
This article is the third in a three-part series about caring for a loved one with multiple myeloma. The first article provides an introduction to caring for a cancer patient as well as resources for caregivers. The second article provides practical tips for caregivers, and the third article explains the tolls of being a caregiver.
When Nan Manzo’s husband Dom was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2008, their family doctor shared some advice about how to deal with the ups …
Read the full story »

This article is the second in a three-part series about caring for a loved one with multiple myeloma. The first article provides an introduction to caring for a cancer patient as well as resources for caregivers. The second article provides practical tips for caregivers, and the third article will explain the tolls of being a caregiver.
When Lori Puente’s husband Dave was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2008, she decided that she would need to take time off from work …
Read the full story »

This article is the first in a three-part series about caring for a loved one with multiple myeloma. The first article provides an introduction to caring for a cancer patient as well as resources for caregivers. The second article will provide practical tips for caregivers, and the third article will explain the tolls of being a caregiver.
In October 2008, Dianna Allred’s husband, Mark, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma after suffering a severe spine fracture.
As Mark’s pain increased dramatically …
Read the full story »

The results of a recent study suggest that Zolinza (vorinostat), in combination with Velcade (bortezomib), may be effective in patients with relapsed or refractory myeloma after prior treatment with Velcade. The study was published in the journal Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia.
Velcade has become a standard first-line treatment option for multiple myeloma, but more and more patients are developing resistance to or relapsing after it. Zolinza is a new cancer drug that is already approved …
Read the full story »

The protein elafin may be a good indicator of graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) in patients who underwent an allogeneic stem cell transplant. These findings were published recently in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
Stem cell transplantation is the preferred treatment plan for multiple myeloma patients under the age of 65. When patients cannot produce enough of their own healthy stem cells for an autologous transplant, they undergo an allogeneic transplant, in which they receive stem cells from a donor.
A common complication …
Read the full story »

For multiple myeloma patients, treatment history and personal predisposition have been identified as two key factors that may predict if a patient treated with Velcade (bortezomib) or thalidomide (Thalomid) will develop tingling and pain from nerve damage in their limbs.
Thalidomide and Velcade are among the many myeloma treatments that are neurotoxic, which means that they cause damage to the body’s nervous system. As a result, multiple myeloma patients commonly experience tingling and pain from nerve damage in …
Read the full story »

In a study recently published in the journal Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia, researchers determined that continuous treatment with cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) and prednisone at low doses is effective and manageable in multiple myeloma patients who cannot tolerate conventional chemotherapy.
When myeloma patients are unresponsive to treatment or experience relapse, doctors implement their plan B, known generally as salvage therapy. Most salvage therapies consist of the same treatment drugs at an increased dosage or a combination treatment of the …
Read the full story »