September 10th 2024
Community and academic oncologists discussed how effective communication between practices can enhance multiple myeloma outcomes.
September 3rd 2024
Applying New Evidence in Multiple Myeloma Care from Frontline to R/R Disease
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Community Practice Connections™: 5th Annual Precision Medicine Symposium – An Illustrated Tumor Board
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Annual Hematology Meeting: Preceding the 66th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition
December 6, 2024
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Community Oncology Connections™: Overcoming Barriers to Testing, Trial Access, and Equitable Care in Cancer
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Translating New Evidence into Treatment Algorithms from Frontline to R/R Multiple Myeloma: How the Experts Think & Treat
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Medical Crossfire: How Has Iron Supplementation Altered Treatment Planning for Patients with Cancer-Related Anemia?
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Medical Crossfire®: The Experts Bridge Recent Data in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia With Real-World Sequencing Questions
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Community Practice Connections™: Pre-Conference Workshop on Immune Cell-Based Therapy
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Fighting Disparities and Saving Lives: An Exploration of Challenges and Solutions in Cancer Care
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Low Doses of Zoledronic Acid Reduce Complications of Bone Metastases
June 1st 2001Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center report that very low doses of a potent new bisphosphonate, zoledronic acid (Zometa), reduces the complications arising from multiple myeloma and breast cancer that have metastasized to the bone. The
Thalidomide Studied in a Variety of Cancers and Metabolic Disorders
April 1st 2001At the Chemotherapy Foundation Symposium XVIII in New York City, researchers from the Arkansas Cancer Research Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, M. D. Anderson, and the National Cancer Institute presented updated clinical trial data
High-Potency Bisphosphonate Is Effective for Bone Mets
March 1st 2001SAN ANTONIO-Zoledronic acid (Zometa), a high-potency bisphospho-nate, is at least as effective as pamidronate (Aredia) in treating bone metastases, James R. Berenson, MD, said at the 23rd Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Delivered in a 5-minute infusion, zoledronic acid is expected to be more convenient and easier to use than the older bisphosphonate, said Dr. Berenson, director, Multiple Myeloma and Bone Metastasis Programs, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles.
Thalidomide Analogs Active Against Multiple Myeloma
March 1st 2001Laboratory studies evaluating the activity of Celgene’s immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) on multiple myeloma cells suggest that these agents may be beneficial in the treatment of multiple myeloma. Researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Few Relapses 7 Years Post-transplant for Myeloma
February 1st 2001SAN FRANCISCO-Seven years seems to be the cutoff point for multiple myeloma patients receiving tandem autotransplants to avoid relapse and achieve long-term survival. "Most relapses were seen in the first 3 years," Guido Tricot, MD, said at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 42nd Annual Meeting. "Relapses start to decrease between 3 and 7 years. After 7 years, it is exceptional to relapse."
Intensive Chemo After Tandem Transplants for Myeloma Outcomes
February 1st 2001SAN FRANCISCO-Multiple myeloma patients receiving intensive chemotherapy following bone marrow transplantation had "significantly superior" survival, according to a poster presentation at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 42nd Annual Meeting. The survival advantages extended to patients with two or more risk factors for relapse after high-dose therapy.
Potent Thalidomide Analogs Active Against Multiple Myeloma
December 1st 2000BOSTON-Laboratory studies assessing the effect of potent thalidomide analogs on multiple myeloma cells suggest they have potential for the treatment of multiple myeloma, investigators from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School reported.
Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, Second Edition
September 1st 2000Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, edited by Drs. Thomas, Blume, and Forman, is an excellent updated second edition of their comprehensive textbook designed for both practitioners involved in transplantation and those interested in the science of stem-cell transplantation.
Novel Compound Permits High-Dose Radiation to Bone
September 1st 2000NEW ORLEANS-High-dose radiation targeted to bone by 166Ho-DOTMP combined with melphalan (Alkeran) with or without total body radiation (TBI) is safe and effective in patients with multiple myeloma, according to clinical trial results presented at the 36th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
Scientists Identify Gene Mutations in Multiple Myeloma
August 1st 2000NEW YORK-Researchers at the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University have identified a collection of distinct chromosome translocations associated with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), a benign preclinical phase of multiple myeloma.
Innovative Technologies Used for Patient and Medical Education
June 1st 2000CLEVELAND-Patient education can be improved through the use of new technologies such as computer networks and CD-ROMs. At the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, a website provides disease information and clinical trial updates for multiple myeloma patients. At the Princess Margaret Hospital (Toronto), cancer information for both patients and professionals is offered on its local “intranet” and on CD-ROMs. These cancer education efforts were described at the 33rd annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Education.
Age No Contraindication to High-Dose Therapy in Myeloma
May 1st 2000NEW ORLEANS -Age should not be a contraindication for high-dose therapy based on melphalan (Alkeran) in patients with multiple myeloma, according to an analysis by researchers at the Myeloma and Transplantation Research Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock.
Fusion Cell Vaccine Kills Multiple Myeloma Cells in Vitro
May 1st 2000NEW ORLEANS-Multiple myeloma cells can be fused to dendritic cells and the resulting fusion cells used to selectively kill myeloma tumor cells in vitro, according to a poster presentation at the 41st annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH).
Stem Cell Transplantation for Multiple Myeloma Most Effective When Used Early-On in the Disease
May 1st 2000NEW ORLEANS -Based on an analysis of prognostic factors in a large European registry study, it appears that autologous stem cell transplantation is most effective when applied early in the course of multiple myeloma in younger, responsive patients.
Thalidomide Active in Advanced Multiple Myeloma
April 1st 2000Mayo Clinic investigators confirmed a recent study showing the activity of thalidomide (Thalomid) in advanced multiple myeloma. Although the drug needs to undergo further clinical trials, it may provide myeloma patients with a new treatment
Substantial Activity of Thalidomide in Multiple Myeloma, Study
March 1st 2000An Arkansas Cancer Research Center study, published in the November 18, 1999, issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, found that thalidomide (Thalidomid) effectively reduced or, in some cases, eliminated tumor activity in multiple myeloma patients who had not responded previously to other agents.
Phase II Study of Rituximab in Previously Treated Patients With Multiple Myeloma: Progress Report
March 1st 2000B cells, plasma cells, or both may act as clonogenic cells in multiple myeloma. Circulating CD20-positive B cells bearing identical immunoglobulin H (IgH) rearrangements as autologous plasma cells circulate in most multiple myeloma patients. In
Durable Complete Remissions Possible ‘Prelude to Cure’ in Multiple Myeloma
February 1st 2000LITTLE ROCK-Durable complete remissions “as a prelude to cure” can be obtained in more than half of good-risk multiple myeloma patients who are optimally treated. This conclusion was based on findings from 1,000 consecutive multiple myeloma patients enrolled from 1988 to 1998 in tandem melphalan-based high-dose therapy (HDT) trials with autologous hematopoetic stem cell support. The study was conducted by Bart Barlogie, MD, and colleagues from the Myeloma and Transplantation Research Center, University of Arkansas for Medicine Sciences, and reported at the ASH meeting.
Idiotype Protein Vaccine Improves Survival in Post-Transplant Multiple Myeloma
February 1st 2000LITTLE ROCK-High-dose chemotherapy with bone-marrow transplant produces complete remissions in about 40% of multiple myeloma patients, but current maintenance therapy is not able to maintain this response. New preliminary data, however, show that multiple myeloma patients who receive a purified immunoglobulin idiotype protein as a vaccine after high-dose chemotherapy and transplant are likely to have improved event-free survival. Nikhil C. Munshi, MD, of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences reported these preliminary results at the ASH meeting.
Idiotype Vaccination With Dendritic Cells Induces Response in Multiple Myeloma Patients
February 1st 2000STANFORD, California-Idiotype (Id) vaccination using dendritic cells induced Id-specific T-cell responses in multiple myeloma and was associated with a decrease in the myeloma protein level, according to Stanford University researchers, who reported their results at the ASH meeting.
Dendritic Cell–Based Vaccine Induces Immune Response in Multiple Myeloma
February 1st 2000NEW ORLEANS-Vaccinating multiple myeloma patients with their own idiotype-loaded dendritic cells appears to be a safe way of stimulating immune responses against the cancers, according to two poster presentations at the ASH meeting.
Rituximab Active in Multiple Myeloma
February 1st 2000BOSTON-Multiple myeloma remains one of the more intractable problems in oncology. Although about 60% of patients respond to current standard treatment with melphalan and prednisone, median survival is only 2 to 3 years, and toxicity is significant. Nearly all multiple myeloma patients treated with melphalan/prednisone ultimately die of progressive disease. About 25% of patients survive for 5 years or longer, but 10-year survival is less than 5%. High-dose chemotherapy followed by stem-cell transplantation produces higher remission rates but no cures.
IFN-g Increases Rituximab Binding to Multiple Myeloma Plasma Cells
February 1st 2000BOSTON-Interferon-gamma (IFN-g) triggers expression of CD20 on otherwise non-expressing multiple myeloma cells and may set them up for destruction by anti- CD20 monoclonal antibodies such as rituximab (Rituxan), Steven P. Treon, MD, PhD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute reported at the ASH meeting. Rituximab is an appealing therapeutic agent because of its relative lack of toxicity, but other studies have shown that in multiple myeloma, it is effective primarily in patients with CD20+ cells.
Rituximab as Single Agent May Improve Response in Subset of Multiple Myeloma Patients
February 1st 2000CLEVELAND-Rituximab (Rituxan) as a single agent appears to be active in a subset of multiple myeloma patients who have CD20+ plasma cells. That finding, reported at the ASH meeting, came as a result of a study by Mohamad A. Hussein, MD, and colleagues at the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center to evaluate the effectiveness of rituximab in improving the response rate to melphalan/prednisone (Alkeran/Deltasone) as well as progression-free survival.