As the number of clinical trials on multiple myeloma increases, doctors are asking for more uniform reporting measures.  Maintaining these standards is important both for comparing different therapies and for assessing the validity and reliability of results.

One consensus panel for the upcoming International Myeloma Workshop spent the past year developing guidelines for the reporting of results from clinical trials.  The definitions are largely built from standards used in current practice and include terms found in many published reports.

First, …

Palonosetron, a second-generation 5-HT3-receptor antagonist, is at least as effective as Kytril (granisetron), a first-generation 5-HT3-receptor antagonist, in preventing nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy up to one day after treatment.  One to five days after treatment, palonosetron remains effective in a significantly larger percentage of patients than does Kytril.

Many chemotherapy patients are subject to vomit-inducing anticancer treatment, which typically contains the drugs cisplatin or anthracycline/cyclophosphamide.  The standard preventative treatment, Kytril, works in just over 50% of patients …

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has relaxed a 48-year old ban on thalidomide (Thalomid) following a recommendation by the European Medicines Agency, a pharmaceutical regulatory resource.  This decision approves the use of thalidomide for first-line treatment of multiple myeloma in combination with melphalan and prednisone, and is restricted to patients over 65 or who cannot receive high-dose chemotherapy.

Patients in a recent study experienced an overall survival advantage of 18.4 months when …

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annually reviews key clinical research advances that significantly improve patient care for both new patients and the growing numbers of cancer survivors. The report, compiled by leading oncologists and other cancer specialists, includes research made public from October 2007 to September 2008.

Several important findings have been made in multiple myeloma this year, as well as recognition of key issues that affect all cancers.

• In 2008, there were 19,920

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At the recent ASH conference, Palumbo and colleagues presented a new induction therapy composed of bortezomib (Velcade), doxurubicin, and dexamethasone that is specifically targeted to elderly patients.

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Two Phase 2 studies presented at this year's ASH conference show that a new treatment regimen achieves 86 percent to 98 percent responsiveness in relapsed/refractory and newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients.

Known as Rev/Vel/Dex, the treatment is a cocktail of three commonly prescribed multiple myeloma drugs -- Revlimid (lenalidomide), Velcade (bortezomib), and dexamethasone. Both studies started patients on the same maximum dosage of 25 mg Revlimid, 1.3 mg/m² Velcade, 20 mg dexamethasone, and dosages were adjusted according …

Carfilzomib, a new drug similar to Velcade (bor­tez­o­mib), has been shown to be 18 per­cent to 54 per­cent effective against multiple myeloma in re­lapsed and refractory patients, depending on the level of prior treat­ment.

Carfilzomib ther­apy has pre­vi­ously been shown to result in greater than 80 per­cent proteasome inhibition. Furthermore, car­filz­o­mib in comparison to current treat­ments presents a reduction in the occurrence of periph­eral neu­rop­athy, a painful side effect that causes pain and numbness in the hands and feet. …