I recently noticed that one of the most active discussions in the Myeloma Beacon forums is one about experiences with bone marrow biopsies. I haven’t read of anyone who really was neutral to having that procedure done.

Whether it’s done under local anesthetics or with the help of a sedative, it is somewhat dreaded because it helps diagnose, confirm and stage multiple myeloma. However, most of us patients consent to the procedure because of the information it can yield.

When …

Results from a recently completed Phase 3 trial suggest that thalidomide may delay disease progression in patients with smoldering myeloma.

Specifically, patients in the trial who received thalidomide in combination with Zometa had a noticeably longer time to disease progression than patients who received Zometa alone.

Over a third of the patients who received thalidomide and Zometa also showed a tumor response, whereas none of the patients treated with Zometa alone had such a response.

However, more patients who received …

It is now day 60 following my donor (allogeneic) stem cell transplant, and I wanted to give an update on how it has gone and what is in store.

As with an autologous (self) stem cell transplant, everyone talks about the first 100 days as the critical period. This is true even more so with the donor transplant.

As I mentioned in my last column about my transplant, the intensity of the treatment, the need for close monitoring, and …

Continuing my trend of writing from exotic locations (and I mean that a bit tongue-in-cheek), I am on Long Island today, mixing some business and some pleasure.  The best part of this trip is staying with Mom.  There is just nothing like time with Mom.

Mom was at my house two weeks ago, for the first time since my sister Deana was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.  This is my first visit to her house since late April 2011 as well.  …

Results from a small, retrospective study indicate that combination therapy with Velcade, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone may be effective in newly diagnosed myeloma patients with kidney damage.

The findings, discussed in a letter to the editor of the European Journal of Haematology, show that kidney impairment did not worsen in any patients who received the three-drug treatment.

The study investigators also note that side effects were manageable, but recommend further research of the three-drug therapy to determine its safety as a …

It has been fourteen months since my autologous stem cell transplant.  Although I’m in remission (Thank God!), several challenging residual issues remain.

I can remember hearing from other transplant recipients in past years, bemoaning the fact that they still weren’t “back to normal” months or more after their stem cell transplants.  I didn’t pay much attention at the time.  But now I think I might understand how they felt.

Like those I have heard from in the past, I am …

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has canceled the November advisory committee meeting during which Celgene's application to have pomalidomide (Pomalyst) approved as a new multiple myeloma treatment was scheduled to be reviewed.

The meeting of the advisory committee -- formally known as the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) -- was placed on the FDA schedule just last month (see related Beacon news).

The cancellation of the ODAC meeting does not necessarily mean there has been any …