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January 28, 2021
As we look forward to what we hope will be a much better year ahead, it is heartwarming to see that important research continues and can guide the way to scientifically based decision-making. A whole range of recent publications informs best practices for…
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It’s January 2021, another year is put to rest. I truly wish it was indeed restful, but we know it has been challenging. These times have been some of the most frightening, and we probably say that every year. Yet, here we are slogging our way through a pandemic and lockdowns to help us stay safe…
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January 14, 2021
Despite the enormous difficulties of 2020, myeloma patients can take comfort in the fact that the approach to myeloma care continues to evolve rapidly. Important trial data accumulate, and many promising immune and other therapies are emerging.
The key trends…
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Something that we all experience one time or another is we think we're doing okay, maybe even really, really okay, and then the other shoe drops. Sometimes I think of Charles Dickens. I was an English major in college, and yes, I had to read his work. It seems today that we're in a very similar…
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Top ASH 2020 Multiple Myeloma Trial Updates November 12, 2020It is that time of year again: the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition is rapidly approaching, in a virtual format…
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Finding Hope and Purpose in a Chaotic World
There is so much going on right now all around the world. Yes, COVID did a lot to push us all right over the cliff. Freefall was never my idea of a good time, yet here we are. Surprisingly, I think we’re doing fairly well despite the chaos we’re…
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October 29, 2020
As a lifelong scientist, I rely on and trust the results of gifted and honest researchers. I also strongly believe in the power of new research, information, and results. That is why I am grateful for the research funding generated by the recent and highly…
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October 22, 2020
For this year’s IMF 14th Annual Virtual Comedy Celebration (Friday, October 23, at 6 p.m. PT/ 9 p.m. ET), we are so blessed to have the cast from “Everybody Loves Raymond” recreate the classic sitcom with…
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October 15, 2020
We know that myeloma patients are especially vulnerable in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic. But what has been largely overlooked is that older adults, who make up the largest percentage of myeloma patients, are psychologically highly resilient. (…
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We are definitely in very strange times. Who would ever imagine that so many challenging things would happen all at once? We’ve all been through some tough times going through life, but this pandemic seems to be taking a lot of the wind out of our sails.
It wasn’t that long ago that everything…
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August 27, 2020
The IMF hosted the 11th Annual International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) Summit in virtual fashion on August 25-26. Although it was held online, the Summit continued the tradition of focusing on the latest…
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August 13, 2020
This past week, the IMF hosted a Global Roundtable of myeloma experts to develop International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) recommendations for the COVID-19 pandemic. Myeloma researchers from the Asia Pacific…
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August 6, 2020
The IMF will host the 11th Annual International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) Summit August 25-26. Focused, as always, on the latest myeloma research from experts around the world, the IMWG Summit will be…
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July 16, 2020
Belantamab Approval
On Tuesday, July 14, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s ODAC (the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee…
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July 9, 2020
As we face another week of COVID-19 spiraling out of control in the U.S., the need to find answers is urgent. It turns out that some answers are available and words of wisdom emerge from studies of the past in the book…
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July 2, 2020
As we watch COVID-19 cases spiral out of control across the U.S., there is an emergency reality check: how do we stop this? How do we flatten this dangerous upward curve? Some political leaders in the most seriously affected regions have only now begun a reluctant…
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June 18, 2020The top story of the week is, undoubtedly, the new study from the U.K. showing that dexamethasone, the ever-present myeloma therapy, is effective in very sick patients…
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June 11, 2020
This week we are faced with two issues. Racism that has harmed Black people physically, economically and spiritually for generations has triggered massive protests in cities and towns around the world. The powerful voices of the people are demanding that…
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June 4, 2020
Today, the U.S. House Select Committee on the COVID-19 crisis, chaired by Representative James E. Clyburn, held a briefing to…
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May 28, 2020
Virtual ASCO
This weekend, researchers would have been descending on Chicago for the 56th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) to learn the latest about myeloma research, along with…
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Nikki Roldan is a standout as a myeloma patient. At age 30, she is energetic and always armed with what she calls, “PMA—or positive mental attitude.” Around her neck she wears a necklace that she made out of bullet casings. She, her big brothers, and her dad went to the desert to shoot guns. Nikki…
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May 7, 2020
As the COVID-19 crisis enters a new phase of re-opening in some places, it is important to assess what the new abnormal is going to look like. Within this new abnormal it is essential to achieve the best myeloma care possible. So, let’s start with myeloma care for…
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April 30, 2020
This week, there was renewed concern in the myeloma community after a report appeared in the Washington Post about higher risks for cancer patients who become infected…
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At the Brian D. Novis Research Grant Awards reception, a night filled with hope held during the 2019 American Society of Hematology meeting, Doug Farrell shared how he adopted an attitude of steadfastness — or 'staying with it' — once diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Read the full…
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Tim Gavallas is a police officer, father of twins, husband, kayaker, ice-fisher, mountain climber, and multiple myeloma patient. At the Brian D. Novis Research Grant Awards reception, a night filled with hope held during the 2019 American Society of Hematology meeting, Tim shared how a…
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Even though Dan Niedert has been living with multiple myeloma, he finds resilience in his myeloma journey. At the Brian D. Novis Research Grant Awards reception, a night filled with hope held during the 2019 American Society of Hematology meeting, Dan described his experiences with the…
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Published on February 20, 2020
I have written a lot about resilience and the importance of it for myeloma patients. The “Wall of Resilience,” a moving photo…
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Advancements in Myeloma Research: Black Swan Projects in 2020
The result of a brainstorming meeting held in Amsterdam in 2012, the IMF Black Swan Research Initiative (BSRI) has made enormous progress. A Global Technology Platform involving seven…
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Over the holidays, while the terrifying fires raged in Australia, people asked themselves, “How do we stop climate change?” At the same time, the usual holiday food temptations abounded, and, on a micro level, discussions focused on whether it was okay to indulge in red meat—or are healthier…
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As we move into the holiday season, we are all looking forward to time with family and friends to enjoy, celebrate, and relax after a tumultuous year. This year was extraordinarily busy for the IMF, but in 2019 there were great steps forward to improve outcomes for myeloma patients everywhere. In…
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The IMF team just returned from an extremely busy and exciting meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) in Orlando. What are the key takeaways from the myeloma research presented at this important event? Here is the news I found to…
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ASH Abstracts 2019
Today, the American Society of Hematology (ASH) released late-breaking abstracts in advance of the 2019 ASH Annual Meeting, Dec. 7-10 in Orlando, Florida.
According to ASH, the six late-…
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Early iStopMM Results for MGUS Screening in Iceland REYKJAVIK, Iceland, November 14, 2019—After three years of work, initial results from the IMF-supported iStopMM project were presented here today by Dr. Sigurdur Kristinsson (…
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The American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting will take place Dec. 7 through Dec. 10 in Orlando, Florida, and the abstracts for the meeting—always eagerly awaited—were released yesterday. Among the over 700 abstracts dealing…
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The recent publication of the ECOG trial evaluating lenalidomide (Revlimid) treatment versus observation for patients with smoldering myeloma has prompted considerable discussion about the current recommendations for…
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At the last two International Myeloma Working Group Summits, two new technologies were featured: 1) CRISPR gene editing, in 2018 and 2) Deep Learning/Artificial Intelligence, in 2019. Recent news…
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On Thursday, October 17th, IMF president Susie Durie and I will have the great pleasure once again of welcoming our guests to the 13th Annual Comedy Celebration benefiting the Peter Boyle Research Fund.
The generous donors who participate in this…
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While on vacation for 2019, I am recharging my resilience for the coming months. I have a photo to share with the myeloma patients who created the “Wall of Resilience,” a collage of inspirational images…
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The phase III CANDOR clinical trial has met its primary endpoint, according to a Sept. 13…
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Belantamab Mafodotin DREAMM-2 Results and FDA Filing Update On August 23, GlaxoSmithKline announced positive headline results for the DREAMM…
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The Vital Role of Real Food in Global Health and Well-Being
I have written a lot about the benefits of “real food,” especially as part of a Mediterranean-style diet. A large new…
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With great sorrow, we announce the passing of Aldo Del Col, M.S.M., Co-Founder of Myeloma Canada and International Myeloma Foundation Board of Directors Member.
Aldo was an incredible human being who lived a full life with myeloma for 17 years. He believed deeply in the IMF’s mantra, “Knowledge…
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This past weekend the IMF convened the 20th annual Support Group Leaders Summit in Dallas, Texas. As usual, this was a highly emotional and successful event, bringing together 69 returning support group leaders, along with 31 leaders who participated for the first time. Congratulations to Robin…
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At the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) Summit in June, the most active work group focused on immunotherapy, primarily CAR T-cell therapies and BiTEs (bi-specific T-cell engagers). The myeloma researchers who joined the immunotherapy work…
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At the recent American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in Chicago, the idea of preventing the progression of high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma to active myeloma using lenalidomide was a topic of active discussion. In this…
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This has been a busy few weeks, with many important items in the news. Perhaps the most prominent was the issue of smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM): how to diagnose it and how to treat it—or not.
Smoldering myeloma
At the American Society of…
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Myeloma Prevention and the Search for a CurePatients with active myeloma need the best treatment and, understandably, they are keenly interested in the search for a cure. But to prevent myeloma in the first place, we need a deep understanding of the disease. This understanding will lead to a world…
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The Importance of the IMWG Summit for Advancing Myeloma ResearchThe 10th Annual International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) Summit convenes in Amsterdam on June 10-12, 2019. Each year, the Summit hosts the top 100 or so myeloma researchers…
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The 2019 American Society of Hematology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago is fast approaching (May 31-June 4). Out of a total of 4,950 abstracts released Wednesday, May 15, 210 are myeloma related. As usual, there is one oral session on Sunday, June 1 from 9:45 am -12:45 pm, which includes the top…
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This week it is exciting to see the results of CAR T-cell therapy reported fully in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Results using the bb2121 anti-BCMA CAR T-cells were reported previously in…