The treatment of smoldering myeloma is advancing based on what myeloma researchers are learning in recent studies. One of the most important points discussed at the recent ASCO conference were how to better risk stratify smoldering myeloma patients.   Dr. Natalie Callander from the University of Wisconsin shared a study from smoldering myeloma patients that began[...]

Patients with blood cancers are at a higher risk of developing head and neck cancers, according to results of a retrospective study published in JAMA Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery. Having a prior blood cancer was also associated with worse 2 and 5-year overall survival for these head and neck cancers.    The study[...]

University of Kentucky (UK) researchers have discovered a new compound that targets the active site of proteasomes. Proteasomes are the garbage processor of cells, breaking down old proteins into smaller peptides so they can be re-used in the creation of new proteins. In multiple myeloma, several proteasome inhibitors have been developed to treat multiple myeloma[...]

The company Cellectar Biosciences announced that it has received USFDA’s fast track designation for its research candidate CLR 131 in fourth line, or later, relapse/refractory multiple myeloma. CLR 131 presents a somewhat novel approach to treat our disease. This follows Orphan Drug Designation for the same indication in 2014, followed last year by both Orphan[...]

Those of us who went through the stem cell transplant process are, undoubtedly, familiar with melphalan. This is the drug that is typically used in the conditioning regimen [the step to ‘kill’ the myeloma cells] prior to transplant. We recently posted another article about the potential benefit of combining melphalan with busulfan in ‘conditioning’. A[...]

An interesting head-on comparison study was presented at ASCO a few days ago in patients with high risk SMM. The study compared “observation” (somewhat akin to ‘do nothing until things get worse’) to starting to treat patients with lenalidomide (Revlimid) early on. Lenalidomide is a drug that is well known to the average multiple myeloma[...]

There is hope and promise around CAR T cell therapy for multiple myeloma patients. At the same time that the first early CAR T trials are beginning to publish data results, new methods of manufacturing are being developed to make CAR T therapy more effective, easier to produce and less expensive. Some CAR T companies[...]

Last week the New England Journal of Medicine published results from the Phase I Celgene bb2121 CAR T clinical trial.  In the Phase I study, 33 patients with relapsed or refractory myeloma were giving bb2121 as a single infusion of the CAR T product at different doses in the dose escalation phase (50×106, 150×106, 450×106,[...]

Help navigating myeloma is always needed. For many patients, it’s helpful to have a mentor help walk you through your myeloma journey. Takeda Oncology recently launched its new program called My Mentor Connections which focuses on supporting and encouraging multiple myeloma patients on their individual journeys. These mentors are patients and caregivers who devote their time[...]

University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers have discovered a way to prevent kidney failure in multiple myeloma patients.  Paul Sanders, MD, a nephrologist at UAB found that kidney damage can be prevented by blocking a pathway activated in the kidney by light chain proteins produced by the myeloma cells.  The study was published in the[...]