Treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients with a combination of cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), Velcade (bortezomib), and dexamethasone (Decadron) (abbreviated CyBorD) appears to be effective and safe. The findings were presented June 5 in a poster session at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting.

The study compared CyBorD with Revlimid (lenalidomide)-dexamethasone treatment (abbreviated RD) and cyclophosphamide-Revlimid-dexamethasone treatment (abbreviated CRD). The results of the Phase 2 trials indicate that RD and CyBorD treatment were similar in efficacy and safety. CRD, however, was not as effective and had …

Results of two Phase 1b clinical trials suggest that panobinostat (Farydak) in combination with Velcade (bortezomib) or Revlimid (lenalidomide) and dexamethasone (Decadron) is effective and well-tolerated in patients who are resistant (refractory) to previous multiple myeloma treatment. The findings were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago in early June.

“There are novel therapies that have improved the outcome, literally doubled the survival, of patients with myeloma. Despite these incredible advances, inevitably most patients relapse, and so …

In a recent study, treatment with Zometa (zoledronic acid) increased overall and progression-free survival rates among multiple myeloma patients compared to Bonefos (clodronate). Additionally, Zometa was more effective in preventing bone loss and fractures. The results were presented June 6 at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago by Dr. Gareth Morgan of the Royal Marsden Hospital in London.

Bone is in a constant balance of being broken down and being replenished. A perfect balance keeps a person’s bones strong. However, in multiple myeloma patients, this …

Preliminary re­­sults from two on­go­ing clin­i­cal trials sug­gest that elotuzumab in com­bi­na­tion with either Velcade (bor­tez­o­mib) or Revlimid (lena­lido­mide) plus low-dose dexamethasone (Decadron) is ef­fec­tive and well-tolerated in patients who have re­lapsed or are resistant (refractory) to pre­vi­ous myeloma treat­ment. The findings were pre­sented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago.

Elotuzumab is a new drug being devel­oped by Facet Biotech and Bristol-Myers Squibb as a po­ten­tial treat­ment for mul­ti­ple myeloma. It sel­ectively targets pro­teins that are on the surface of …

The majority of multiple myeloma patients suffer from bone disease, and drugs called bisphosphonates are commonly used to help improve bone health in myeloma patients. Dr. David Roodman of the University of Pittsburgh discussed the current use of bisphosphonates in multiple myeloma during an education session on June 7 at the annual American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting.

Treatment of myeloma bone disease is important, since 20 percent of multiple myeloma patients experience a fracture at the time of their myeloma diagnosis, and 60 percent of multiple myeloma patients experience a …

Results of a Phase 3 trial showed that the addition of thalidomide (Thalomid) to Velcade (bortezomib), melphalan (Alkeran), and prednisone (referred to as VMPT), followed by long-term treatment with Velcade and thalidomide (VT), may become the new standard of care for elderly multiple myeloma patients. The results were presented by Dr. Antonio Palumbo of the University of Turin, Italy, on June 6 at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago.

Dr. Palumbo and his colleagues compared VMPT followed by VT maintenance, which they hypothesized …

Significant advances have been made in the treatment of multiple myeloma since the introduction of thalidomide (Thalomid), Revlimid (lenalidomide), and Velcade (bortezomib). Combinations of these “novel agents” have significantly improved response rates and survival rates with better safety profiles than stem cell transplants, leading researchers and patients to ask whether the use of transplants is necessary given the efficacy of the novel agents.

Two studies that are investigating whether novel agents are as effective, or possibly more effective, than an autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) were presented June …