title: Investigational treatments for multiple myeloma.
abstract: Multiple myeloma remains a fatal neoplasm and new treatments are urgently needed. In recent years, advances in understanding the molecular pathophysiology of myeloma and the mechanisms of drug resistance led to the development of several novel agents. The drugs with the most available clinical data are thalidomide, bortezomib and lenalidomide. Impressive results obtained with these agents - both in relapsed disease and in newly diagnosed patients - have significantly improved the outcome of myeloma patients. Several other new targeted agents are presently under investigation. These include monoclonal antibodies, agents that target mammalian target of rapamycin, histone acetylation, heat-shock proteins, growth factor signalling cascades, oncogenes, signal transducer and activators of the transcription pathway, Akt pathway and MAPK pathway. Their mechanisms of action, the available knowledge on their efficacy, safety and possible future clinical application are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Ematologia dell'Università di Torino, Azienda Ospedaliera San Giovanni Battista, Via Genova 3, 10126 Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bringhen
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Avonto
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Magarotto
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boccadoro
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palumbo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001897:Boronic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069286:Bortezomib; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015195:Drug Design; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D015507:Drugs, Investigational / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061988:Proteasome Inhibitors; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012074:Remission Induction; D012307:Risk Factors; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001897:Boronic Acids; D015507:Drugs, Investigational; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D061988:Proteasome Inhibitors; D011719:Pyrazines; D013792:Thalidomide; D000069286:Bortezomib