A team of European researchers recently found that advanced age, kidney failure, infections, heart and gastrointestinal complications, and drug discontinuation are associated with poor survival among elderly myeloma patients.

The results are from a combined analysis of data from four major Euro­pean clinical trials.  All the trials involved elderly multiple myeloma patients treated with either conventional anti-myeloma agents or combi­na­tions of conventional and novel agents.

The study also found that intensive anti-myeloma treatment regimens – that is, regimens combining conventional …

Velcade is my velocipede.

Velocipedes were all the rage in post-Civil War America. Known also as “boneshakers” for the rough physical treatment these early bicycles gave their riders, they proved tricky to master.

Novelist Louisa May Alcott wrote a velocipede into her novel An Old-Fashioned Girl. A character in the novel, Tom, “whizzed by [on his velocipede], arms and legs going like mad, with the general appearance of a runaway engine.”

With no brakes and only primitive steering at his disposal, …

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recently released an updated version of its guidelines for the diag­nosis and treat­ment of multiple myeloma.

The most notable change to the guidelines is the addi­tion of Kyprolis (carfilz­omib), in com­bi­na­tion with Revlimid (lena­lido­mide) and dexa­metha­sone (Decadron), as an alter­na­tive treat­ment option for newly diagnosed myeloma patients eligible for a stem cell trans­plant.

The guidelines also now list Pomalyst (poma­lido­mide), in com­bi­na­tion with dexa­meth­a­sone, as a preferred salvage treat­ment for myeloma. …

A new study indicates that patients treated with Mozobil prior to a stem cell transplant may have an increased risk of developing a secondary cancer.

The patients in the new study were being treated for either lymphoma or myeloma.  They were given Mozobil (plerixafor) to improve their chances of harvesting enough stem cells to allow them to undergo an autologous (own) stem cell transplant.

All patients in the study were treated with Mozobil, and all had previously failed …

A recent Greek study highlights the distinct symptoms and disease course of multiple myeloma patients who develop extramedullary disease at relapse.

The results are consistent with those from previous studies and demonstrate that myeloma patients who develop extramedullary disease have poorer overall survival than those who do not. Furthermore, the study investigators identified clinical differences at diagnosis and at relapse between myeloma patients with and without extramedullary disease.

They conclude that myeloma patients with extramedullary disease exhibit a particularly aggressive …

In mid-January I had a routine check-up, and I had my blood drawn for testing ahead of time.

On the day of my check up, I was running late, so, when I got to the cancer cen­ter, I just rushed up to the unit clerk’s desk to check in.  To my sur­prise, the clerk handed me a requisition for another blood draw, but with no tests specified.

Startled, I quickly went down to the lab area.  It turned out that …

Findings from a recent analysis conducted in the United States indicate that African-American multiple myeloma patients may have a lower frequency of certain chromosomal abnormalities compared to European-American patients.

In particular, the investigators from the Mayo Clinic found that African-Americans with myeloma may have a lower rate of chromosome 14 trans­locations.

Chromosome 14 translocations are typically associated with myeloma that is more aggressive and harder-to-treat.

The Mayo researchers note that, although their results suggest that African-Americans may have myeloma which, …