An altar is a place of transformation. It is typically a physical space where tokens, mementos, and sacred souvenirs are arranged. Aside from any religious meaning, the use of altars is found across cultures. An altar is simply a place to remember. My connection to multiple myeloma is like an internal altar. Mine is a storybook that began about ten years ago during the fall season.

This time of year, I seem to revisit the pages of my book more …

Interim results from a Phase 3 clinical trial indicate that pomalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone extends the progression-free and overall survival of relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma patients, as compared to high-dose dexamethasone alone.

The results are from a European clinical trial known as MM-003.  The trial includes multiple myeloma patients who relapsed or did not respond to at least two prior therapies.  Half of the patients were treated with poma­lido­mide (Pomalyst) plus low-dose dexamethasone (Decadron), and …

The results of a recent retrospective study show that multiple myeloma patients who receive a donor stem cell transplant upfront experience better progression-free survival and overall survival compared to patients who receive a donor transplant after relapse or disease progression.

Additionally, the study investigators found that having a related stem cell donor and achieving a complete response after the transplant led to better outcomes. On the other hand, treatment with novel agents prior to the transplant had no effect on …

I recently had one of the vivid dreams I've tended to experience ever since being on chemotherapy for multiple myeloma.

I have so many different drugs flowing through me at any given time that I can't be sure which one causes the dreams.  Or perhaps they are due to some particular combination.  I was also fighting another sinus infection at the time, so the antibiotics, decongestants, and cough suppressants I was taking may also have been a factor.

Whatever the …

The results of a recent retrospective study suggest that treatment with Velcade or thalidomide may increase multiple myeloma patients’ risk of developing abnormal lung function.

Specifically, patients treated with Velcade (bortezomib)-based regimens were twice as likely to develop lung obstruction, and those treated with thalidomide (Thalomid)-based regimens were twice as likely to develop lung restriction.

However, the study investigators note that their study did not include information about lung disease patients may have had before their myeloma therapy. …

Results from a large, retrospective study conducted at City of Hope National Medical Center indicate that patients who receive stem cell transplants are at a higher risk of developing heart disease than the general population.

The researchers found that patients who underwent a donor transplant and developed graft-versus-host disease, a common transplant-related complication, were at the greatest risk of developing heart disease.

“Our findings show that the process of receiving a stem cell transplant alone increases a recipient’s risk of …

Results of a recent German study suggest that PET-CT scans may be more reliable than whole-body MRI in determining the remission status of multiple myeloma patients after stem cell trans­plan­ta­tion.

The investigators conclude that both PET-CT and whole-body MRI provide useful in­for­ma­tion about a patient’s disease status.  However, MRI often incorrectly detects activity in bone lesions that persist after treat­ment.  They there­fore state that PET-CT may be better than MRI for determining remission status.

Similar results were found in a …