After a week of discussions about the potential link between Revlimid maintenance therapy and second cancers, the members of the International Myeloma Working Group have decided that more information is needed before they can issue unified recommendations.

A number of myeloma specialists have voiced differing opinions on whether this potential link to second cancers should affect the use of Revlimid (lenalidomide) as a myeloma therapy (see related Beacon news).  The latest decision from the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) provides a clearer indication that there is a lack of consensus …

A split may be developing in the multiple myeloma research community regarding the treatment implications of a possible link between long-term Revlimid use and secondary cancers.

Many researchers are going on record saying the current controversy does not justify any change in the use of Revlimid (lenalidomide) as a myeloma therapy.  Other researchers, however, believe the controversy raises important questions that justify more cautious use of the drug.

Concerns about a potential Revlimid-secondary cancer link first emerged at the American Hematology Society annual meeting in December.  At the meeting, results were …

The Myeloma Beacon has learned that the Cancer and Leukemia Group B, the cooperative group running the CALGB / ECOG / BMT-CTN 100104 Revlimid maintenance trial, currently has no plans to halt Revlimid therapy in its trial.

The CALGB trial is one of three trials which released data last December that raised concerns about a potential link between long-term Revlimid (lenalidomide) use and second cases of cancer in multiple myeloma patients.

Among the 231 patients in the Revlimid maintenance arm of the CALGB trial, 15 second cancers have been reported.  Among …

Several investment bank reports published this week have heightened concern about a potential link between Revlimid and second cancers in multiple myeloma patients.  The reports have unnerved investors to such a degree that the stock of Celgene, Revlimid’s manufacturer, is down almost nine percent since the middle of last week.

Apprehension about Revlimid (lenalidomide) and secondary cancer first surfaced in December during the American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting.  At the meeting, results were presented from three trials studying long-term Revlimid use.  All three trials showed more cases of …

New information was released last week regarding long-term treatment with Revlimid and a multiple myeloma patient’s risk of developing a second cancer.

The information is based on analyses prompted by results from three clinical trials presented at the American Society of Hematology meeting last month.  In each of the three trials, more multiple myeloma patients receiving Revlimid maintenance therapy reported developing a secondary cancer than patients who did not receive maintenance therapy.

Celgene, the manufacturer of Revlimid (lenalidomide), announced the results of the follow-up analyses during a quarterly earnings conference …

A recent study showed that Velcade maintenance therapy modestly increased and deepened responses in elderly, newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients after Velcade-based induction therapy. Maintenance therapy also caused small increases in the frequency of side effects.

Dr. Ruben Niesvizky of Weill Cornell Medical College in New York presented the study results at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting in Orlando at the beginning of the month.

Prior to the recent development of novel therapeutic agents, the treatment for multiple myeloma was limited primarily to conventional chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation. …

Three studies presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition in Orlando support the use of Revlimid as maintenance therapy for multiple myeloma patients.

In two studies, Revlimid (lenalidomide) maintenance increased time to disease progression among multiple myeloma patients after stem cell transplantation.

A third study showed the same benefit for older newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients who are not candidates for stem cell transplantation.

Side effects were minor across all three studies. However, the researchers did observe the occurrence of secondary cancers in a small …