Articles tagged with: Imaging
Opinion»
Recently, my myeloma specialist sent me for a PET/CT scan. I have had many annual skeletal X-ray scans, but since I now have had two cancers (multiple myeloma and breast cancer), and the PET/CT procedure scans more deeply into the bones and tissue than regular x-rays, this seemed like a good idea.
Results of the scan will provide a baseline for my health going forward. If there were any hotspots of fast- growing cancerous tissue cells in my system, the test would show them.
My husband accompanied me to my appointment …
News»
How has your week started, myeloma world?
We hope it's going well so far.
We once again have a rather long list of new myeloma research we'd like to discuss with you. We suspect most of our readers will find at least one or two studies in the report to be of particular interest.
We begin today's report with a discussion of a somewhat rare eye-related side effect of Velcade (bortezomib) and a possible way to control the side effect.
Next, we take a quick look at two articles about …
News, Opinion»
The 2014 International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) Annual Summit took place in Milan, Italy on June 9 and 10.
The summit is a special meeting organized by the International Myeloma Foundation in which leading myeloma researchers get to brainstorm collectively about the most pressing issues in the field, find ways to collaborate, and plan future laboratory and clinical studies.
The IMWG summit is hailed by most attendees as the most important meeting for myeloma researchers worldwide. It is a unique opportunity for investigators in the field to engage in lively debate but, …
News»
A group of European researchers recently published an extensive review of the imaging techniques currently used in the diagnosis and follow-up of multiple myeloma and related diseases.
The researchers assessed the benefits and limitations of several different imaging techniques, including traditional X-rays, computed tomography (CT), combined positron emission tomography and CT scanning (PET/CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
According to the researchers, the whole-body X-ray skeletal survey remains the method of choice for the detection of bone lesions. However, they point out that whole-body CT may replace whole-body X-ray skeletal surveys, because …
NewsFlash »
CT Scans Superior Than X-Rays In Detecting Myeloma Bone Lesions – Results of a recent retrospective analysis suggest that computerized tomography (CT) scans may be superior in detecting myeloma-related bone lesions compared to conventional x-rays. A CT scan constructs a three-dimensional image of the body from a series of x-rays. In the current study, significantly more lesions were detected with CT scans than with conventional x-rays. According to the investigators, CT scans could have resulted in upstaging of the disease in 61 percent of the cases they reviewed. For more information, please see the study in the journal Cancer Investigation (abstract).
Nexavar Shows Activity In Myeloma Cells – Results of a recent preclinical study indicate that cancer drug Nexavar (sorafenib) may be active as an anti-myeloma drug. In particular, the authors of the study found that Nexavar alone and in combination with Velcade (bortezomib) induced myeloma cell death in myeloma cell lines. In addition, when the investigators tested Nexavar in three myeloma patients, they found signs of a clinically relevant response. The authors therefore recommend that Nexavar alone, or in combination with Velcade, be investigated further in clinical trials. The authors do not discuss, however, the apparent conflict between their findings and the results of a Phase 2 clinical trial of Nexavar in heavily pretreated myeloma patients. The Phase 2 trial was halted several years ago after Nexavar on its own showed little or no efficacy as an anti-myeloma agent (see related Beacon news). Nexavar is currently approved in the United States and in Europe as a treatment for kidney and liver cancer. For more information on the new study, please see the related article in the British Journal of Haematology (abstract).
Combination Of Trisenox, Vitamin C, and Velcade Safe In Previously Treated Myeloma Patients – Results of a Phase 1 study show that the combination of Trisenox (arsenic trioxide), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), and Velcade is tolerable in previously treated multiple myeloma patients. In a prior Phase 1/2 trial, treatment with a combination of Trisonex and vitamin C led to anti-myeloma activity with potentially lower toxicity than treatment with Trisenox alone. Additionally, Trisenox has been shown to enhance the activity of Velcade in preclinical studies. In the current study, researchers combined all three agents to determine whether or not the addition of Trisenox would compensate for lower, less toxic doses of Velcade. Ten myeloma patients with a median of three previous lines of therapy were treated with the three-drug combination. The best observed response was a partial response, which was seen in only one of the ten patients. No instances were observed of severe peripheral neuropathy (pain and tingling in the extremities due to nerve damage), a common side effect of Velcade. Although the response rate seen in the study was relatively low, the authors contend that the study is too small to draw conclusions regarding Trisenox's efficacy as an anti-myeloma drug. The researchers believe, however, that their results, combined with those of earlier studies, suggest that the Trisenox-vitamin C-Velcade combination regimen may lead to better tolerability and some clinical benefit. Trisenox is currently approved in the United States and in Europe as a treatment for a specific form of leukemia. Arsenic, the active component of Trisenox, has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine. For more about the current study, please see the related journal article in Cancer Investigation (abstract).
Researchers Identify Gene Associated With Cancer Drug Resistance – Chinese researchers have identified a gene that may be associated with cancer drug resistance in various cancers, including multiple myeloma. In particular, the researchers found that NEK2 gene was associated with drug resistance, rapid relapse, and poor outcome in multiple cancers. They concluded that the NEK2 gene could be an important target for future cancer therapies. For more information, please see the study in the journal Cancer Cell (abstract).
News»
Results of a recent German study suggest that PET-CT scans may be more reliable than whole-body MRI in determining the remission status of multiple myeloma patients after stem cell transplantation.
The investigators conclude that both PET-CT and whole-body MRI provide useful information about a patient’s disease status. However, MRI often incorrectly detects activity in bone lesions that persist after treatment. They therefore state that PET-CT may be better than MRI for determining remission status.
Similar results were found in a recent Italian study that compared PET-CT and MRI for the evaluation of …
News»
The results of a recent retrospective analysis show that whole-body CT scans are superior to x-rays in the detection of bone lesions in multiple myeloma patients.
Dr. Kelechi Princewill from the University of Maryland in Baltimore presented these findings at the American Roentgen Ray Society annual meeting in Vancouver, Canada, earlier this month.
“Low-dose, whole-body CT was significantly better than [x-rays] in detecting lesions in the spine, ribs, sternum, and flat bones,” said Dr. Princewill.
Bone destruction is a common clinical feature of multiple myeloma. Lesions form when bone destroying cells, called …
