time to progression, and overall survival compared to dexamethasone in relapsed/refractory myeloma patients. Based on these results, Velcade has become one of the standard treatments for relapsed/refractory myeloma patients.

Previous…

The survival time of a multiple myeloma patient is strongly dependent on the patient’s age at diagnosis, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The study, which evaluated the impact of age on disease outcome, compared the survival time (from diagnosis) between patients in different age groups and treatment regimens. Researchers also compared the life spans for patients with myeloma versus patients without myeloma.

Following diagnosis with multiple myeloma, the average survival time varies based on…

A new study published in the journal Leukemia determined that when treated with Revlimid (lenalidomide) and dexamethasone (Decadron), relapsed and refractory myeloma patients with genetic risk factors experience lower response rates and shorter progression-free and overall survival durations.

Researchers also discovered that prior treatment with thalidomide (Thalomid) was associated with a decreased progression-free and overall survival.

Multiple myeloma patients with the chromosomal abnormalities del(13), t(4;14) or del(17p) are associated with a poorer prognosis in response to traditional chemotherapy. However, new drug and treatment options have…

A recent paper published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology updated the outcomes of multiple myeloma trials conducted by the Intergroupe Francophone du Myelome, the Southwest Oncology Group, and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

The update provides a fuller, long-term picture of the advantages of some of the autotransplant regimens being tested. It represents the first international effort at systematically updating previously reported trial results, which had indicated that autotransplantation with high-dose melphalan (Alkeran) therapy significantly extends the survival of…

The use of thalidomide (Thalomid) in induction and maintenance therapies for multiple myeloma patients receiving a stem cell transplant resulted in better overall response rates but did not significantly improve overall survival, according to a Phase 3 study recently published in the journal Blood.

In their study, researchers randomly assigned 556 patients to receive three cycles of either vincristine (Oncovin), doxorubicin, and dexamethasone [VAD] or thalidomide, doxorubicin (Adriamycin), and dexamethasone (Decadron) [TAD] as induction therapy. All patients received high-dose melphalan (Alkeran) with an autologous stem cell…

The year 2009 brought a lot of new and exciting advancements in the field of multiple myeloma. Over the course of 2009, The Myeloma Beacon covered more than 100 important myeloma-related studies.

To highlight the most important of these studies, the Myeloma Beacon surveyed leading physicians and researchers in the field. These physicians and researchers were asked to name the three peer reviewed journal articles published in 2009 and the three conference abstracts from 2009 that have the most important findings…

A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology determined that patients who achieved very good partial response (VGPR) or better after high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation experienced significantly longer event-free and overall survival.

“Very good partial response” is one of the terms defined by the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) to categorize how patients respond to treatment. According to IMWG criteria (see related Beacon news), patients reach very good partial response when the level of abnormal “M” proteins in…

Curcumin has been garnering increased attention as a potential anticancer treatment. It is the major active compound in turmeric, a popular Indian spice made from the rhizomes, or underground stalks, of a plant in the ginger family.

In multiple myeloma and the precursor condition monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), cell culture studies and one animal study have shown that curcumin can kill cancer cells and prevent them from multiplying. The Beacon also found two early-stage clinical trials studying curcumin’s effects…

A recent study confirmed that the multi-drug regimen known as Total Therapy 3 (TT3) has a high response rate for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients. The study was conducted by physicians at the University of Arkansas Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy and was published in the journal Blood.

The term “Total Therapy” indicates the use of all therapeutic agents and methods of treatment that have been shown to be effective against the disease. The Myeloma Beacon previously reported on a series…