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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 or implications relating to multiple myeloma.

The top…

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Dacetuzumab Shows Some Potential For Multiple Myeloma – Results from a Phase 1 clinical trial show that dacetuzumab (SGN-40), an anti-CD40 monoclonal antibody, has some anti-myeloma effects. The best response observed during the trial was stable disease in 20 percent of patients. The study authors found that doses up to 12 mg/kg per week were well tolerated. Most side effects were mild to moderate and included fatigue, headache, nausea, and anemia. The study authors suggest that dacetuzumab may produce better response rates in combination with other myeloma drugs. Two combination trials (one with Revlimid (lenalidomide) and one with Velcade (bortezomib)) are underway.  For more information, please see the study in The Haematologica Journal (pdf) and the clinical trial descriptions (dacetuzumab with Revlimid or Velcade) .

Myeloma Awareness Month Teleconference Series – Each Friday during the month of March, the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) will be hosting a teleconference to raise awareness and provide up-to-date information about multiple myeloma. The teleconferences are scheduled for 7 p.m. EST and will include a 60 minute presentation followed by a 30 minute Q&A. Patients, family members, caregivers, and health care professionals are welcome to join. Please see the IMF Web site for more information.

NCI Designs MGUS/Smoldering Myeloma Study – Researchers from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) are in the process of developing a prospective study with the goal of identifying causes of transformation from monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering myeloma (both asymptomatic, pre-malignant disorders) to multiple myeloma. The study will enroll 350 patients with MGUS or smoldering myeloma in the United States and follow them for up to five years. For more information, please contact the research nurse for this study, Mary Ann Yancey, at (301) 435-9227 or yanceym@mail.nih.gov.

For a more detailed listing of myeloma related events, please check the Myeloma Beacon Events Calendar.

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Research Confirms MGUS Is Linked To Myeloma, But May Not Be Linked To As Many Diseases As Previously Thought – According to a study published in the August 2009 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) may not be linked to as many serious diseases as previously thought. MGUS is a symptomless blood disorder that is a precursor of multiple myeloma. This study confirmed a link between MGUS and 14 diseases.  However, before this study, it was also thought to be a precursor for many more diseases. These Mayo Clinic findings may save patients from unnecessary tests and treatment. For more information, please see the Mayo Clinic press release.

Lawsuit Claims Celgene Corporation Misappropriated The Idea Behind Thalidomide – On August 24, Beth R. Jacobson filed a lawsuit against Celgene Corporation claiming “misappropriation of an idea” and “unjust enrichment” concerning the company’s sale of thalidomide (Thalomid) and Revlimid (lenalidomide) for the treatment of myeloma. The suit claims that Jacobson developed the original idea for treating myeloma with thalidomide and is consequently entitled to compensation based on established legal precedent. Jacobson seeks a minimum of $300 million in past damages and 25 percent of the future profits from the sale of Celgene’s thalidomide products. For more information, please see Ms. Jacobson‘s press release.

Light The Night Walks – On September 11, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) will hold Light the Night Walks in St. Louis and St. Peters, MO. Participants will walk along a two- or three-mile route, carrying a lighted balloon, in support of those touched by blood cancer. For more information, please visit the LLS Web sites for each of the events.

For a more detailed listing of myeloma related events, please check the Myeloma Beacon Events Calendar.

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According to the results of a new study in the journal Annals of Hematology, successfully treating H. pylori, a common bacterial infection, does not lead to monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) remission.

These results, also supported by other researchers’ work, refute a previous study that suggested H. pylori eradication could cure approximately 30 percent of MGUS cases.

MGUS is an asymptomatic blood disorder characterized by an abnormally elevated level of monoclonal protein, which is often discovered during testing for other disorders. Monoclonal proteins, or “M-proteins,” are produced…

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Close relatives of people with multiple myeloma or monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) have an increased risk of having MGUS, according to research published in the journal Blood on Thursday. The research found that parents, siblings, and children of people with multiple myeloma or MGUS are 2.6 times more likely to have MGUS than the general population. An MGUS diagnosis is associated with an increased risk of developing multiple myeloma.

Scientists at the Mayo Clinic looked at blood serum samples from 911 blood-related, first-degree relatives of people with either…