Results of a recent study show that newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients initially treated with a combination of cyclophosphamide, Velcade, and dexamethasone have better response rates and less severe side effects than patients treated with Revlimid-dexamethasone or cyclophosphamide-Revlimid-dexamethasone.

The survival outcomes for the patients treated with cyclophosphamide, Velcade, and dexamethasone also are promising.

However, the difference in survival rates between the three treatment regimens is not statistically significant.

This is partly because "the numbers [of patients in the study] were too …

Today is Day Twelve.

For those who have been through a stem cell transplant, you know exactly what that means. 

"Thankful" doesn’t begin to express my feelings for the researchers who work tirelessly and have brought about the medical advances that make these myeloma treatments possible.

My sister Deana, who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in April, was admitted to the hospital on Monday of Thanksgiving week to undergo a stem cell transplant.

I was right there with …

Myeloma specialists from the Czech Republic have published clinical trial results that shed further light on chromosomal abnormalities and their impact on survival in newly diag­nosed multiple myeloma patients.

Specifically, the researchers found that patients with three or more chromos­omal abnor­malities, a gain in the 1q21 region, or the trans­location t(4;14) have reduced survival compared to patients without such abnormalities.

According to the researchers, their findings highlight the importance of chromosomal abnormalities when considering treatment options for myeloma patients.

They …

I have experienced a lot medically since my previous column.  Some of the news is good.  But there have also been a few hiccups along the way …

Let’s focus on the good news first. 

As hoped, the combination of Revlimid (lenalidomide), Velcade (bortezomib) and dexamethasone (Decadron), commonly abbreviated RVD, that I started six weeks ago is working.

My monoclonal protein number - or M-spike - has been cut in half from 0.6 to 0.3.

This …

Onyx Pharmaceuticals, the U.S. com­pany developing car­filz­o­mib as a potential new treat­ment for multiple myeloma, announced this morning that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the com­pany's New Drug Applica­tion for car­filz­o­mib.

The announcement means that the FDA will now begin its full review of carfilzomib (Kyprolis).

The length of time required for that review depends on whether the FDA grants the drug what is known as "priority review."

If car­filz­o­mib is granted priority review, the …

A team of British and German researchers have identified specific areas of the human genome that consistently differ between people with multiple myeloma and people who do not have the disease.

The new findings, summarized in a research article published yesterday, help explain why the risk of developing myeloma seems to be higher in some families than in others.

Moreover, by clearly identifying regions of the human genome linked to an increased risk of myeloma, the European research could lead …

Results from a recent Canadian study show that second stem cell trans­planta­tion as salvage therapy for multiple myeloma can be a safe and effective treatment option, especially for patients who relapsed more than 24 months after their first transplant.

Patients with a longer remission period after the first transplant demonstrated longer progression-free and overall survival times after the second transplant than those who relapsed within 24 months.

Additionally, achievement of at least a very good partial response after the salvage …