[tomhardy]

Am I eligible for Darzalex (daratumumab)?

by tomhardy on Tue Jul 19, 2016 8:26 am

Hi everyone,

This is a rather urgent post in that I am scheduled to start Darzalex (daratumumab) treatment today. I just read the fact sheets on the drug and I see that it is indicated for patients that have undergone "three lines of prior therapy including a proteasome inhibitor and an immuno­modulatory agent".

My diagnosis: stage III multiple myeloma with bone involvement.

My prior therapies include:

Initial treatment (2010): Radiation, Revlimid (an immunomodulatory agent, I think) and dexa­metha­sone.

Second treatment (June 2015); Cryoablation to a single lesion discovered after PET scan.

And, now my numbers are up and I have been debating between:

1. Resuming the Revlimid and including Velcade.
2. Darzalex with Revlimid
3. Darzalex with Velcade.

My question: I have only had one immunomodulatory treatment, so why have some doctors recommended I begin Darzalex now?

Wouldn't it be better to continue with the Revlimid and add Velcade than to undergo a third line treatment with Darzalex?

Thanks to you all!

Stay happy and get healthy

Tom

[Little Monkey]

Re: Am I eligible for Darzalex (daratumumab)?

by Little Monkey on Tue Jul 19, 2016 11:23 am

Are you sure you are not getting it as part of a drug trial?

[tomhardy]

Re: Am I eligible for Darzalex (daratumumab)?

by tomhardy on Thu Jul 21, 2016 11:56 am

Hi Little Monkey,

And thank you for your response.

I am pretty sure that I am not a part of a trial since the regimen was recommended by two different doctors from different cancer centers.

I elected to go ahead with the treatment and had my first infusion with Darzalex this past Tuesday. All went very well with only one small intervention when I began to sneeze, cough and have congestion. They interrupted the infusion and gave me an inhaler until my symptoms ceased. Then they resumed the drip at a slower rate. It took the better part of eight hours, but, all in all, not bad. I also had first injection of Velcade and am on dexamethasone.

I would wish you well on your journey, but if you are like me, I'd rather be sailing around the world!

Best,

Tom

[Multibilly]

Re: Am I eligible for Darzalex (daratumumab)?

by Multibilly on Thu Jul 21, 2016 1:43 pm

LM,

In the USA, doctors have the freedom to prescribe drugs "off label". We've therefore got a lot more freedom to use various drugs at different stages than most countries, regardless of what a drugs' prescribing information may indicate. So, as long as the insurance company has pre-approved a drug's use for a given individual based on a doctor's recommendation, then you are good to go.

[Little Monkey]

Re: Am I eligible for Darzalex (daratumumab)?

by Little Monkey on Thu Jul 21, 2016 10:41 pm

Thanks, I didn't know insurance companies in the USA would fund a medication used outside of it's treatment line order.