Drug Combo Boosts Multiple Myeloma Survival

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Thalidomide had shown benefits against multiple myeloma, but side effects of fatigue, neuropathy, constipation and blood clots were severe.

The first study took place in Canada and in the United States and involved 353 patients who had undergone at least one previous therapy for their disease. Participants were randomized to receive either 25 milligrams of Revlimid or a placebo for the first three weeks. Both groups received dexamethasone on days 1 to 4, 9 to 12 and 17 to 20 of the first four cycles.

Sixty-one percent of participants receiving the combination therapy had complete, near complete or partial responses, versus only 19.9 percent in the placebo group. In the combination group, 14.1 percent had complete responses, compared with 0.6 percent in the placebo group.

Median time to progression of the disease was also longer in the combination group: 11.1 months versus 4.7 months for those on placebo.

Median survival was 29.6 months in the Revlimid group and 20.2 months in the placebo group.

High-level side effects were seen in 85.3 percent of the Revlimid group and 73.1 percent of the placebo group. More people in the Revlimid group had neutropenia (a lowering of white blood cells) and blood clots.

"We showed that lenalidomide minimized neuropathy but blood clots still remained an issue, so people still need to have some form of anti-thrombotic medicine with this drug," Weber said.

The second study, a multicenter effort led by Dr. Meletios Dimopoulos of the University of Athens, Greece, involved 351 patients in Europe who were randomized to the same protocol.

Results were essentially identical to the North American arm.

"These newer drug therapies and drug combinations are enabling people to live with their diseases longer, to possibly get a good response, then there might be a good combination later on that they can try," Dillon said. "It's good news to have another drug in the arsenal of this disease, which can be very difficult to treat."

More information

There's more on multiple myeloma at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society .