MULTIPLE MYELOMA

John Leonard, MD, discusses the inefficacy of early treatment and treatment options for patients with follicular lymphoma. Leonard says the relapse rate for patients with follicular lymphoma is around 80%.

Sagar Lonial, MD, professor, School of Medicine, executive vice chair, Department of Hematology & Medical Oncology, chief medical officer, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, discusses whether or not to treat patients with smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM), or asymptomatic myeloma.

Captisol-enabled (CE) melphalan (Evomela) has been approved by the FDA as a high-dose conditioning treatment for patients with multiple myeloma prior to autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT).

For the first time, scientists have identified a "feed-forward loop" consisting of a gene, micro-RNA, and transcription factor implicated in both multiple myeloma and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, according to an article published this month in the Blood Cancer Journal.

Branagan said in his study, which gave patients with myeloma a high-dose flu vaccine followed by a booster dose 30 days later, 66% of patients saw total serum protection from the ailment. he said previous efforts to vaccinate patients with myeloma has resulted in a 20% total serum protection.

Saad Usmani, MD, discusses newly approved treatments, as well as these combination therapies currently in clinical trials.

Data from the trial shows induction therapy with a triplet of bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone improved both progression-free survival and overall survival over lenalidomide and dexamethasone alone in patients with untreated multiple myeloma.

Claire Harrison, MD, discusses ruxolitinib continuing to show a benefit for patients with advanced myelofibrosis over the course of a 5 year study.

S. Vincent Rajkumar, MD, discusses bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone coming out on top in a recent phase III trial over lenalidomide and dexamethasone alone.

Saad Z. Usmani, MD, discusses the combination of carfilzomib and filanesib as a treatment for multiple myeloma.

The SWOG S0777 trial data shows induction therapy with a triplet of bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone improved both progression-free survival and overall survival over lenalidomide and dexamethasone alone in patients with untreated multiple myeloma.

A triplet of elotuzumab, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone produced sustained improvements in both progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, according to a 3-year analysis of the phase III ELOQUENT-2 trial.

Adding the monoclonal antibody daratumumab to standard multiple myeloma regimens showcased responses in 81% of patients with relapsed or refractory myeloma that were

An oral treatment combination of ixazomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone showed a 5.9-month improvement in progression-free survival in comparison to lenalidomide and dexamethasone alone for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

Gene therapy has potential to deliver lasting remissions in patients with advanced B-cell malignancies who have undergone allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant, according to research presented by James N. Kochenderfer, MD.

Data shows ruxolitinib continues to work in patients with advanced myelofibrosis by maintaining spleen size reduction and overall survival improvements over the course of a 5 year study, according to data presented during the 57th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology.

Daratumumab demonstrated a 31% overall response rate as monotherapy for patients with heavily pretreated multiple myeloma, according to a combined analysis of two pivotal studies presented at the 2015 ASH Annual Meeting.

Carfilzomib has been found to reduce the risk of progression and death by 47% in patients with relapsed multiple myeloma when compared to bortezomib, according to the the phase III ENDEAVOR trial.

The triple combination of ixazomib, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone, all taken orally, showed encouraging early response rates in elderly patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, according to phase II data presented at the 2015 ASH Annual Meeting.

A combination of the oral proteasome inhibitor ixazomib (Ninlaro), lenalidomide (Revlimid) and dexamethasone has been approved by the FDA a full 4 months ahead of schedule for patients with multiple myeloma with at least 1 prior surgery.

Carfilzomib (Kyprolis) in combination with dexamethasone, was recently granted a priority review designation by the FDA for patients who have relapsed multiple myeloma, following prior treatment with at least one therapy.

Ixazomib (MLN9708), an oral proteasome inhibitor, was recently granted a priority review designation by the FDA, in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone for the treatment of patients who have relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma.

Daratumumab was recently assigned a priority review designation by the FDA as a treatment for patients who have multiple myeloma.

US Veterans, including former Air Force personnel who participated in Operation Ranch Hand, have a 2.4-fold increased risk of multiple myeloma’s precursor state, MGUS,

Elotuzumab (Empliciti) was recently granted a priority review by the FDA for use in combination therapy in patients who have multiple myeloma, following the failure of one or more prior therapies.