Multiple Myeloma

The treatment of patients with multiple myeloma is poised to undergo a dramatic transformation, as novel monoclonal antibodies and combination strategies race toward approval.

The FDA has extended the review period for panobinostat (LBH589) in combination with bortezomib (Velcade) and dexamethasone for patients with previously treated multiple myeloma by 3 months, placing a new decision date in early 2015.

In what was described as a very difficult decision, ODAC voted 5-2 against the accelerated approval of the HDAC inhibitor panobinostat in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone as a treatment for patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy.

As therapy options for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma have expanded in recent years, so have clinical considerations about how best to incorporate new agents into the treatment paradigm.

Andrzej Jakubowiak, MD, PhD, professor of medicine, director, Myeloma Program, University of Chicago Medicine, discusses the current and future state of multiple myeloma treatmen

The changes seen in multiple myeloma are a perfect illustration of a potentially shifting paradigm in cancer care.

The FDA has scheduled an ODAC advisory hearing to discuss the new drug application for panobinostat in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy.

Myeloma survivors owe much to Robert A. Kyle's reluctance to perform autopsies or to undergo cardiac catheterization.

Administering carfilzomib once weekly in combination with dexamethasone is safe, with few ≥3 adverse events, and has significant antitumor activity in the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

Treatment with single-agent carfilzomib (Kyprolis) was unable to significantly extend overall survival (OS) compared with best supportive care in heavily pretreated patients with multiple myeloma

Daratumumab, a fully human IgG1k monoclonal antibody that targets CD38, has demonstrated promising activity as monotherapy in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma

The FDA has expanded the bortezomib (Velcade) label to allow for retreatment in patients with multiple myeloma who previously responded to the proteasome inhibitor, according to an announcement made by Millennium/Takeda, the companies that manufacture the drug.

The combination of carfilzomib (Kyprolis), lenalidomide (Revlimid), and low-dose dexamethasone extended progression-free survival (PFS) by 8.7 months compared with lenalidomide and dexamethasone alone for patients with relapsed multiple myeloma

Preliminary evidence supports the use of bromodomain inhibitors in hematologic malignancies, including acute leukemia (mainly acute myelogenous leukemia) and other hematological malignancies, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and multiple myeloma.

Andrzej Jakubowiak, MD, PhD, professor of medicine, director, Myeloma Program, University of Chicago Medicine, discusses the toxicity profile of panobinostat in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone in relapsed or relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma as seen in the PANORAMA trial.

Angela Dispenzieri, MD, a professor of medicine in the division of hematology at the Mayo Clinic, discusses excitement over the development of CD38-targeted monoclonal antibodies as treatments for patients with multiple myeloma.

James R. Berenson, MD, founder, President and Medical and Scientific Director of the Institute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research, President of Oncotherapeutics, discusses the dose-escalation portion of the phase I/II CHAMPION-1 study looking at weekly carfilzomib in combination with dexamethasone for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

At the recent National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) 19th Annual Conference, experts discussed this year's updates to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. The meeting also included reviews of NCCN Task Force reports on issues in supportive care. We asked eleven NCCN panel members to select the most significant updates and insights presented at the conference.