title: Therapy with thalidomide in refractory multiple myeloma patients - the revival of an old drug.
abstract: We have treated 17 refractory or relapsed multiple myeloma patients resistant to chemotherapy with thalidomide at a dose of 200-800 mg/day. Eleven patients responded, five of whom had a very good partial response (> 75% decline in M protein) and another five exhibited a partial response (> 50% decline in M protein). Except for one patient, treatment was well tolerated with only mild side-effects. Thalidomide should be included in the therapeutic options for refractory myeloma.
authors.affiliation: The Institute of Haematology, The Chaim Sheba Medical Centre, Tel-Hashomer, and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kneller
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Raanani
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hardan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Avigdor
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Levi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berkowicz
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ben-Bassat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D013792:Thalidomide