[suzierose]

Lenalidomide plus Melphan linked to Secondary Cancers

by suzierose on Sat Jan 28, 2012 2:17 am

"Myeloma data reported at this year's ASCO meeting raise concern about the safety of a mainstay class of drugs in this disease, while also hinting at good efficacy of some novel drugs and approaches, according to William I. Bensinger, MD, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle....snip

...When lenalidomide was used in both initial and maintenance therapy, the rate of second cancers rose over time, especially after year 3, but this treatment strategy also showed the lowest rate of progressive disease or death. Use of lenalidomide and dexamethasone alone-without melphalan-has not been associated with an elevated risk of second cancers, Dr. Bensinger noted. "So there appears to be some synergy between exposure to melphalan and lenalidomide that may increase these second primary cancers," he speculated."