Researchers, reporting in the journal Cancer Research, have discovered that adding the drug salubrinal could dramatically improve Velcade’s effectiveness in treating multiple myeloma. Although this study did not involve human subjects, the findings provide a promising foundation for further research.

Velcade (bortezomib), a proteasome inhibitor, is an FDA-approved novel therapeutic agent for treating multiple myeloma. In clinical trials, Velcade in combination with other agents has achieved high treatment response rates as both frontline and relapse therapy.

Despite Velcade’s demonstrated success …

Scientists have discovered a new cancer gene, which they have labeled “UTX,” that is common to many cancers and underlies our cells’ most basic genetic regulation.

Unlike genes previously implicated in cancer development, UTX regulates the activity of other genes rather than producing a protein or chemical product itself. As a result, although UTX falls under the broad umbrella of “tumor suppressor” genes, it represents an altogether new genetic mechanism for cancer development.  …

Tests for genetic material circulating in the bloodstream could soon help predict, diagnose, and monitor a multitude of different disorders, including multiple myeloma. The science remains in the research stages, but the technology appears promising and companies have begun investments into commercial applications.

DNA – our genetic “blueprint” – resides within the body’s cells, not only dictating our fetal development in the womb but also choreographing our cellular functioning throughout life. Scientists have discovered, however, that snippets …

At the recent twelfth annual International Myeloma Workshop (IMW), physicians discussed strategies for managing multiple myeloma symptoms. Their topics included deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a potentially fatal blood clot in the body's large veins, and myeloma-induced bone disease, including "soft spots" and fractures.

DVT involves blood clot formation in the deep veins of the body, and if a clot dislodges, it may travel to other areas and block blood flow to vital organs. Researchers estimate that approximately 70 percent of …

Researchers recently announced that the blood disorder monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) precedes the vast majority of multiple myeloma diagnoses. Until now, researchers had disagreed whether MGUS was a consistent precursor to full-blown myeloma disease.

Study authors examined blood samples from 71 people who developed multiple myeloma while enrolled in the National Cancer Institute's Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial.

Since its inception in 1992, the …

In preparation for the XII International Myeloma Workshop (IMW), physicians have compiled a standardized set of guidelines for diagnosing suspected new or recurrent multiple myeloma. The event will be held in Washington D.C. at the end of February.

Initial investigation of a patient with suspected multiple myeloma should include family and past medical history, blood tests, urine analysis, and bone marrow extraction. Physicians should inquire about any first degree relatives with blood disorders or cancers. Documenting a patient's medical …

Physicians at Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital (NRS), located in the Indian city of Kolkata, have performed a bone marrow transplant on a 37-year-old multiple myeloma patient. This procedure marks the first time that a public hospital in the region has performed such a transplant.

Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located in eastern India on the east bank of the River Hooghly, the city is home to …