At the recent ASH conference, Palumbo and colleagues presented a new induction therapy composed of bortezomib (Velcade), doxurubicin, and dexamethasone that is specifically targeted to elderly patients.

Palumbo and colleagues treated 122 …

A study presented at the 2008 American Society for Hematology (ASH) meeting reports on a treatment called Tandem Auto/AlloHCT, a combination of stem cell transplants that uses cells from both the multiple myeloma patient and a donor.

In the study, newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients first underwent autologous cell transplantation, a procedure in which a patient’s own stem cells are transplanted into his or her bone marrow. This was followed by non-myeloablative allotransplantation, which uses stem cells from a donor and is accompanied by a less aggressive conditioning regime than is typically …

Carfilzomib, a new drug similar to Velcade (bor­tez­o­mib), has been shown to be 18 per­cent to 54 per­cent effective against multiple myeloma in re­lapsed and refractory patients, depending on the level of prior treat­ment.

Carfilzomib ther­apy has pre­vi­ously been shown to result in greater than 80 per­cent proteasome inhibition. Furthermore, car­filz­o­mib in comparison to current treat­ments presents a reduction in the occurrence of periph­eral neu­rop­athy, a painful side effect that causes pain and numbness in the hands and feet. A pre­vi­ous article discusses how car­filz­o­mib uses proteasome inhibition to stop …

Carfilzomib, a new drug similar to Velcade (bor­tez­o­mib), has been shown to be effective against multiple myeloma in re­lapsed and refractory patients.

Like Velcade, car­filz­o­mib (also called PR-171) is a proteasome inhibitor that blocks the activity of proteasomes, cellular complexes that break down proteins.  Without proteasome activity, it is believed that cells self-induce death (apoptosis), thereby inhibiting tumor growth.

A Phase I study shows that car­filz­o­mib ther­apy results in greater than 80% proteasome inhibition.  Two ongoing Phase II studies have dem­onstrated complete or partial positive responses in 18% to 54% of patients, depending …

Long-term follow-up results of two stem cell transplantation trials were presented at the 2008 American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting. The trials were conducted from April 2000 to April 2004 in high risk de novo multiple myeloma patients. De novo multiple myeloma refers to the first occurrence of cancer in the body.

The two trials compared autologous transplantation followed by non-myeloablative allotransplantation (trial IFM99-03) with tandem (double) autologous transplantation (trial IFM99-04).  In the autologous transplantation procedure, a patient's stem cells are collected and stored prior to chemotherapy and later returned to the …

The impact of venous thrombotic events (VTE) on overall survival in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma was examined in a study presented at the 2008 American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting.

VTE occurs when a blood clot fully or partially blocks a vein, which carries blood back to the heart.  This can result in deep vein thrombosis (when a deep vein is blocked) or pulmonary embolism (when a clot dislodges and blocks an artery in the lungs).  VTE is a frequent complication of the Revlimid (lenalidomide)-dexamethasone combination treatment …

A new drug called perifosine, when given in combination with other drugs, has been shown to be effective against relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. Several perifosine studies were presented at the American Society for Hematology (ASH) meeting this year.

Perifosine prevents the growth of myeloma cells by inhibiting the pathway of Akt, a key signaling protein that regulates cellular survival. Perifosine also promotes apoptosis, or programmed cell death, by activating a specific protein pathway called the JNK pathway.

Perifosine first demonstrated clinical activity when combined with another drug, dexamethasone. …