Findings from a retrospective study show that there have been significant changes in the treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients in the United States since 1999.

In particular, more patients are being treated soon after diagnosis. In recent years, the use of novel agents, such as thalidomide (Thalomid), Velcade (bor­tezomib), and Revlimid (lenalidomide), and stem cell transplantation have be­come more common. At the same time, the use of conventional chemo­ther­a­py, such as melphalan (Alkeran),

Findings from a small, retrospective French study show that an autolo­gous stem cell transplant followed by a reduced-intensity donor stem cell transplant may lead to long-term control of multiple myeloma.

With a median follow-up time of seven years, the five-year progression-free and overall survival rates were 26 percent and 52 percent, re­spec­tively.

The results of the current study also show that myeloma patients who receive a donor transplant as part of their first-line of treatment appear to benefit more from …

Results from a recent retrospective study indicate that chromosomal ab­nor­mal­ities may be useful for predicting which smoldering myeloma patients have a higher risk of progressing to active, or symptomatic, multiple myeloma.

Specifically, researchers from the Mayo Clinic found that patients with a chromo­somal abnormality known as t(4;14) progressed to myeloma faster, and had shorter survival compared to patients with other chromo­somal abnormalities.

“This study shows that risk of progression from smoldering multiple myeloma to symptomatic multiple myeloma is affected by …

Looking back at all that has hap­pened in the world of mul­ti­ple myeloma since Jan­u­ary of 2012, it is hard not to be impressed by the many im­por­tant devel­op­ments that took place.

There is the obvious fact that, during that time, not one, but two new drugs to treat myeloma were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Adminis­tra­tion (FDA).  Prior to 2012, the FDA had not approved a novel anti-myeloma ther­apy in over six years.

Yet 2012 was meaningful …

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recently released an updated version of its guidelines for the diag­nosis and treat­ment of multiple myeloma.

The most notable change to the guidelines is the addi­tion of Kyprolis (carfilz­omib), in com­bi­na­tion with Revlimid (lena­lido­mide) and dexa­metha­sone (Decadron), as an alter­na­tive treat­ment option for newly diagnosed myeloma patients eligible for a stem cell trans­plant.

The guidelines also now list Pomalyst (poma­lido­mide), in com­bi­na­tion with dexa­meth­a­sone, as a preferred salvage treat­ment for myeloma. …

Every-Other-Day G-CSF Is Just As Effective As Daily G-CSF – Results from a recent Turkish study indicate that every-other-day administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is just as effective as daily administration following stem cell transplantation. Additionally, every-other-day administration was found to be safe and resulted in a significant reduction in drug costs, according to the investigators. The study included 47 patients with lymphoma or myeloma who underwent a stem cell transplant.  Half of the patients received G-CSF every day, while …

Now that Pomalyst has been approved in the United States as a treatment for multiple myeloma, the drug is available for physicians in the U.S. to prescribe for their patients.

The broad availability of Pomalyst, however, raises the important question: For what types of myeloma patients are physicians likely to prescribe Pomalyst?

Early this month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Pomalyst (pomalidomide) for the treatment of certain multiple myeloma patients.  These patients must have received …