First I tried the cyclophosphamide, Velcade, and dexamethasone (CyBorD) treatment regimen, which was effective but soon leveled off. Now I am in the process of scheduling a stem cell transplant . But before I do the stem cell transplant, I am trying RSO just to see if it is effective. I just started a couple days ago.
Has anyone here been in a similar position, or know firsthand of someone who has been able to cancel a stem cell transplant, or no longer need to have one, because their RSO regimen was effective enough to prevent needing it?
I would love to hear any and all comments.
Forums
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scoob - Name: dave
- Who do you know with myeloma?: me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 53
Re: Medical Cannabis Treatments?
Yesterday,I had an annual eye exam at my ophthalmologist, due to stage 2 diabetes (from the dex). He was surprised by finding no retinopathy at all whereas before, there were a lot of them (minor aneurysms). He said that he has never seen that before and couldn't explain it. I asked him if it could be because i'm using medical marijuana and he had no opinion on that (just playing safe!) However there are some reports that it definitely helps with glaucoma, so it may not be a stretch to say it did help with the retina.
Canada is poised to legalize cannabis and I hope it is soon. When it becomes legalized, then we can have some scientific studies done to either confirm, or deny, all these claims.
Canada is poised to legalize cannabis and I hope it is soon. When it becomes legalized, then we can have some scientific studies done to either confirm, or deny, all these claims.
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GaryH - Name: GaryH
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Nov./97
- Age at diagnosis: 44
Re: Medical Cannabis Treatments?
If medical marijuana works then we should not question its usage. No one knows, not even the manufacturer of Revlimid, how it works, except that it works on multiple myeloma. And Revlimid is accepted for treatment.
Alternatives like medical marijuana, curcumin, etc needs to be studied. The apprehension that medical community does not promote such study as expensive drug market will be affected has some truth in it.
I use Revlimid plus dex plus Zometa. I changed my diet the day I was declared Stage IIA. I became veg from a rare meat potato lover. No rice, no wheat, no processed food or GMO, No sugar, no salt and no alcohol.
I take marijuana on the day I take dex. I take heavy dose of curcumin through fresh turmeric in my drink and food. I take baking soda, lime, and honey four times a day.
And I am doing better.
Alternatives like medical marijuana, curcumin, etc needs to be studied. The apprehension that medical community does not promote such study as expensive drug market will be affected has some truth in it.
I use Revlimid plus dex plus Zometa. I changed my diet the day I was declared Stage IIA. I became veg from a rare meat potato lover. No rice, no wheat, no processed food or GMO, No sugar, no salt and no alcohol.
I take marijuana on the day I take dex. I take heavy dose of curcumin through fresh turmeric in my drink and food. I take baking soda, lime, and honey four times a day.
And I am doing better.
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MMFeb16,15 - Who do you know with myeloma?: Self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: February 16, 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 66
Re: Medical Cannabis Treatments?
Hello everyone,
Sorry to bring up an old story.
I have been looking into RSO for the last few weeks and have nearly decided to give it a shot. My mother is on her second-line treatment and is not responding well to Velcade at the moment, so we are willing to give this a try.
My reasoning is as follows:
(1) My mother currently takes different chemical pain killers and sleeping pills to sleep on dex effect days. I can't but help think that a natural source such as RSO can only be better than the load of chemicals she is taking. In the worst case scenario, what harm will it do? And in the best case scenario, perhaps it may have a positive impact as some people have testified and a few studies confirmed.
(2) There are alot of people sharing experiences with RSO and there is a strong point regarding the fact that it is not supported by big pharma. Money definitely has a strong role, especially when you know the cost of medicine like all the current novel agents. Cannabis on the other hand is very cheap in comparison. Once again, what's the harm in trying?
(3) We all know that at some point the multiple myeloma will no longer respond to treatments, unfortunately. Why not give something "natural" a try if in the worst case scenario it will just get you mildly high and not cause any damage or worsening of the situation?
These reasons lead me to think that giving RSO a shot could be worthwhile, especially when reading the few studies quoted earlier in this discussion about Velcade in combination with cannabinoids (CBDs).
Is there any new research, or experiences among forum members, related to RSO?
Maro
Sorry to bring up an old story.
I have been looking into RSO for the last few weeks and have nearly decided to give it a shot. My mother is on her second-line treatment and is not responding well to Velcade at the moment, so we are willing to give this a try.
My reasoning is as follows:
(1) My mother currently takes different chemical pain killers and sleeping pills to sleep on dex effect days. I can't but help think that a natural source such as RSO can only be better than the load of chemicals she is taking. In the worst case scenario, what harm will it do? And in the best case scenario, perhaps it may have a positive impact as some people have testified and a few studies confirmed.
(2) There are alot of people sharing experiences with RSO and there is a strong point regarding the fact that it is not supported by big pharma. Money definitely has a strong role, especially when you know the cost of medicine like all the current novel agents. Cannabis on the other hand is very cheap in comparison. Once again, what's the harm in trying?
(3) We all know that at some point the multiple myeloma will no longer respond to treatments, unfortunately. Why not give something "natural" a try if in the worst case scenario it will just get you mildly high and not cause any damage or worsening of the situation?
These reasons lead me to think that giving RSO a shot could be worthwhile, especially when reading the few studies quoted earlier in this discussion about Velcade in combination with cannabinoids (CBDs).
Is there any new research, or experiences among forum members, related to RSO?
Maro
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Maro - Who do you know with myeloma?: My mom
- When were you/they diagnosed?: March 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 63
Re: Medical Cannabis Treatments?
Hi Maro,
I have now finished my treatment of 8 months with Velcade, dex and cannabis oil. My paraprotein IgG kappa came down to 4 from 54, all my other bloods are great. The cannabis oil was wonderful for sleeping on the dex nights. I still take oil a few nights a week along with other supplements hoping to keep my bloods stable.
My doctor is very happy with the way the treatment has gone and doesn't need to see me for three months. He knows that I took the oil along with my treatment. I also found the oil helps to keep me in a positive frame of mind.
I would say though to go very slow with the oil, only a pin head to start with as it can be very strong. I try to use all that is out there, as you say nothing to lose everything to gain.
Good luck, all the best.
I have now finished my treatment of 8 months with Velcade, dex and cannabis oil. My paraprotein IgG kappa came down to 4 from 54, all my other bloods are great. The cannabis oil was wonderful for sleeping on the dex nights. I still take oil a few nights a week along with other supplements hoping to keep my bloods stable.
My doctor is very happy with the way the treatment has gone and doesn't need to see me for three months. He knows that I took the oil along with my treatment. I also found the oil helps to keep me in a positive frame of mind.
I would say though to go very slow with the oil, only a pin head to start with as it can be very strong. I try to use all that is out there, as you say nothing to lose everything to gain.
Good luck, all the best.
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corrina01 - Name: corrina
- Who do you know with myeloma?: me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: October 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 51
Re: Medical Cannabis Treatments?
Thank you Corrina for your reply. We will be cautious indeed. I do hope this can help.
Maro
Maro
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Maro - Who do you know with myeloma?: My mom
- When were you/they diagnosed?: March 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 63
Re: Medical Cannabis Treatments?
Just saw this on PubMed this morning:
Nabissi, M, et al, "Cannabinoids synergize with carfilzomib, reducing multiple myeloma cells viability and migration," Oncotarget, Oct 18, 2016 (full text of article)
The authors looked at the effects of a combination of cannabidiol and THC along with carfilzomib on myeloma cells in vitro and in mice. They claim that the THC/CBD combination significantly potentiated the anti-myeloma effects of the carfilzomib. It will be interesting to see if this holds up.
Abstract:
Several studies showed a potential anti-tumor role for cannabinoids, by modulating cell signaling pathways involved in cancer cell proliferation, chemo-resistance and migration. Cannabidiol (CBD) was previously noted in multiple myeloma, both alone and in synergy with the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib, to induce cell death. In other type of human cancers, the combination of CBD with Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was found to act synergistically with other chemotherapeutic drugs suggesting their use in combination therapy. In the current study, we evaluated the effects of THC alone and in combination with CBD in multiple myeloma cell lines. We found that CBD and THC, mainly in combination, were able to reduce cell viability by inducing autophagic-dependent necrosis. Moreover, we showed that the CBD-THC combination was able to reduce multiple myeloma cells migration by down-regulating expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 and of the CD147 plasma membrane glycoprotein. Furthermore, since the immuno-proteasome is considered a new target in multiple myeloma and also since carfilzomib (CFZ) is a new promising immuno-proteasome inhibitor that creates irreversible adducts with the β5i subunit of immuno-proteasome, we evaluated the effect of CBD and THC in regulating the expression of the β5i subunit and their effect in combination with CFZ. Herein, we also found that the CBD and THC combination is able to reduce expression of the β5i subunit as well as to act in synergy with CFZ to increase multiple myeloma cell death and inhibits cell migration. In summary, these results proved that this combination exerts strong anti-myeloma activities.
Nabissi, M, et al, "Cannabinoids synergize with carfilzomib, reducing multiple myeloma cells viability and migration," Oncotarget, Oct 18, 2016 (full text of article)
The authors looked at the effects of a combination of cannabidiol and THC along with carfilzomib on myeloma cells in vitro and in mice. They claim that the THC/CBD combination significantly potentiated the anti-myeloma effects of the carfilzomib. It will be interesting to see if this holds up.
Abstract:
Several studies showed a potential anti-tumor role for cannabinoids, by modulating cell signaling pathways involved in cancer cell proliferation, chemo-resistance and migration. Cannabidiol (CBD) was previously noted in multiple myeloma, both alone and in synergy with the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib, to induce cell death. In other type of human cancers, the combination of CBD with Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was found to act synergistically with other chemotherapeutic drugs suggesting their use in combination therapy. In the current study, we evaluated the effects of THC alone and in combination with CBD in multiple myeloma cell lines. We found that CBD and THC, mainly in combination, were able to reduce cell viability by inducing autophagic-dependent necrosis. Moreover, we showed that the CBD-THC combination was able to reduce multiple myeloma cells migration by down-regulating expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 and of the CD147 plasma membrane glycoprotein. Furthermore, since the immuno-proteasome is considered a new target in multiple myeloma and also since carfilzomib (CFZ) is a new promising immuno-proteasome inhibitor that creates irreversible adducts with the β5i subunit of immuno-proteasome, we evaluated the effect of CBD and THC in regulating the expression of the β5i subunit and their effect in combination with CFZ. Herein, we also found that the CBD and THC combination is able to reduce expression of the β5i subunit as well as to act in synergy with CFZ to increase multiple myeloma cell death and inhibits cell migration. In summary, these results proved that this combination exerts strong anti-myeloma activities.
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Mike F - Name: Mike F
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 18, 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 53
Re: Medical Cannabis Treatments?
Thanks for posting that Italian study Mike. Looks like the doctors are playing with the idea of putting my dad on some sort of cannabinoid treatment for the management of peripheral neuropathy.
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Little Monkey - Name: Little Monkey
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Father-stage 1 multiple myeloma
- When were you/they diagnosed?: March/April of 2015
Re: Medical Cannabis Treatments?
Little Monkey - Just curious to know if your dad is being treated in the U.S.?
And today, another study on cannabinoids and myeloma showed up on PubMed. This one from a different group looking at a synthetic analog:
"Cannabinoid derivatives exert a potent anti-myeloma activity both in vitro and in vivo"
Barbado MV1, Medrano M1, Caballero-Velázquez T1, Álvarez-Laderas I1, Sánchez-Abarca LI1, García-Guerrero E1, Martín-Sánchez J1, Rosado IV1, Piruat JI1, Gonzalez-Naranjo P2, Campillo NE2, Páez JA2, Pérez-Simón JA3.
Int J Cancer, 2016 Oct 25. http://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.30483 (abstract)
Abstract:
Although hematopoietic and immune system show high levels of the cannabinoid receptor CB2, the potential effect of cannabinoids on hematologic malignancies has been poorly determined. Here we have investigated their anti-tumor effect in multiple myeloma. We demonstrate that cannabinoids induce a selective apoptosis in multiple myeloma cell lines and in primary plasma cells of multiple myeloma patients, while sparing normal cells from healthy donors, including hematopoietic stem cells. This effect was mediated by caspase activation, mainly caspase-2, and was partially prevented by a pan-caspase inhibitor. Their pro-apoptotic effect was correlated with an increased expression of Bax and Bak, a decrease of Bcl-xL and Mcl-1, a biphasic response of Akt/PKB and an increase in the levels of ceramide in multiple myeloma cells. Inhibition of ceramide synthesis partially prevented apoptosis, indicating that these sphingolipids play a key role in the pro-apoptotic effect of cannabinoids in multiple myeloma cells. Remarkably, blockage of the CB2 receptor also inhibited cannabinoid-induced apoptosis. Cannabinoid derivative WIN-55 enhanced the anti-myeloma activity of dexamethasone and melphalan overcoming resistance to melphalan in vitro. Finally, administration of cannabinoid WIN-55 to plasmacytoma-bearing mice significantly suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Together, our data suggest that cannabinoids may be considered as potential therapeutic agents in the treatment of multiple myeloma.
And today, another study on cannabinoids and myeloma showed up on PubMed. This one from a different group looking at a synthetic analog:
"Cannabinoid derivatives exert a potent anti-myeloma activity both in vitro and in vivo"
Barbado MV1, Medrano M1, Caballero-Velázquez T1, Álvarez-Laderas I1, Sánchez-Abarca LI1, García-Guerrero E1, Martín-Sánchez J1, Rosado IV1, Piruat JI1, Gonzalez-Naranjo P2, Campillo NE2, Páez JA2, Pérez-Simón JA3.
Int J Cancer, 2016 Oct 25. http://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.30483 (abstract)
Abstract:
Although hematopoietic and immune system show high levels of the cannabinoid receptor CB2, the potential effect of cannabinoids on hematologic malignancies has been poorly determined. Here we have investigated their anti-tumor effect in multiple myeloma. We demonstrate that cannabinoids induce a selective apoptosis in multiple myeloma cell lines and in primary plasma cells of multiple myeloma patients, while sparing normal cells from healthy donors, including hematopoietic stem cells. This effect was mediated by caspase activation, mainly caspase-2, and was partially prevented by a pan-caspase inhibitor. Their pro-apoptotic effect was correlated with an increased expression of Bax and Bak, a decrease of Bcl-xL and Mcl-1, a biphasic response of Akt/PKB and an increase in the levels of ceramide in multiple myeloma cells. Inhibition of ceramide synthesis partially prevented apoptosis, indicating that these sphingolipids play a key role in the pro-apoptotic effect of cannabinoids in multiple myeloma cells. Remarkably, blockage of the CB2 receptor also inhibited cannabinoid-induced apoptosis. Cannabinoid derivative WIN-55 enhanced the anti-myeloma activity of dexamethasone and melphalan overcoming resistance to melphalan in vitro. Finally, administration of cannabinoid WIN-55 to plasmacytoma-bearing mice significantly suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Together, our data suggest that cannabinoids may be considered as potential therapeutic agents in the treatment of multiple myeloma.
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Mike F - Name: Mike F
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 18, 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 53
Re: Medical Cannabis Treatments?
It's good to see these new studies finding out the benefits of CBC and THC. Hopefully, when medical marijuana becomes totally legalized, it will bring forth more studies of similar findings.
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GaryH - Name: GaryH
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Nov./97
- Age at diagnosis: 44
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