Articles tagged with: Velcade
Opinion»
I started my Velcade (bortezomib) / dexamethasone (Decadron) infusions again last week after recovering for four months from a stem cell transplant that I received this summer.
The infusion process got me thinking about ways I have learned to cope with getting “stuck” for IVs over the years.
Sure, I’m a lot tougher now than when I started treatment for my multiple myeloma almost five years ago.
Even so, it isn’t any fun sitting still while a nurse digs around in your arm, trying to start an IV and looking …
News»
Results of a recent study show that multiple myeloma patients who relapse after pomalidomide therapy may benefit from certain salvage therapies, including Velcade, Revlimid, and stem cell transplantation.
Furthermore, patients who received a stem cell transplant after relapse achieved the highest response rate among all patients who received salvage therapy. The results also suggest that Revlimid retains its activity in patients who relapse after pomalidomide therapy.
“[The study] gives a sense of what therapies still continue to have activity [after patients relapse on pomalidomide],” said Dr. Shaji Kumar of the Mayo Clinic …
News»
European researchers found that the addition of Doxil to Velcade significantly extends the time to disease progression in relapsed / refractory multiple myeloma patients, regardless of age, number of previous therapies, disease stage, and resistance to previous therapy.
However, the addition of Doxil increased the rate of side effects in all patients. Despite the increased rate of side effects, the researchers suggested that Velcade plus Doxil should be considered as an additional standard of care option for myeloma patients, especially those with high-risk disease.
In the last decade, the introduction of novel …
News»
Results of a small, Phase 1/2 Australian study indicate that a combination of Istodax, Velcade, and dexamethasone may be effective in relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma patients.
According to the study authors, patients who participated in the study achieved durable responses and experienced manageable treatment-related side effects with the Istodax combination treatment.
Based on their findings, the study authors concluded that the Istodax combination treatment warrants further evaluation.
“We continue to examine this combination on a [21-day] schedule. We are also planning a study of Revlimid and [Istodax] in a number of …
News»
Newly diagnosed, high-risk multiple myeloma patients can be effectively treated with sequential therapy, according to the results of a recent Phase 2 study. Participants in this study initially received a combination of Velcade, Doxil, and dexamethasone followed by a combination of thalidomide and dexamethasone, with the potential addition of Velcade to the second phase.
The study authors found that the sequential treatment provided rapid responses, which they said is crucial for patients with organ damage or those with advanced disease who need to quickly proceed to stem cell transplantation.
They suggested that …
NewsFlash »
Reduced-Dose Velcade-Thalidomide-Dexamethasone Is Effective For Newly Diagnosed Myeloma – Recently published results from a French study show that the combination of reduced-dose Velcade (bortezomib) and thalidomide (Thalomid) plus dexamethasone (Decadron) is safer and more effective than standard-dose Velcade plus dexamethasone for the treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients. The results were previously presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in June 2010. Results showed that after four cycles of therapy, patients who received the reduced-dose three-drug combination had a significantly higher response rate and experienced fewer side effects than patients receiving the standard-dose regimen. The same group of patients continued to have a higher response rate after stem cell transplantation. For a more detailed summary of the results, please see the Beacon’s coverage of the ASCO presentation or the study in the journal Blood (abstract).
Phase 3 Clinical Trial Investigating The Need For Stem Cell Transplantation Is Recruiting Myeloma Patients – Newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients under the age of 65 years are being recruited at various cancer centers across the United States for a Phase 3 clinical trial that will investigate whether stem cell transplants are necessary in the era of novel agents. All participants will be treated with a combination of Revlimid (lenalidomide), Velcade, and dexamethasone. Half of the patients will then also receive a stem cell transplant. Based on the results, researchers will determine whether stem cell transplantation significantly extends progression-free survival. For more information or to enroll, please see the clinical trial description.
Teleconference On Clinical Trial Participation – On Thursday, the International Myeloma Foundation will sponsor a teleconference about the importance of participating in clinical trials. Dr. Brian Durie, a myeloma specialist at Cedars-Sinai Cancer Center, will discuss the Phase 3 clinical trial comparing carfilzomib-Revlimid-dexamethasone and Revlimid-dexamethasone alone. The call will be held from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. PT. For more information, please see the International Myeloma Foundation website.
For a more detailed listing of myeloma-related events, please check the Myeloma Beacon Events Calendar.
News, Resources»
Multiple myeloma patients being treated with Velcade often experience peripheral neuropathy, which is nerve damage that causes pain, numbness, or tingling in the extremities. Recent studies have identified two ways of reducing neuropathy and other side effects associated with Velcade, while maintaining similar efficacy: administering Velcade intravenously once weekly instead of twice weekly or administering Velcade subcutaneously instead of intravenously.
Velcade (bortezomib) is currently approved to be used intravenously for the treatment of multiple myeloma in the United States and over 90 countries worldwide. Approximately 30 percent of multiple myeloma patients who …
