New treatments for myeloma.
The management of multiple myeloma has benefited substantially from the introduction of three new drugs, namely, the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib and the immunomodulators thalidomide and lenalidomide. These drugs were initially shown to improve the outcome of advanced myeloma and were subsequently found to transform the treatment of patients with previously untreated myeloma. Melphalan and prednisone combined with thalidomide or bortezomib is the new treatment of reference for patients who are elderly or ineligible for intensification. The introduction of these new drugs into induction regimens, intensified conditioning regimens, and posttransplantation regimens may improve overall survival among young patients by increasing the rate and quality of the treatment responses. Although myeloma remains incurable, prolonged survival is now a reasonable objective.
Azaïs
Isabelle
I
Service de rhumatologie, CHU de Poitiers, 2, rue de la Milétrie, 86021 Poitiers cedex, France. i.azais@chu-poitiers.fr
Brault
Rachel
R
Debiais
Françoise
F
D001897:Boronic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069286:Bortezomib; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077269:Lenalidomide; D008558:Melphalan / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality; D019653:Myeloablative Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015996:Survival Rate; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D001897:Boronic Acids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D019653:Myeloablative Agonists; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D011719:Pyrazines; D013792:Thalidomide; D000069286:Bortezomib; D000077269:Lenalidomide; D008558:Melphalan; D011241:Prednisone