Results of a recent small German study indicate that high cut-off hemodialysis combined with chemotherapy may help restore kidney function in multiple myeloma patients with a serious form of kidney failure called acute kidney injury.

In addition, the researchers found that myeloma patients were more likely to recover kidney function if they received treatment soon after their kidneys began to fail.

Based on these results, Dr. Katja Weisel, one of the study investigators from the University of Tübingen, recommends that patients with dialysis-dependent acute kidney injury be treated as soon as possible …

The results from a clinical trial, called the ZMAX trial, suggest that administering Zometa intravenously over a longer period does not increase the drug’s safety compared to shorter infusion times.

Dr. James Berenson, from Berenson Oncology and lead author of the study, stated in email correspondence with The Myeloma Beacon that he hopes these study results will reassure patients that a 15-minute infusion time is safe.  Ultimately, the study authors suggested that infusion duration should be based on individual patient considerations.

Zometa (zoledronic acid) is an intravenous bisphosphonate that reduces bone loss …

The International Myeloma Working Group, a group of leading myeloma specialists, recently announced its recommendations for the treatment of multiple myeloma patients with kidney impairment. The group found that novel agents might improve - and possibly reverse - the complications of kidney impairment. In particular, the group recommended that patients with kidney impairment of any severity undergo treatment with Velcade plus dexamethasone, due to its safety and efficacy profile.

Diagnosis Of Kidney Impairment

Kidney impairment affects between 15 and 40 percent of multiple myeloma patients (please see the Beacon series on …

The results of a recent Phase 2 trial indicate that Velcade-doxorubicin-dexamethasone treatment can reverse multiple myeloma-associated kidney damage in myeloma patients suffering from kidney failure. The regimen also improved patients’ disease statuses and was associated with few severe side effects.

Multiple myeloma affects plasma cells, a subset of white blood cells that fight infections by producing antibody. In multiple myeloma patients, cancerous plasma cells produce one kind of abnormal antibody.

In some myeloma patients, this abnormal antibody binds to a protein produced in the kidney.  These antibody-protein complexes then accumulate in the …

A recent study found the combination therapy of thalidomide (Thalomid) and dexamethasone (Decadron), commonly referred to as TD, to be safe and effective as induction therapy in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients with impaired kidney function. The study authors also found that 55 percent of participants achieved normal kidney function after TD treatment. The study results were published in the journal Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation.

Impaired kidney function is a serious complication that occurs in approximately 20 to 30 percent of myeloma patients at diagnosis and in more …

The findings of a recent study indicate that the combination regimen of Revlimid (lenalidomide) and dexamethasone (Decadron) is effective and safe in multiple myeloma patients with reduced kidney function and may even improve kidney function in some patients when the Revlimid dosage is adjusted according to kidney function. The study was published in the European Journal of Haematology.

Because of its effectiveness, the combination of Revlimid and dexamethasone (RD) has become a standard treatment option for patients with relapsed or refractory myeloma. However because Revlimid cannot be broken down …

The results from a new study indicate that treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma with novel therapeutic agents improves kidney function in most patients, in comparison to treatment with conventional chemotherapy and a high-dose regimen of dexamethasone (Decadron). The authors of the study presented the results of the clinical trial on December 8 at the 51^st American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition.

Multiple myeloma patients commonly experience complications with kidney function, and kidney impairment is associated with increased mortality rates. The Myeloma Beacon recently published a series …