Results from a recent study suggest that multiple myeloma patients whose monoclonal (M) protein levels continue to decrease after 100 days following stem cell trans­planta­tion may experience improved survival.

Both progression-free survival and overall survival were longer in patients who showed such a continued response without additional therapy after autologous stem cell trans­planta­tion (using their own cells).

“This study confirms the observation that the depth of response continues to improve after trans­plant,” said the study’s lead investigator Dr. Shaji Kumar …

Study Reveals Variations In Minimal Residual Disease Testing For Myeloma – Results from a recent study suggest that testing for residual multiple myeloma after treatment varies widely across medical institutions in the United States. Among 26 institutions surveyed, 42 percent offered testing services for minimal residual disease (MRD). In addition, the tests conducted by some institutions were 100-fold more sensitive than others at detecting residual cells. The parameters used to identify myeloma cells and the number of myeloma cells needed …

Phase 2 Clinical Trial To Examine If Natural Killer Cells Slow Progression Of Smoldering Myeloma – Researchers from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, in collaboration with Millennium Pharmaceuticals, have launched a Phase 2 clinical trial to determine if treating smoldering multiple myeloma patients with natural killer cells slows disease progression to active multiple myeloma.  A natural killer cell is a type of immune cell that fights infected cells and cancerous cells. In this trial, the researchers will collect …

Results from a small Phase 2 study conducted throughout Japan sug­gest that a com­bi­na­tion of Velcade, doxorubicin, and intermediate-dose dexa­meth­a­sone is effective in patients with re­lapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

Most patients (89 per­cent) responded to treat­ment, with a third of them achieving a com­plete or near com­plete response.  In addi­tion, the medi­an pro­gres­sion-free survival was 12.1 months.

According to the Japanese researchers, the findings from this study are com­par­able to those from pre­vi­ous studies that examined the effective­ness of …

Ratio Of Interleukin Proteins Linked To Progression-Free Survival In Myeloma Patients – Chinese researchers have recently found that a higher ratio of the proteins IL-27 to IL-17 in the bone marrow of multiple myeloma patients may be associated with longer progression-free survival. IL-27 and IL-17 belong to a class of proteins known as interleukins that are produced by immune cells. Interleukins play an important role in orchestrating immune responses against microbes and cancer cells. In the current study, the researchers …

Chromosomal Abnormality t(4;14) Can Sometimes Be Present In Only A Small Fraction Of Myeloma Cells – Results from a recent French study suggest that the chromosomal abnormality t(4;14) may sometimes be present only in a minor fraction of myeloma cells. Previous studies have shown that the abnormality t(4;14) is present in 15 percent to 20 percent of myeloma patients. In these patients, the abnormality is thought to occur at the origination of the myeloma (called a primary event) and therefore …

Results from a recent Spanish study suggest that treatment with a combination of intravenous busulfan and melphalan is as effective as melphalan alone in preparing patients with multiple myeloma for stem cell transplantation.

Given that the busulfan (Busulfex)-melphalan (Alkeran) regimen uses a lower dose of melphalan (140 mg/m²) than the melphalan-only regimen (200 mg/m²), these findings may benefit patients who are unable to tolerate high doses of melphalan.

A previous study found that an oral busulfan-melphalan combination might …