Multiple myeloma (MM) is a significant malignancy that arises in the antibody-producing cells of the bone marrow. Generally regarded as incurable, patients who achieve optimal responses to treatment have the best prognosis. However, for many decades, standard chemotherapy induced complete responses in only a small number of patients. The recent addition of thalidomide, lenalidomide, and bortezomib has revolutionized the conventional chemotherapeutic regimens used for MM patients. Importantly, significant strides have been made in the treatment of elderly MM patients, for whom traditional treatment strategies such as autologous stem cell transplantation are not an option. Improvements in clinical response to therapy have concomitantly increased patients’ survival and quality of life. Here, several key phase III trials which evaluated regimens containing these new agents are discussed. These trials were presented last December at the 49th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology, in Atlanta, Georgia. Special focus here is on the patient cohorts treated in each study, as well as response rates and the impact these new agents will likely have on current patient care.

Download PDF

Visit CME University to take test