title: Low dose Velcade, thalidomide and dexamethasone (LD-VTD): an effective regimen for relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma patients.
abstract: From January 2004, R/R MM cases referred to the Institution received LD-VTD regimen. Patients, irrespective of age, PS and life expectancy, were enrolled in the study once they had a measurable disease. Planned therapy: Velcade 1.0 mg m(-2) i.v. twice weekly for 2 weeks of a 28-day cycle for up to 6 cycles, oral Dexamethasone 24 mg on the day of and the day following each Velcade dose and Thalidomide 100 mg each evening. DVT prophylaxis with warfarin to maintain international normalized ratio between 2.0-3.0 was planned in all patients. As of 1 June 2005, 18 were the treated patients: median age 63 years, median time from diagnosis 5.8 years, a median of 4 previous therapy lines. Seventeen were the valuable patients and 9 (53%) were the responders: 2 CR, 6 PR, 1 MR. Six were the stable disease and 2 the progressive ones. Median time to best response was 2 months. Toxicity was negligible. No case of DVT was recorded. Except for the first cycle, subsequent cycles were delivered on an outpatient basis. After a median follow-up of 11 months, 12 patients were alive and 5 died (3 disease progression, 1 heart failure, 1 intestinal bleeding). Thus, the LD-VTD regimen applied appears feasible and effective in elderly and heavily pre-treated R/R myeloma patients.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ciolli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Leoni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gigli
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rigacci
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bosi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001897:Boronic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069286:Bortezomib; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012008:Recurrence; D016879:Salvage Therapy / Q000379:methods; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001897:Boronic Acids; D011719:Pyrazines; D013792:Thalidomide; D000069286:Bortezomib; D003907:Dexamethasone