A combination of cyclophosphamide, low-dose thalidomide, and dexamethasone is effective and well tolerated in multiple myeloma patients, according to a recent Polish study. Response rates were favorable for both newly diagnosed and relapsed or treatment-resistant multiple myeloma patients.

 “Low-dose thalidomide was well tolerated, and serious side effects described with high or even intermediate doses were diminished,” said Dr. Anna Dmoszynska, the lead author of the study, in an email to the Beacon.

In recent years, thalidomide (Thalomid) has proven to be an effective therapy for multiple myeloma when given alone or …

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, an organization that decides which treatments will be made available under the state-funded National Health Service in the United Kingdom, recommended thalidomide as a first line of treatment for multiple myeloma patients in a draft guidance published August 26. Velcade was also recommended as a first line of treatment, but only for patients unable to tolerate thalidomide.

This draft guidance follows a previous draft published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on June 2, which recommended both thalidomide (Thalomid) …

A recent study showed that relapsed and therapy-resistant multiple myeloma patients with an abnormality on chromosome 1, called 1q21 gain, did not respond as well to single-agent Velcade treatment in comparison to patients who lack this chromosomal abnormality.

The study found that the median duration of response, progression-free survival, and overall survival were significantly lower among patients with the 1q21 gain abnormality.

Chromosomal abnormalities are the result of unbalanced changes to the structure of a chromosome, which may occur through deletions, insertions, duplications, or movement of chromosomal regions. They are considered high-risk …

A recent study showed that initial treatment of multiple myeloma with a combination of cyclophosphamide and thalidomide negatively impacts a patient’s ability to collect stem cells for transplant.

Physicians were able to collect almost 50 percent fewer stem cells from patients treated with cyclophosphamide and thalidomide (Thalomid) compared to patients treated with other commonly used myeloma treatments. This combination therapy may prevent stem cells from moving from the bone marrow into the circulating blood, where they are harvested for stem cell transplantation.

Treatment of multiple myeloma typically begins with a …

A recent study showed that maintenance therapy with thalidomide and interferon delayed progression, but did not extend survival, in elderly multiple myeloma patients. Additionally, the thalidomide-interferon maintenance therapy caused slightly more side effects than maintenance therapy with interferon alone.

Previous studies have indicated that in younger patients, maintenance therapy with thalidomide (Thalomid) after stem cell transplantation resulted in increased progression-free survival time in all trials and in increased overall survival time in two out of five trials (see related Beacon news 1, 2, and 3).

However, it was …

In a recent Phase 3 study, low-molecular weight heparin, warfarin, and aspirin were found to equally prevent the formation of venous blood clots in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients who received thalidomide as part of their initial treatment.

The results of this Phase 3 study were presented at the European Hematology Association (EHA) meeting in Barcelona, Spain.

While the three drugs were equally effective in the prevention of blood clots, Dr. Antonio Palumbo of the University of Turin, Italy, suggested in an email to The Myeloma Beacon that aspirin may be the …

The results of a recent study suggest that donor stem cell transplants may not be necessary as part of first line therapy for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients. These findings were presented at the recent European Hematology Association (EHA) meeting held in Barcelona, Spain.

Despite its frequent use in the treatment of multiple myeloma, stem cell transplantation remains a risky procedure with many possible complications.

Patients can either receive their own stem cells during this procedure (autologous stem cell transplant) or receive the stem cells from a healthy donor (allogeneic stem cell …