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As part of its mission to establish guidelines for myeloma treatment and diagnosis, the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) has just published guidelines for whole-body low-dose CT, an imaging modality for bone disease assessment. This…
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I was recently saddened to learn about a myeloma patient I had seen in consultation many years ago, who, unfortunately, passed away from secondary complications at the age of 76, after 24 years of myeloma. An ASCT (autologous stem cell transplant) had really knocked out his myeloma, which was not a…
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2018 Global Myeloma Updates from the IMWG Summit The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) will host the 9th Annual International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) Summit from June 11–13 in…
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The myeloma “cure” trials CESAR and ASCENT, which are part of the IMF’s Black…
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The diagnosis of multiple myeloma is a life-changing event. A complex, life-threatening problem has the power to overwhelm. The recent heatwave in California offered poignant examples of the impact of acute stress on ourselves and the environment. Although the massive wildfires were not close…
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Each patient with multiple myeloma is different. Within a myeloma support group, one can learn a lot about testing and treatments, but outcomes for individual patients are often very different. These differences must be studied in rigorously designed clinical trials to double-check test results and…
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Embracing the Mediterranean Diet: Healthy Summer Food Choices
I have written a lot about healthy food choices, so recent articles stressing the benefits of the Mediterranean-style diet caught my eye. Apparently, it is not easy for Americans to switch to this healthier approach, with its emphasis…
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This week, the myeloma community can celebrate with the International Myeloma Foundation as we appreciate the significance and the hopefulness of a very important wedding. This past weekend, Ally Tuohy, daughter of Robin and Michael Tuohy, was married to Jonathan Fitzpatrick. Robin is the IMF…
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As we celebrate the nation’s birthday this week, it seems that almost everyone is concerned about challenges that lie ahead, be they personal or on a large scale. Stepping outside, I worry about the increasingly high temperatures in the U.S., as well as in Europe, Latin America, and Asia, where the…
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As the hubbub around ASCO 2018 comes to an end, what are the main takeaways?
For sure, the media blitz distorts the importance of some presentations versus others. In most cases, study results are preliminary, with further follow-up and traditional peer reviews still pending.
With these…
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For most myeloma patients, the idea of good health and longevity may seem like a distant dream. So, why talk about these things? Because, no matter what diagnosis or challenge we’ve been given, most of us still strive to achieve the best health and the longest life possible. Occasionally, that…
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The abstracts for the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting next month have just been released. Among the 7 oral presentations, 62 posters, and educational sessions focusing on multiple myeloma, no dramatic new findings are reported. But…
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The IMF team is in Tokyo this week. Susie Durie, Lisa Paik, Dan Navid, and I are here for the 43rd Annual Japanese Myeloma Society Meeting, the oldest of the country-based myeloma meetings globally and one of the most active.
It promises to be a busy week.
The Asia-Pacific region is home to…
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A new study shows that New York City firefighters who responded to the Sept. 11, 2001 World Trade Center terrorist attack are twice as likely to develop the myeloma precursor…
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Established in early 2016, the iStopMM® project to screen the entire population of Iceland for MGUS (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance), the precursor to myeloma, will celebrate its two-year anniversary in November. The response…
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This week, several reports provide good news for myeloma patients. The Spanish GEM/PETHEMA cooperative study group, supported through the Black Swan Research Initiative, has demonstrated important differences between patients with good- and poor-risk…
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The Link Between Toxic Exposures and Myeloma Risk
I have previously discussed ways to prevent myeloma. A key step is to avoid toxic exposures. Although the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), part of the U.…
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The IMF is very pleased to have established a partnership with AbbVie to conduct the largest, most comprehensive chart-review study of myeloma patients with the t(11;14)…
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This week, the IMF is launching a new initiative to provide current recommendations for myeloma management for the busy physicians, pharmacists, and nurses who are on the frontlines of providing patient care. The impetus for the initiative is the recognition that community health care providers…
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Budget cuts to programs aimed at protecting people from toxic exposure, investigating climate change, and accelerating scientific discoveries continue to raise concerns. Fortunately, there are also some amazing scientific developments on the horizon that should make us all hopeful. But first, the…
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Food is very much in the news this week. Friend and colleague Prof. Heinz Ludwig (International Myeloma Working Group and IMF Board of Directors member), called my attention to two food news reports:…
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A recent publication by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) emphasized the traditional key role of US investment in cancer research…
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Many people view a new year as an opportunity to make changes and take positive action in their lives. From big changes regarding our personal health (eating healthy, exercising regularly, and quitting smoking) to little ones for personal growth (read more, take up a new hobby, or learn a new…
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A recent analysis by reporter Erin Mershon in STAT offers five reasons why it is so very difficult to make drugs more affordable, despite President Trump’s repeated vow to lower prices. The five…
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The Future of Myeloma Treatment: Early Diagnosis, CRISPR, and CAR T-Cell Therapies
We are seeing exciting research lately that has serious implications for myeloma.
An easy blood test to catch cancer early was featured recently in the prestigious journal…
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Two recent news articles highlight the fractured nature of our healthcare delivery system. The first article describes how a radioactive isotope (Molybdenum-99 or “moly-99”) that is vital for…
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As the new year begins, important developments that will impact patients have been in the news, ranging from molecular testing to new therapies for myeloma. The depth and scope of these reports reflect what I think are five key trends for 2018 and beyond.
Precision medicine—What…
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A new year is often characterized by renewed hope, promises kept, and a sense of energy and purpose. In the world of nonprofit cancer research, it is all this and so much more. It is also an opportune time to accelerate progress toward our ultimate goal: finding the cure.
The International…
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ASH 2017 Myeloma CAR T-Cell Therapy Hype From Hope At the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) in Atlanta (December 9th -12th), 981 abstracts dealt with myeloma-related topics. Among all of these— some of which were discussed on the …
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The iStopMM (Screens, Treat, or Prevent Multiple Myeloma) project was launched on November 15, 2016, with strong support from the Black Swan Research Initiative®. Two weeks ago, IMF…
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On Saturday, November 4, IMF president Susie Novis Durie and I will have the great pleasure once again of welcoming our guests to the 11th Annual Comedy Celebration benefiting the Peter Boyle Research Fund.
The generous donors who…
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The Expanding CRISPR Toolbox: A Path to Healthier Lives and a Sustainable Planet
Rapidly expanding CRISPR toolbox could make us all healthier and save the planet
Two recent publications in the prestigious journals …
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This past weekend (October 13-15), the International Myeloma Foundation convened the first Asian Myeloma Network (AMN) Summit in Seoul, Korea. The seven countries/regions that make up the AMN – China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Thailand –…
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The fundamental principle of the IMF’s Black Swan Research Initiative® is that we open every door and turn over every stone in the search for a cure. As it turns out, one of the stones to turn over is close to home.…
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In last week’s blog post, I discussed the ways in which CRISPR gene-editing technology is allowing researchers to study disease and intervene at the molecular level. There is a sense of euphoria that so many…
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Exploring Gene-Editing Tools: A Roadmap to Myeloma Cure
CRISPR technology was the 2015 science breakthrough of the year. The…
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With the placement of two more checkpoint inhibitor combination trials on partial hold, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has now halted all such trials from four different pharmaceutical companies: Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, and now Roche. Roche and it's subsidiary…
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With new drug approvals and expanded indications for new myeloma drugs at an all-time high, there is a sense of optimism in the myeloma community. Yet, even as patients experience longer survival,…
Closing or Halting of Myeloma Immune Therapy Trials: A Major Setback for Patients and Drug Companies
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When the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) halted three Keytruda (pembrolizumab) clinical trials recently because of unexpected deaths, it was cause for concern. This week, the FDA has acted to close further studies involving the…
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On August 24th, Genmab announced that the ALCYONE trial, which compared the combination of daratumumab…
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Solar Eclipse Proof That Science Works and Facts Matter At 10:21 a.m. Los Angeles time on Monday, August 21st, the moon covered 62% of the sun. In Oregon and across the US, there were 2.3 minutes of total darkness. Scientists had been informing everyone about this upcoming event for many years…
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As I reported in a previous blog, not only does the herbicide Roundup cause lymphomas and myeloma, its widespread use on GMO (genetically modified organism) crops has decimated milkweed, an herbaceous…
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The Future of Myeloma Treatment: Gene Editing and Its Potential Impact
Scientific breakthroughs in the news this week promise many practical implications for myeloma patients.
Out with the bad
Dangerous genetic mutations have been edited out (removed) from the …
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News about food is often a mix of conflicting advice and dubious claims. Three thought-provoking articles published this week caught my eye and offer plenty of food for thought.
Critique of the ‘diet-heart theory’
“Don’t believe the American Heart Association (AHA)—butter,…
Videos
Description:Learn about transitions of care in multiple myeloma, emphasizing the importance of coordinated communication.Learning Objectives:Identify key transition points requiring enhanced coordination…
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Patent extensions upheld and revealed
On Monday, July 17th, a US appeals court ruled that a patent on Takeda Pharmaceutical’s drug Velcade® (bortezomib) was extended to 2022.…
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CAR T-cell Therapy Approval for Leukemia and Its Impact on Myeloma Treatment
On Wednesday, an advisory panel convened by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted 10 to 0 to recommend the approval of CAR T-cell…
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Yesterday the FDA halted a third Merck myeloma trial involving the checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab (Keytruda®). In all three trials, Keynote 183, 185, and 023,…
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2017 Global Myeloma Research Updates from IMWG and IMF This past week was very busy and important for the global myeloma community, which is increasingly coming together with a single voice for myeloma research and patient care. In Madrid, Spain, on the eve of the 2017 Congress of the European…
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CAR T-Cell Therapy for Myeloma: Promise vs. “Cure” ClaimsThe top news to come out of the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), which concluded on Tuesday, focused on claims that immune cellular therapy with CAR T-cells provides a potentially curative approach for…