Multiple Myeloma

Craig Hofmeister, MD, assistant professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Ohio State University, discusses a study that examined the efficacy of reolysin combined with carfilzomib in patients with relapsed multiple myeloma.

With the development of novel therapies, the role and optimal timing of autologous stem cell transplant for the treatment of multiple myeloma have come into question.

Saad Usmani, MD, discusses newly approved treatments for patients with multiple myeloma, as well as combination therapies currently being investigated in clinical trials.

Sagar Lonial, MD, chief medical officer at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, discusses novel mechanisms of agents used for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma.

S. Vincent Rajkumar, MD, discusses a trial of bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone versus lenalidomide plus dexamethasone in patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma.

Amid a growing understanding about the role of epigenetics as a driver of cancer, researchers have turned their attention to a key player in the process: histone deacetylases.

Jesus San Miguel, MD, PhD, professor of Hematology, medical director of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, discusses the Keynote-023 study, which examined pembrolizumab in combination with lenalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

Robert Z. Orlowski, MD, PhD, Department Chair ad interim, Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma, Division of Cancer Medicine, professor, Florence Maude Thomas Cancer Research Professorship, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the phase III SWOG 0777 study, which examined the addition of bortezomib to lenalidomide and dexamethasone versus lenalidomide and dexamethasone alone in patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma.

The addition of pembrolizumab to an established multiple myeloma regimen elicited responses in 76% of 17 patients with relapsed/refractory disease.

The addition of daratumumab to a standard multiple myeloma regimen generated responses in 81% of patients with relapsed or refractory disease that were "rapid, deep, and durable" without introducing any new safety concerns.

Shaji Kumar, MD, professor of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, discusses the phase III Tourmaline-MM1 study, which compared the efficacy of the addition of ixazomib to lenalidomide and dexamethasone with lenalidomide and dexamethasone alone in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

An all orally administered treatment regimen containing ixazomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone showed a 5.9-month improvement in progression-free survival compared with lenalidomide and dexamethasone alone for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

Genetically engineered T cells eradicated multiple myeloma cells in a patient with advanced disease, suggesting the potential to cure the condition.

An all-oral triplet therapy of ixazomib, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone demonstrated promising early response rates in elderly patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

Treatment with the CD38 monoclonal antibody daratumumab demonstrated a 31% overall response rate as monotherapy for patients with heavily pretreated multiple myeloma.

Neal Young, MD, senior investigator, Cell Biology Section, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institute of Health, discusses a study that examined the efficacy of eltrombopag when added to standard immunosuppression for patients with aplastic anemia.

The combination of elotuzumab, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone showed sustained improvements in progression-free survival and overall survival for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

Induction therapy with a triplet of bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone significantly improved progression-free survival and overall survival compared with lenalidomide and dexamethasone alone for patients with untreated multiple myeloma.

Treatment with carfilzomib reduced the risk of progression or death by 47% compared with bortezomib for patients with relapsed multiple myeloma.

Saad Z. Usmani, MD, hematology and medical oncology, Levine Cancer Institute, Carolinas HealthCare System, discusses results of a phase Ib/II study examining the combination of ibrutinib plus carfilzomib in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

In a matter of 15 days, 3 new drugs have been approved for myeloma, namely daratumumab, ixazomib and elotuzumab.

The FDA approved elotuzumab (Empliciti) for use in combination therapy in patients with multiple myeloma following the failure of 1 to 3 prior therapies.

The FDA has approved the oral proteasome inhibitor ixazomib in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone as a treatment for patients with multiple myeloma following progression on at least one prior therapy.

Sundar Jagannath, MD, Professor Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology, Mount Sinai Hospital, discusses the significance of several recent studies in multiple myeloma.

The FDA has granted an accelerated approval to the CD38-targeted monoclonal antibody daratumumab as a monotherapy for patients with multiple myeloma following at least 3 prior therapies.

Kenneth C. Anderson, MD, has helped transform multiple myeloma from an essentially untreatable disease to a chronic condition. He was honored in the Myeloma category with a 2014 Giants of Cancer Care® award, a program that the Intellisphere® Oncology Specialty Group has launched to honor leaders in the field.

Experts discuss developments in CLL, myeloma, and Hodgkin lymphoma.