Lenalidomide and its role in the management of multiple myeloma.
Treatment of multiple myeloma has changed in recent years. Advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease and the mechanism of drug resistance have led to the development of novel effective biological treatment agents such as thalidomide and bortezomib. Lenalidomide is an oral analogue of thalidomide that lacks the neurotoxic side effects associated with the parent drug, and has shown significant antimyeloma activity. Lenalidomide has now been approved by the US FDA and the European Medicines Agency for use in combination with dexamethasone in patients with at least one prior therapy. Several trials are testing lenalidomide-based regimens in both newly diagnosed and relapsed patients. This review summarizes the profile of lenalidomide and its current role in the treatment of multiple myeloma.
Falco
Patrizia
P
Divisione di Ematologia dell'Università di Torino, Azienda Ospedaliera San Giovanni Battista, Torino, Italy.
Cavallo
Federica
F
Larocca
Alessandra
A
Liberati
Anna Marina
AM
Musto
Pellegrino
P
Boccadoro
Mario
M
Palumbo
Antonio
A
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006801:Humans; D000077269:Lenalidomide; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D013792:Thalidomide; D003907:Dexamethasone; D000077269:Lenalidomide