Magdalena Kegel,  —

A new immunotherapy using natural killer cells showed promise in a small proof-of-concept Phase 1 trial of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma patients who also received anti-myeloma treatment. Although the trial suggested the treatment is safe and effective, larger studies are needed to determine if the cells really help patients…

A combination treatment of four drugs including the chemotherapy agent Alkeran (melphalan) gives excellent short-term outcomes in multiple myeloma patients who undergo stem cell transplants, a recent study found. Researchers emphasized, however, that randomized clinical trials with long-term follow-ups are needed to clearly demonstrate that this approach is better than…

A new type of dendritic cell-based immunotherapy triggered an immune response in the majority of patients in a small Phase 1 trial (NCT02248402) of relapsed or treatment-resistant multiple myeloma. But that was not enough to combat the cancer, as the best clinical response was a temporary stabilization of disease.

Researchers have discovered a mechanism underlying the development of treatment resistance to proteasome inhibitors in multiple myeloma. Surprisingly, the mechanism also was linked to a complete switch in the genetic profile of a tumor — opening up for the possibility that drugs with entirely different ways of acting may be…

Patients in a precancerous stage of multiple myeloma would be wise to avoid gaining extra weight, according to new research that shows being overweight or obese increases the risk that the condition progresses to cancer. The study, “Obesity and the Transformation of Monoclonal Gammopathy of Underdetermined Significance to Multiple…

A combination of nonspecific symptoms, including back pain and weight loss, should alert physicians to the possibility of multiple myeloma. Still, the recognition of symptom patterns is not likely to improve outcomes, as the study did not find any links between the time from first symptoms to diagnosis and survival, making…

Combining three well-known oral drugs shows potential for heavily pretreated multiple myeloma patients who have grown resistant to therapy with one of the included drugs, according to the results of a study. The trio — low-dose Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide), Revlimid (lenalidomide) and prednisone (also known as Deltasone, among other brands) — was…

The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) is going to add its entire worth of genomic data to the Genomic Data Commons, a National Cancer Institute (NCI) database that aids precision care of myeloma by making cancer data publicly available. The addition of the multiple myeloma data to the repository…

Minimal residual disease, a measurement that shows a low level of disease detected, should be used as an endpoint in myeloma clinical trials, a study exploring previously published data suggests. The study, “Association of Minimal Residual Disease With Superior Survival Outcomes in Patients With Multiple Myeloma: A…

Adding Darzalex (daratumumab) to the treatment of multiple myeloma with Velcade (bortezomib) and dexamethasone significantly improved progression-free survival in a clinical trial of patients who had relapsed or did not respond to standard treatment. The study, “Daratumumab, Bortezomib, and Dexamethasone for Multiple Myeloma,” published in the…