The results of a recent study suggest that consecutive low-dose melphalan and high-dose melphalan treatment combined with autologous stem cell transplants is an effective treatment for multiple myeloma patients with manageable side effects.

“The low-dose melphalan step led to complete response and very good partial response rates similar to those of combinations containing Velcade and steroids at a fraction of the cost,” wrote Dr. Nicolas Novitzky, the study’s lead author, in an email to The Myeloma Beacon.

Melphalan (Alkeran) is …

Late last year, my mother-in-law, Marie, lost her long battle with colon cancer. A few months before she died, I remember visiting her in the nursing home on a particularly bad day in September.

Marie was in pain—a lot of pain. I checked with the nurses station. The evening nurse was sympathetic, but unable or unwilling to help.

Fast forward one week. Marie seemed to be doing better. But not before my wife, Pattie, and I "rattled a few …

A statistical analysis of two Phase 3 trials found relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma patients who achieved complete remission and very good partial response to Revlimid and dexamethasone combination treatment had higher overall survival rates and longer times to disease progression compared to patients who only achieved partial response.

The analysis also showed that patients’ response to Revlimid and dexamethasone improved over time with continuous treatment.

The authors of the analysis therefore suggested continuing treatment in patients who achieved partial …

Onyx Pharmaceuticals announced yesterday the results of an ongoing Phase 2b trial of single-agent carfilzomib (Kyprolis) for heavily pre-treated re­lapsed and refractory multiple myeloma patients. The over­all response rate after 12 cycles of single-agent car­filz­o­mib treat­ment in this trial was 24 per­cent, and the median duration of response was 7.4 months.

According to Dr. Michael Kauffman, Chief Medical Officer of Onyx Pharmaceuticals, the com­pany’s newly released results dem­onstrate the potential for car­filz­o­mib to significantly improve the outlook for re­lapsed and …

A recent study showed that maintenance therapy with thalidomide and interferon delayed progression, but did not extend survival, in elderly multiple myeloma patients. Additionally, the thalidomide-interferon maintenance therapy caused slightly more side effects than maintenance therapy with interferon alone.

Previous studies have indicated that in younger patients, maintenance therapy with thalidomide (Thalomid) after stem cell transplantation resulted in increased progression-free survival time in all trials and in increased overall survival time in two out of five trials (see related …

The U.S. pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb has halted development of tanespimycin, a new drug that had been in late-stage clinical trials as a potential treatment for multiple myeloma.

In a statement to The Myeloma Beacon, a Bristol representative explained that “After careful assessment and consideration, Bristol-Myers Squibb made the decision to terminate our development program for tanespimycin, which was in Phase 3 trials for the potential treatment of multiple myeloma.” 

The Bristol-Myers statement was issued after the Beacon inquired about the status of …

Among the challenges of being a fledgling, freelance medical writer, such as no steady paycheck and last minute deadlines, there are also some advantages. My schedule is flexible, and I get to meet some really smart, interesting people. Sometimes I even get to meet heroes. Yesterday, I met both.

Dr. Lee Green and Cathy Grant run a program at Moffitt Cancer Center called Moffitt Diversity. The program is designed to increase minority participation among researchers, staff, and patients at Moffitt—and …