A group of international researchers analyzed the outcomes of multiple myeloma patients after they failed to respond to therapy with novel agents, such as Velcade, Revlimid, and thalidomide.

The study authors stated that the results will help physicians and patients better understand patients’ prognoses and select appropriate clinical trials.

“The study provides an estimate of the expected outcome among patients with myeloma that has stopped responding to the newly available drugs,” said Dr. Shaji Kumar from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and lead author of the study. “This will allow patients to …

European myeloma experts recently developed guidelines for the appropriate management of side effects associated with novel agent therapy for older multiple myeloma patients. This article, Part 1 in a series, summarizes the guidelines for the management of Velcade-related side effects. Part 2 summarizes the European experts’ guidelines for the management of thalidomide-related side effects, Part 3 summarizes the guidelines for the management of Revlimid-related side effects, and Part 4 summarizes recommendations on novel agent use in specific patient populations.

The novel agents Velcade (bortezomib), thalidomide (Thalomid), and

Novel agents, such as Velcade (bortezomib) and Revlimid (lenalidomide), have greatly advanced the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma. Indeed, by incorporating novel agents as induction therapy prior to consolidation with high-dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation, we have made huge strides in survival outcomes over the last 10 years.  However, treatment with anti-myeloma agents may be associated with side effects that negatively impact quality of life.

Recently, two advances have been reported resulting in a decrease in peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage causing pain, numbness, and/or tingling in the …

Results of a recent Italian study suggest that a combination of Velcade and dexamethasone is a safe and effective form of maintenance therapy for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma patients who responded to Velcade-containing rescue regimens.

“Our study showed that maintenance therapy with Velcade in relapsed / refractory multiple myeloma patients may improve the progression-free survival and overall survival of patients with a low grade of toxicity,” Dr. Giulia Benevolo, lead author of the study, told The Myeloma Beacon.

“[However], this is a Phase 2 trial, and the results must be confirmed in randomized …

Results of a recent Phase 2 study indicate that a steroid-free regimen of Velcade, Doxil, and thalidomide is effective in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients.

“The most novel aspect [of the study] is that high response rates and effective disease control can be achieved without the use of [the corticosteroid] dexamethasone,” said Dr. Asher Chanan-Khan, one of the study’s investigators and a researcher at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York.

“The development of such a regimen is critical as it can be used both in newly diagnosed or relapsed …

A group of Italian researchers recently showed that consolidation therapy with Velcade, thalidomide, and dexamethasone was more effective than consolidation therapy with thalidomide and dexamethasone alone.

In particular, they found that the Velcade-based consolidation therapy yielded more high-quality responses, such as complete responses, and a high rate of molecular remission, in which patients showed no signs of remaining myeloma cells.

Dr. Michele Cavo from the Seragnoli Institute of Hematology in Bologna, Italy, presented the results at the 16^th Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA) in London last week.

In the study, …