Multiple myeloma survival rate , Multiple Myeloma is the fourth leading cause of death, cause hemato-oncologist, in intend United both in men and in women. This is a blood cancer in which plasma cells important component of the immune system are reproduced in an uncontrolled manner and particularly accumulate in the bone marrow.Instead of creating normal antibodies, cells with myeloma tend overproducing a useless antibody known as protein M.
The incidence of multiple myeloma (multiple myeloma) has increased up to 8% per year and highlights that if a disease for senior citizens over 60 years old, today are diagnosed to a greater number of young people, hence the need to find new therapies that allow an increase in referrals and a better quality of life.
Multiple myeloma is the second most diagnosed blood cancer after non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The overabundance of cells with myeloma in the bone marrow can cause effects in the body, including destruction of the bones, anemia, kidney failure, and elevated levels of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia).
Many people with multiple myeloma have pain of debilitating bones and bone fractures that require radiation or surgery. Bone fractures can be dangerous when they occur in the spine and vertebrae, compressed or damaged nerves. In some cases, paralysis can occur.
- Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells.
- Plasma cells produce antibodies and are usually present in the bone marrow, constituting less than 5% of the cells of the bone marrow.
- The cancerous plasma cell, usually referred to as cell mielomatosa.
- Developing myeloma, this cell mielomatosa increases in number (> 20% of the total number of cells of the bone marrow) and in activity.
Myeloma is a single disease, because the disease progresses at a different rate and creates different situations for each patient. There is substantial variation among patients because of differences in: the number of affected areas in bone marrow
- The location of these areas (column, pelvis, arms or legs)
- The form of growth and activity of myeloma
- Myeloma is called also “multiple”, because there are multiple areas of the bone marrow that are affected.
With the development of new agents immunomodulators (IMiDs), it can be said that the Multiple Myeloma (MM) has become, an incurable deadly disease, to a chronicle. “Now with the combinations of medications such as lenalidomide (Revlimid) and dexamethasone, is starting to hear about a longer survival and better quality of life for patients with MM”, mentioned Dr. Joseph Tariman the clinic may.
Fortunately, in the last decade, progress in research and development of new agents, as well as new combinations of medications for the control of Multiple Myeloma (MM), have allowed an increase in the rate of survival in patients older than 65 years and 56% to 73% in younger patients.
Results of the FIRST study, demonstrated that Lenalidomide (Revlimid) manages to reduce the risk of progression of the disease or death in patients with multiple myeloma diagnosis again by 28 percent.
The study FIRST (research of first line of Lenalidomide (Revlimid) – dexamethasone versus standard Thalidomide), involved, a total of 1,623 patients over 65 years of age who were not candidates for stem cell transplantation studied three groups during 37 months.
The patients in the study, who fulfilled the requirement of not being candidate for autologous stem cell transplantation, were divided into three groups:
- He was administered to the first oral lenalidomide and dexamethasone in low doses in cycles of 28 days up to the progression of the disease.
- The second, the same but until it reached 18 cycles, i.e., 72 weeks.
- He was administered to third melphalan, prednisone and Thalidomide for a maximum of 12 cycles of 42 days (also 72 weeks).
The results showed a decrease of 28 per cent in the risk of progression or death by disease by comparing the first and third group. They also improved secondary variables, such as the rate of global response, time to response, duration of it, security, and quality of life.
In this way, the combination of two junior officers, lenalidomide and dexamethasone was superior to the three combinations, have new drugs that may mostly benefit must know how to combine and design therapy that will benefit patients with MM aims the study headed by Dr.. Thierry Falcón, Professor of haematology of the Department of diseases of the blood, Hospital Regional Universitaire de Lille.
Finally, therapeutic alternatives such as Revlimid (Lenalidomide) have shown high rates of favourable response, that it offers a greater survival without creating neurotoxicity.