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From Mary Kugler, R.N., Former About.com Guide to Rare Diseases

Using Velcade as part of initial treatment for myeloma improves outcomes

Wednesday September 3, 2008
Multiple myeloma is a blood cell cancerThe standard treatment for multiple myeloma, a blood cell cancer, is taking the drugs Alkeran (melphalan) and prednisone. Velcade (bortezomib) has also been shown to be an effective treatment. A large study of multiple myeloma treatments has shown that taking all three drugs as part of the initial treatment improves the outcome. Compared to people who took only Alkeran and prednisone, people who took all three drugs had a longer time before their disease got worse and tended to live longer.

Other combinations of drugs, such as Revlimid (lenalidomide) plus Decadron (dexamethasone), have shown promising results in treating multiple myeloma. However, researchers have yet to compare the different combination treatments to see if one works better than others.

San Miguel, Jesus F. et al. "Bortezomib plus Melphalan and Prednisone for Initial Treatment of Multiple Myeloma." New England Journal of Medicine 359(2008): 909-917, 964.

Photo © A.D.A.M.

Comments

April 6, 2009 at 4:47 pm
(1) hothyfah says:

hi
thank u for all
but i need to see the graphs of the comparetion of velcade with other drugs
that my semenar about bortezomibe

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