Results from a recent retrospective study suggest that smoldering myeloma patients with a high percentage of plasma cells in the blood are more likely to progress to active myeloma within two years of diagnosis, as compared to patients with a lower percentage of plasma cells.

Patients with more than 5 billion plasma cells per liter of blood or more than 5 percent of their blood cells in the blood being plasma cells were defined as having a ‘high percentage’ of …

I have to admit that I am not exactly an expert on the science of multiple myeloma.

One area that I do have some expertise in, however, is what I have ‘felt’ during my intense, four-year battle royale waged between medical science, myeloma, and me.

As a natural born daydreamer, I recently imagined what it would be like if I could magically send a note back to the newly diagnosed Sean Murray of four years ago. Knowing that I was …

The results of a Phase 1 study show that Kepivance reduces the severity of melphalan-related mouth ulcers in multiple myeloma patients. Due to better tolerability, the melphalan dosage could be safely increased to 280 mg/m² prior to a stem cell transplant.

Almost two-thirds of the patients, who all had normal kidney function, had responded to the regimen at 100 days post transplant. The study investigators point out, however, that a Phase 2 trial will be necessary to better determine the …

This past spring, much of the northeastern United States had an unusual hot spell. In New York City, the spring trees and shrubs burst into bloom in March, a month ahead of time. I spent most of that month in the hospital undergoing a stem cell transplant, isolated from the extraordinary weather.

The first few days in the hospital, I had a glimmer of Central Park through the hallway windows. From my eleventh floor perch, I looked longingly at the …

Treatment strategies that com­bine Revlimid with newer types of anti-tumor agents may be ef­fec­tive for re­lapsed and re­frac­tory mul­ti­ple myeloma, ac­cord­ing to myeloma experts who reviewed re­­sults from stud­ies of these new com­bi­na­tions.

Refractory and re­lapsed mul­ti­ple myeloma is notoriously dif­fi­cult to treat. For every remission period that is achieved, relapse typ­i­cally arises sooner and with greater re­sis­tance to pre­vi­ously used ther­a­pies. These patients have lim­ited op­tions for ther­apy.

In examining trials that tested new ther­a­pies in com­bi­na­tion with

Brenda Driver, a 59-year old former nurse from California, was diagnosed with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) in August last year.

She took the diagnosis as a blessing in disguise. “I’m grateful that I didn’t present with myeloma right away. Having MGUS gives me a chance to learn about myeloma,” she said.

MGUS is a plasma cell disorder, characterized by the presence of increased levels of monoclonal (M) protein in the blood. Unlike myeloma patients, however, those with MGUS …

Results from a retrospective Canadian study indicate that combination therapy with Revlimid, Velcade, and dexamethasone is effective for certain heavily pretreated multiple myeloma patients. The findings show that nearly 50 percent of patients with advanced myeloma respond to the three-drug therapy.

The study investigators point out that although most patients with advanced myeloma progress quickly after therapy with Revlimid (lenalidomide), Velcade (bortezomib), and dexamethasone (Decadron), particularly those with high-risk myeloma, some patients experience a “considerable benefit.”

They …