Articles tagged with: Thalomid
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Good morning, myeloma world.
As we were finalizing today's edition of Myeloma Morning, we were suddenly reminded of how international the field of multiple myeloma research truly is.
The first research study we review below is by a team of German researchers. We also discuss two studies by Korean researchers, and a topic sparked by a report written by Chinese researchers. At the end of today's report, the list of new myeloma research articles also includes publications by investigators in India, Israel, Italy, and the United States.
As we …
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It’s July, and we have had some time to digest the findings from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting held in Chicago May 30 through June 3.
Quite a few presentations caught one’s eye.
We finally saw the results of the much awaited PANORAMA-1 study investigating the efficacy and safety of panobinostat (LBH589) plus Velcade and dexamethasone compared to Velcade and dexamethasone alone.
Exciting data on the CD38 antibodies daratumumab and SAR650984 continued to emerge at ASCO.
Another study looked at a progression-free …
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The American Society of Clinical Oncology will hold its 50th annual meeting May 30 through June 3 in Chicago.
Similar to previous years, more than 25,000 physicians and researchers from all over the world are expected to attend the five-day meeting to discuss the current research in cancer treatment and care.
During the meeting, there will be presentations about all areas of cancer, including many focused specifically on multiple myeloma. The ASCO website currently lists information about more than 60 myeloma-related studies (included under either the "multiple myeloma" or "plasma cell …
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One of the key presentations during the recent American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting in New Orleans was one that summarized initial results of a large international Phase 3 clinical trial known as the "FIRST", or MM-020, trial.
The trial results show that continuous administration of Revlimid and dexamethasone improves response rates as well as progression-free and overall survival in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients who are older or not eligible for stem cell transplantation.
Specifically, the researchers found that the overall response rate was highest (75 percent) among patients who received …
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Results from a recent French study based on data from clinical practice indicate that vitamin K antagonists and low-molecular weight heparin are more effective than aspirin in preventing clots during myeloma treatment with the immunomodulatory drugs thalidomide or Revlimid.
Specifically, 7 percent of patients receiving aspirin developed blood clots, compared to 3 percent of patients receiving low-molecular weight heparin and 0 percent receiving a vitamin K antagonist such as warfarin (Coumadin).
Interestingly, the rate of blood clot formation was lowest among patients with the highest risk of developing blood clots, which the …
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Hybrid Drugs Based On Thalidomide And Curcumin May Be A Future Treatment Option For Myeloma Patients – Results from a recent preclinical study indicate that hybrid molecules combining chemical structures from thalidomide (Thalomid) and curcumin may be potential treatments for multiple myeloma. Specifically, the investigators found that two particular hybrid molecules were effective in killing myeloma cells and were safer than either drug alone. Curcumin is the major active compound in turmeric, a popular Indian spice. Several early-stage studies have investigated curcumin's potential as a myeloma treatment (see related Beacon news articles). According to the researchers, hybrid drug therapy, which involves combining elements from two or more drugs into one molecule, is a promising treatment option for myeloma because it may be be safer and associated with a reduced risk of developing drug resistance. For more information, please refer to the study in the journal Organic and Bimolecular Chemistry (abstract).
Tandem Autologous Stem Cell Transplants May Not Cause Serious Heart Problems – Results from a small, retrospective Slovenian study suggest that two back-to-back, or tandem, autologous stem cell transplants (using the patient’s own cells) may not cause serious heart problems in the long-term. The study included 12 patients, each of whom received cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) for stem cell mobilization, and then high-dose chemotherapy with melphalan (Alkeran) prior to each transplant. None of the patients developed critical heart issues six years after their tandem transplant. However, the researchers did detect some signs of heart damage in the more detailed tests they carried out. Thus, the authors recommend long-term follow-up studies with tandem transplant patients, in part because of the increasing life expectancy of myeloma patients. For more information, please see the study in journal Radiology and Oncology (full-text).
Methotrexate-Cytarabine Combination May Be Useful For Stem Cell Remobilization – Results from a small study conducted in South Korea indicate that a combination of high-dose methotrexate and cytarabine (Cytosar-U) plus granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) may be a useful alternative for stem cell mobilization. Cytarabine is an older chemotherapy drug which has been used in the treatment of certain leukemias and lymphomas. Methotrexate also is an older drug, which has been used in high doses as a chemotherapy agent, and in low doses to treat various autoimmune disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis. The Korean study included eight patients who had previously failed to mobilize sufficient stem cells using regimens including G-CSF and conventional chemotherapy agents. Of those eight patients, all but one were able to mobilize a sufficient number of stem cells using the methotrexate-cytarabine-G-CSF combination. The researchers point out that larger studies are necessary to confirm their findings. For more information, please refer to the study in the journal Transfusion (abstract).
Donated, Virus-Specific White Blood Cells Effective For Severe Viral Infections After Donor Transplantation – Results of a recent study show that donated t-cells, a type of white blood cell, can be used to treat severe viral infections in patients who have undergone allogeneic (donor) stem cell transplantation. During the study, virus-specific t-cells were collected from individuals who were immune to certain viral infections. The donated t-cells were then used to treat a total of 50 patients who had undergone a donor stem cell transplant and then developed a severe viral infection. In 74 percent of the cases, the donated t-cell treatment led to either a partial or complete elimination of the viral infection. According to the researchers, the treatment was well tolerated; there were no infusion-related side effects, and only 4 percent of the patients developed graft-versus-host disease after the t-cell infusions. Graft-versus-host disease is a complication that arises when donor cells identify the recipient cells as foreign and attack them. For more information, please the study in the journal Blood (full text).
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The results of two recent European studies provide new insights into minimal residual disease detection and its potential value in the treatment of multiple myeloma.
The first study, carried out in Spain, used two different methods to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) in myeloma patients. The study found that the two methods led to similar results, and that MRD levels may be a better predictor of patient prognosis than traditional measures of treatment response.
The second study was conducted by researchers in Britain using data from a large clinical trial carried out …
