Oral melphalan, dexamethasone, and thalidomide for the treatment of refractory multiple myeloma.
We present a patient with refractory multiple myeloma who showed a good response to a combination therapy with oral melphalan, dexamethasone, and thalidomide (MDT). A 48-year-old woman with myeloma refractory to thalidomide, dexamethasone, and clarithromycin received 6 mg melphalan for 4 days every 6 weeks in combination with thalidomide (100 mg daily) and dexamethasone (5 mg daily for 2 days every week). Four months after the initiation of MDT therapy, a 78% reduction of monoclonal protein was achieved. Although the efficacy of oral MDT combination therapy in elderly patients with newly diagnosed myeloma has been reported, the present data demonstrate the effectiveness of MDT therapy for refractory myeloma and warrant further exploration with this MDT regimen to treat myeloma.
Department of Hematology, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Kumamoto, Japan. ktcnasou@gpo.kumamoto-u.ac.jp
Norio
N
Asou
Yoshiharu
Y
Izuno
Toshiya
T
Okubo
Kazuhiko
K
Ide
Hiroshi
H
Ueno
Makoto
M
Kawakita
Hiroaki
H
Mitsuya
Hiroyuki
H
Hata
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008558:Melphalan / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000008:administration & dosage
D013792:Thalidomide; D003907:Dexamethasone; D008558:Melphalan