Findings from a recent study indicate that a history of certain in­fec­tions is as­so­ci­ated with an increased risk of a person eventually developing multiple myeloma.

The study is based on data for more than 15,000 U.S. myeloma patients and 200,000 people from the general U.S. population.  It did not include in its analy­sis in­fec­tions that myeloma patients had less than a year prior to their di­ag­no­sis.

The in­ves­ti­ga­tors found that people in the study who were eventually di­ag­nosed with multiple …

Findings from a recent retrospective study conducted at the Mayo Clinic in­di­cate that chromo­som­al abnormalities may influence which symptoms a multiple myeloma patient has at diagnosis.

For instance, the researchers found that newly diagnosed myeloma pa­tients with the chromo­some 14 translocation t(14;16) are more likely to have kidney damage, while patients with extra chromo­somes are more likely to have bone disease or anemia.

They also found that patients with t(14;16) who did not have kidney dam­age survived significantly longer (a …

Results of a recent international Phase 3 study demonstrate that the addi­tion of Zolinza to Velcade increases response rates and slightly im­proves progression-free survival in relapsed and refractory myeloma patients compared to treatment with Velcade alone.

Specifically, 56 percent of patients responded to treatment with Zolinza (vorin­o­stat) plus Velcade (bortezomib) compared to 41 percent of patients treated with Velcade plus placebo.

However, despite improvements in responses, the difference in pro­gres­sion-free survival between the two treatment groups …

Many evenings as of late find me huddled on the couch, joints aching, a low-grade fever toasting my body, and an inability to do anything but con­template an early bedtime.

I’m fine, really I am. I just saw my oncologist in early October, and his parting words were “See you in eight weeks.” My lab numbers are steady; I am on no medications.

So what’s up with my new nighttime routine? I do not have definitive an­swer, but I have …

Results from a small Australian study provide new evidence that the immune systems of myeloma patients may play an important role in why some patients survive much longer than others.

In particular, the Australian researchers found that myeloma patients who live for more than 10 years after diagnosis have more robust immune function as compared to other myeloma patients.

Certain killer immune cells were more common, and divided more read­i­ly, in long-term myeloma survivors than in patients with shorter sur­vival.

The …

Next Monday, October 14, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving Day here in Canada.

It is a time of family and friends getting together, sharing a meal, and en­joying each others’ company. It’s also a natural time to look back on the past year and to give thanks to the blessings we received throughout the year. And there is always much to give thanks for at harvest time.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it focuses on the positives in our …

Results from a recent retrospective analysis conducted in Germany indicate that the com­bi­na­tion of Velcade plus Treanda and pred­ni­sone is effective for re­lapsed and refractory multiple myeloma pa­tients with kidney im­pair­ment.

Specifically, 67 percent of pa­tients responded to the treatment, and kidney func­tion improved in 86 percent of pa­tients. The study investigators point out that the responses were rapid, with a median time to response of three weeks.  With a median progression-free survival of 10 months, some pa­tients experienced a …