title: Novel therapeutic avenues in myeloma: changing the treatment paradigm.
abstract: Our better understanding of the complex interaction of multiple myeloma (MM) cells with their bone marrow microenvironment and the signaling pathways that are dysregulated in this process has resulted in a dramatic increase in the therapeutic agents available for this disease. A number of these new agents have demonstrated significant activity in patients with MM. Over the past 5 years, three drugs have received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for therapy in MM--bortezomib, thalidomide, and lenalidomide. To date, the choice of therapy for MM is not individualized according to the biologic characteristics of the disease, but future studies should enable us to identify patients who may benefit most from certain therapeutic interventions, and thus develop individualized therapy for MM. In this review, we will present some of the treatment algorithms currently developed for patients with MM and focus on established advances in therapy, specifically with thalidomide, bortezomib, and lenalidomide. We will also discuss some of the emerging novel therapeutic agents showing promise in phase I/II clinical trials in MM.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School Jerome Lipper, Multiple Myeloma Center, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ghobrial
authors.forename: Irene M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Ghobrial
authors.forename: Constantine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mitsiades
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Leleu
authors.forename: Evdoxia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hatjiharissi
authors.forename: Anne-Sophie
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Moreau
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roccaro
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schlossman
authors.forename: Teru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hideshima
authors.forename: Kenneth C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Richardson
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001897:Boronic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069286:Bortezomib; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D006801:Humans; D000077269:Lenalidomide; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001897:Boronic Acids; D011719:Pyrazines; D013792:Thalidomide; D000069286:Bortezomib; D000077269:Lenalidomide