Myeloma is a bone marrow cancer that results in over production of plasma cells resulting in a weakened immune system and interferes with normal production and function of red and white blood cells.
Led by Dr. Graham Jackson of the Northern Institute for Cancer Research at Newcastle University, UK, the researchers conducted a seven-year study of 4,000 myeloma patients in 110 hospitals in the UK. Of those 1,137 newly diagnosed patients were randomly assigned to maintenance therapy with lenalidomide and 834 similar patients were treated with conventional therapy and followed.
The results showed that the lenalidomide prolonged average remission time by more than two years in younger patients and more than a year in older patients. It reduced the risk of progression or death by 50 percent in both groups. The study appears in the Dec. 15, 2018 Lancet Oncology.
“This is a major breakthrough as it shows that the long-term use of lenalidomide significantly improves the time myeloma patients stay in remission after initial therapy," Dr. Graham said in a press release. "“Our research highlights that lenalidomide should be considered for newly diagnosed patients following stem-cell transplantation.”
Led by Dr. Graham Jackson of the Northern Institute for Cancer Research at Newcastle University, UK, the researchers conducted a seven-year study of 4,000 myeloma patients in 110 hospitals in the UK. Of those 1,137 newly diagnosed patients were randomly assigned to maintenance therapy with lenalidomide and 834 similar patients were treated with conventional therapy and followed.
The results showed that the lenalidomide prolonged average remission time by more than two years in younger patients and more than a year in older patients. It reduced the risk of progression or death by 50 percent in both groups. The study appears in the Dec. 15, 2018 Lancet Oncology.
“This is a major breakthrough as it shows that the long-term use of lenalidomide significantly improves the time myeloma patients stay in remission after initial therapy," Dr. Graham said in a press release. "“Our research highlights that lenalidomide should be considered for newly diagnosed patients following stem-cell transplantation.”
Source: Newcastle University press release.
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