title: An UK myeloma forum phase II study of thalidomide; long term follow-up and recommendations for treatment.
abstract: Myeloma remains incurable with conventional treatment in the vast majority of patients. The introduction of thalidomide in 1999 for the treatment of relapsed disease offers the opportunity to treat patients who have developed myelotoxicity or who are refractory to conventional chemotherapy. The optimal schedule remains unresolved and only two studies have reported long term follow-up data. We report a phase II low dose escalation study of thalidomide with long term follow-up showing overall survival (OS) of 19 months and progression free survival (PFS) of 14 months. In addition we report on the side effects and toxicity and give recommendations for the use of thalidomide in the relapsed setting based upon these findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Guy's Hospital, King's College London Medical School, University of London, London SE1 9RT, UK. steve.schey@gstt.sthames.nhs.uk
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Schey
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cavenagh
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Child
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oakervee
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020714:Maximum Tolerated Dose; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012074:Remission Induction; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D015996:Survival Rate; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D013792:Thalidomide