ONCOLOGY Vol 25 No 12_Suppl_2

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematologic malignancy in the United States, affecting slightly more men than women and twice as many African Americans as Caucasians.

For patients with multiple myeloma (MM) who experience relapse, important advances in medical therapies in the past decade have doubled the duration of survival, mainly because of the effectiveness of novel agents such as thalidomide (Thalomid), bortezomib (Velcade), and lenalidomide (Revlimid).[1]

The introduction of new therapies has led to improved survival of patients with multiple myeloma (MM), even those with relapsed and/or refractory (R/R) disease.

Bortezomib (Velcade), the first-in-class inhibitor of the proteasome,[1] or multicatalytic proteinase complex,[2] was originally found to be active against relapsed and relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma as a single agent in phase I through III clinical trials.[3-6

Multiple myeloma (MM) remains incurable despite the current approaches used in initial therapy, including more effective induction therapy, one or more autologous stem-cell transplants, and consolidation/maintenance strategies.

The rational development of novel targeted therapies is expanding treatment options for patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) multiple myeloma (MM). The first-in-class proteasome inhibitor (PI) bortezomib (Velcade), the immunomodulatory agents thalidomide (Thalomid) and lenalidomide (Revlimid), and liposomal doxorubicin are currently the major approved therapeutic agents in this setting.[1]

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant, progressive plasma cell tumor characterized by overproduction of monoclonal immunoglobulins, osteolytic bone lesions, renal disease, and immunodeficiency.[1] Before the 1980s, patients with MM experienced a slow, progressive decline in quality of life until death approximately 2 years after diagnosis.

The proteasome is an important therapeutic target in the treatment of a small but increasing number of diseases- most notably, B cell malignancies. Multiple myeloma (MM) is one of the first diseases for which proteasome inhibitors (PIs) have been validated and in which they have found widespread use.