Articles Archive for Year 2012
News»
Results from a Phase 1 study indicate that tabalumab in combination with Velcade demonstrates both efficacy and safety in myeloma patients who have relapsed after several previous therapies.
Dr. Nooper Raje from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston presented the results of the study at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting earlier this month. She explained that tabalumab was very promising in this particular patient population, and added that “this was a very well tolerated regimen.”
However, Dr. Raje emphasized that further study of tabalumab at higher doses and …
Opinion»
The end of the year provides a great time for review and reflection.
2012 has been a momentous one for me in my journey with myeloma. It included both difficult and awe-inspiring moments.
I went off chemotherapy in February in preparation for a stem cell transplant. I have not been back on it since then. No more exciting steroid “highs” - but no more steroid rages either!
In early March, I underwent a stem cell transplant. I lost my remaining hair. I recently stumbled across a draft email …
Opinion»
In the western world where I live, the long dark nights of December bring the light and festivities of the close of our calendar year. People honor and celebrate in many ways and meanings. It is as if we are all aboard a train that is traveling through this territory, whether we like it or not.
Despite the particular problems facing the nation or the world - and despite our personal faith or lack of it - a call for cheer falls upon us all. People at various stages of …
Holiday»
As the 2012 holiday season reaches it peak, all of us here at The Myeloma Beacon would like to thank you, our readers, for giving us the greatest gift possible: your time. We appreciate your coming to The Beacon and reading our articles, sharing your thoughts about them with us, and discussing them – and many other topics! – in our forums.
The holiday season is a time of many different traditions. It also is a busy time, when it is easy to lose track of the special meaning this …
News»
This year’s meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) was held December 8 through 11 in Atlanta.
During the meeting, The Beacon published daily updates that provided overviews of the important multiple myeloma findings presented during the meeting. After the meeting concluded, The Beacon began publishing in-depth articles about the key research findings.
This article, however, shifts the focus to the bigger picture: What were the key findings of the meeting? Were there results with immediate implications for the treatment of multiple myeloma? Did …
Opinion»
As I approach the end of my induction therapy and the clinical trial I've been on, I find myself reflecting on the past two years since I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.
One of the consequences of the diagnosis that I've come to recognize – and which I most likely will have to accept even more in the future – is how humbling dealing with cancer can be.
Sure, there are the little things, like figuring out how to manage a 24-hour urine collection that includes a full day at work, or …
NewsFlash »
Fewer Injection Site Reactions With Subcutaneous Velcade Administered To The Abdomen Instead Of The Thigh - Japanese researchers recently found that subcutaneous (under the skin) injections of Velcade (bortezomib) in the abdomen cause fewer injection site reactions compared to injections in the thigh. According to the Japanese researchers, the higher rates seen with injections to the thigh may be because the thigh contains less fat tissue than the abdomen. Based on their findings, they recommend administering subcutaneous Velcade to the abdomen, particularly in the case of thin patients. For more information, please see the study in The European Journal of Haematology (abstract).
Cereblon Levels May Affect Effectiveness Of Thalidomide – Results of a European retrospective analysis indicate that levels of the protein cereblon in patients’ myeloma cells may impact the efficacy of thalidomide (Thalomid). The researchers found that newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients with high cereblon levels who received thalidomide maintenance had longer progression-free survival times than those with low cereblon levels. The researchers did not observe any association between cereblon levels and the effectiveness of Velcade maintenance therapy. Previous studies have shown that cereblon is necessary for the immunomodulatory drugs -- particularly Revlimid (lenalidomide) and pomalidomide -- to be effective against multiple myeloma (see related Beacon news article). For more information, please see the study in the journal Blood (abstract).
Latest Findings Show Kepivance May Not Decrease Mouth Ulcers In Myeloma Patients Undergoing High-Dose Chemotherapy – In contrast to previous findings, results from a recent Dutch study show that Kepivance (palifermin) has no effect on mouth ulcers in multiple myeloma receiving high-dose melphalan (Alkeran) prior to stem cell transplantation using their own stem cells. In the Dutch study, patients who received Kepivance had similar rates of mouth ulcers as patients who received a placebo. For more information, please see the study in the journal Bone Marrow Transplant (abstract).
Study Finds Association Between Myeloma And Certain Occupations – Results of another European analysis suggest that farmers, cleaning workers, and, to a certain extent, printers have an increased risk of developing multiple myeloma. The European researchers also found that pesticide exposure over a period of 10 years or more increased the risk of developing multiple myeloma. For more information, please see the study in the Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology (pdf, full text).
