Results of a recent small Phase 2 study conducted in the Netherlands suggest that Revlimid maintenance therapy improves responses in multiple myeloma patients receiving “mini” donor stem cell transplants. However, the study authors also observed a rapid onset of graft-versus-host disease in these patients after the start of Revlimid treatment.

Based on these findings, the study authors recommended against Revlimid maintenance therapy for myeloma patients receiving “mini” donor stem cell transplants.

“Acute graft-versus-host disease is a life-threatening complication after donor stem cell transplantation, and our primary aim of the article was to …

The results of a small, retrospective analysis show that stem cell transplants may be safe and feasible in multiple myeloma patients over the age of 70.

Based on their findings, the authors of the analysis concluded that older patients should not be excluded from stem cell transplants based on age alone.

However, according to Dr. Ashraf Badros, from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, who was not involved in the study, further trials are needed to confirm and extend these findings so that physicians have a firm basis for …

One of the most frequent questions that I get asked by multiple myeloma patients is: What is the current role of stem cell transplantation in myeloma therapy?

As the conversation continues, several pertinent questions arise: Should I get a transplant? Am I too old for a transplant? Is it better to do one now, or can I wait? One or two? Two back to back, or one now and one later? And so on…

Myeloma is the number one use of autologous stem cell transplantation, which involves the use of a patient's …

Results of a recent small German study indicate that the level of residual myeloma cells in the bone marrow before stem cell transplantation may predict survival in multiple myeloma patients.

Specifically, the study authors found that patients with high levels of residual disease before transplantation had shorter progression-free and overall survival times than patients with low levels of residual disease.

They also found that a high level of residual disease after transplantation was associated with decreased progression-free survival, but not overall survival, in myeloma patients.

Based on these findings, they suggested that …

Korean researchers recently found that the percentage of cancerous plasma cells in the bone marrow, measured on day 14 post transplant, may predict disease progression in multiple myeloma patients following high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation.

However, because their study was small and retrospective in nature, the Korean researchers suggested that further studies be conducted to confirm their findings.

The standard treatment for myeloma patients under the age of 65 years currently consists of high-dose chemotherapy, followed by autologous stem cell transplantation. In this type of transplantation, physicians collect a patient’s stem …

Donor stem cell transplantation may be an effective treatment for myeloma patients with certain chromosomal abnormalities, according to a recent retrospective analysis of patient data conducted in France.

In particular, the analysis showed that patients with a high risk for poor prognosis - those with the chromosomal abnormalities del(17p), t(4;14), or t(14;16) - achieved similar outcomes after receiving a donor stem cell transplant as patients without these abnormalities.

“Our retrospective analysis indicates for the first time that [donor stem cell transplantation] might overcome the poor impact of del(17p),” said the study’s lead …

Results of a recent study indicate that obesity does not negatively affect outcomes after stem cell transplantation in multiple myeloma patients. In fact, obese patients treated with high-dose melphalan-based chemotherapy and total body irradiation before transplantation had a lower risk of relapse and better overall survival, compared to normal-weight patients.

The study authors concluded that obese multiple myeloma patients should not be excluded from stem cell transplantation due to their weight.

“Obese patients don't seem to be at higher risk for severe side effects from transplant compared to patients of normal weight, and they …