Back in December and January, while my oncologist was restaging my myeloma and we were discussing courses of treatment, he suddenly said, “And I want you to go see your dentist and ask him whether he sees you having any major dental work done in the next year.”

The calcium levels in my blood were rising. My oncologist intended to start me on a bisphosphonate, such as Aredia (pamidronate) or Zometa (zoledronic acid), as soon as …

Results from a German retrospective study show that repeated whole-body mag­netic resonance imaging may identify smoldering myeloma patients with an increased risk of progressing to symptomatic multiple myeloma.

In their study, the German researchers looked at smoldering myeloma patients who had whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans at the time of diagnosis and during regular follow-up visits.

The researchers found that patients whose follow-up scans showed pro­gres­sion of their disease had a 16.5-fold higher risk of progressing to symptomatic myeloma …

After a stormy, cold winter in the northern hemisphere, I think we are all looking forward to spring in all of its glorious aspects: longer days, spring flowers in the gardens, return of the migrating birds, and warmer tem­per­a­tures.

Spring is also the time when a lot of people change out the content for their closet, putting away the winter boots, warm coats, mitts, and scarves to make room for lighter clothing, both in texture and in color.

As I …

A group of Spanish researchers published a summary last year of the patterns of re­lapse and progression they observed in multiple myeloma patients who underwent stem cell trans­plan­ta­tion as part of their upfront therapy.

The researchers observed re­lapse in over half of the patients included in the study.  Among these patients, the majority had only achieved a partial re­sponse after trans­plan­ta­tion.

They also found that how a patient re­lapsed had an impact on their prog­nosis after re­lapse.  Patients who re­lapsed …

Hardly a day goes by when I am not inundated with the news of incredible advances that have been made in the treatment of multiple myeloma.

Survival rates have gone from three years to five years and now to eight to ten years.

Five new drugs have been approved for the treatment of myeloma over the last decade.  A couple of dozen more are in various stages of clinical trials.

We are tantalized by the promises of “breakthroughs” just on …

The findings of a recent retrospective study may alleviate some of the concerns patients and physicians have had about Revlimid and the risk of secondary cancers.

The study found that the risk of developing a secondary cancer as a result of treatment with Revlimid occurred mainly when a patient had been treated with oral melphalan at the same time as Revlimid.

Revlimid (lenalidomide) did not appear to be associated with an in­creased risk of secondary cancers when administered together with

Last month I promised to update you following the discovery that I had developed several large plasmacytomas (lesions or tumors) under my ribs.  I had just started radiation therapy to relieve the sharp pain I felt there.

I’m happy to report that most of the pain is now gone.

Reflecting back, it’s been a tough month.

Leading up to the discovery of the plasmacytomas, I had been feeling much better than in the past, thanks in part to ongoing testosterone …