[Beacon Staff]

Weekly Poll - IV or Subcutaneous Velcade - 2013

by Beacon Staff on Wed May 01, 2013 3:07 pm

Yes, it's Wednesday, which means ... It's time for another Weekly Poll here at The Beacon.

This week's question focuses on how Velcade (bortezomib) is administered to myeloma patients being treated with the drug.

A few clarifications:

First, this question is only for readers who have been treated with Velcade at some point during the past three months.

If you were treated with Velcade in the past but the treatment stopped more than 3 months ago, you should not answer this question.

Second, if you are a caregiver or family member of a myeloma patient who has been treated with Velcade in the past three months, feel free to answer on their behalf.

Third, Velcade administered intravenously is sometimes called "IV Velcade"; when it's administered subcutaneously, it's sometimes called "Sub-Q Velcade" or "Sub-Cu Velcade."

As always, feel free to post comments, thoughts, or feedback in the space below. They can be very useful to other readers (whether for information or just entertainment purposes).

We ran this same poll about a year and a half ago, but we are running it again so that Beacon readers have access to the latest information and can compare it to the previous data.

2011 poll:

https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/weekly-poll-iv-or-subcutaneous-velcade-t722.html

[Søren DK]

Re: Weekly Poll - IV or Subcutaneous Velcade - 2013

by Søren DK on Thu May 02, 2013 11:38 am

Have just thrown my vote in the poll, being p.t. treated with subcutanous Velcade, DEX and once a week 500mg cyclophosphamide in a 3week turn:
2weeks with 4xVEL+DEX and CYC; 1week with only CYC.!
2 years ago I was on intravenous VEL+DEX (same amounts) but no CYC. The result was CR in about 4 months and 20 good months before relapse.
This time, the unpleasant sideeffects are more than doubled : drying out; out of balance, both physically and mental, fatigue etc. The explanation could be the CYC, but is it possible that the administration of VEL: IV or SQ plays a role?

Søren DK

[Calif Maureen]

Re: Weekly Poll - IV or Subcutaneous Velcade - 2013

by Calif Maureen on Thu May 02, 2013 2:11 pm

I was a year ago on IV Velcade once a week and had lots of side effects. I took Medrol rather than Dex.
Now on once a week Velcade Sub Q and 20 mg weekly Dex. Relatively no side effects but after 2 cycles it is not working.
I am wondering whether to try Cytoxin or go to Melphalen Prednisone Dex.
Scarry that only had 2 or 3 cycles year past and stopped because of PN. Now seem to be resistant to Velcade and Dex. Anyone have other suggestions? Imids did not work for me and Kyprolis is not too often effective after Velcade.
Thank you

[AMCrowley]

Re: Weekly Poll - IV or Subcutaneous Velcade - 2013

by AMCrowley on Mon May 06, 2013 3:35 pm

I completed a year of IV Velcade in mid-March. It was part of a chemo trial through Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. IV Velcade 2x/30 days + oral Vorinistat 14 days on/14 days off. I inquired whether the Velcade could be administered sub-q, however, the protocol specified IV.

[mbrat2006]

Re: Weekly Poll - IV or Subcutaneous Velcade - 2013

by mbrat2006 on Mon May 06, 2013 7:49 pm

I am under going treatment now and today I was given IV again but was subcutaneously receiving Velcade for the last 4 visits. I guess my markders are showing a slight elevation.

[Pjorg45]

Re: Weekly Poll - IV or Subcutaneous Velcade - 2013

by Pjorg45 on Sat Jul 13, 2013 9:34 pm

I was told by the Ocologist and Johns Hopkins that studies have shown that Sub Q has fewer PN side affects by a significant margin.. I get it Sub Q and it takes about 2 minutes. I have no way to know if it is just as effective or not.

[dnalex]

Re: Weekly Poll - IV or Subcutaneous Velcade - 2013

by dnalex on Sun Jul 14, 2013 1:37 am

We had asked for my mom to be switched to s.c. Velcade when we read that it might have fewer side effects. Her doctors readily agreed. After the 2nd injection, my mom started developed an itchy rash around the injection site, and elsewhere. She decided to switch back after the 4th injection, and the rash and itchiness went away.

So, while it may be that for the majority of people, there are indeed fewer side effects with subcutaneous injections of Velcade, with my mom, it wasn't quite the case.