[nadia33]

stem cell transplant wo melphalan ?

by nadia33 on Sun Jul 24, 2011 8:07 pm

Hi all
has anyone ever had a stem cell transplant without the use of melphalan? What if the combination of dex, Velcade and Revlimid give you remission and you want to follow it by transplant. Will the melphalan still be required ? Has anyone ever had this before ?

[Amelie]

Re: stem cell transplant wo malphan ?

by Amelie on Mon Jul 25, 2011 9:08 am

Melphalan is used to kill the bone marrow before you get the collected stem cells back. I never heard of a transplant without it.

[Dr. Edward Libby]

Re: stem cell transplant wo malphan ?

by Dr. Edward Libby on Mon Jul 25, 2011 11:43 am

A stem cell transplant COULD be done using drugs other than melphalan and/or radiation. However, melphalan is one of the best drugs we have and therefore it is virtually always the most important chemotherapeutic agent used in an autologous stem cell transplant. Radiation therapy is generally no longer used in autologous stem cell transplantation for multiple myeloma.