Multiple Myeloma: International Myeloma Foundation : •treatment options : stem cell transplant : Myeloma Minute April 14, 2010

stem cell transplant

Myeloma Minute
April 14, 2010

04.14.10

Welcome to the IMF's Myeloma Minute
News about myeloma treatment, research, support and the myeloma community
from the International Myeloma Foundation.

What's News

What's New in Research

Upcoming Seminars and Clinical Conferences

WHAT'S NEWS

Aptium Oncology Launches Multi-Institutional Myeloma Consortium for Early Phase Myeloma Cancer Trials
Aptium Oncology, Inc. today announced the launch of Aptium Oncology Myeloma Consortium (AMyC), a broad-based collaboration that brings together renowned investigators to work with pharmaceutical sponsors to advance clinical and translational research in myeloma and related cancers. Dr. Brian G.M. Durie, co-founder and chair of the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF), heads the consortium of investigators across the U.S.

IMF Welcomes Daniel Navid as Senior Global Analyst
The IMF is pleased to welcome Daniel Navid as Senior Global Analyst. Mr. Navid will assist in the strategic planning, implementation, and annual evaluation of an international program for the IMF that aims to enhance myeloma awareness and patient education, and improve diagnosis and access to effective therapies.

New Guidelines on Kyphoplasty and on Management of Myeloma Patients Ineligible for Standard High-Dose Chemotherapy with Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation Available Based on International Myeloma Working Group Consensus Statements
Simple capsule summaries, they capture the main points of—but are not intended to replace—the publications from which they came.

Myeloma Awareness Month Teleconferences on the Web
For Myeloma Awareness Month 2010, the IMF offered a series of teleconferences covering the pillars of the IMF's activities: Support, Education, Research, and Advocacy. Recordings of the teleconferences are now on the IMF website.

First Los Angeles Multiple Myeloma Support Group to be Held in Spanish
Interested patients, family members, and friends are encourage to join us at our meeting Saturday May 1, 2010.

Changing Patient Care in Multiple Myeloma: The IMF Nurse Leadership Board's Long-Term Survivorship Care Plan
At its May 13th symposium for nurses during the Oncology Nursing Society's (ONS) 35th Annual Congress, the IMF Nurse Leadership Board will present its Survivorship Care Plan. The plan is in response to therapies that allow the disease to be controlled for longer periods of time, necessitating a new paradigm in long-term patient management.

Live in the New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia area? Have we got an event for you!

Cabaret for a Cure in Hamilton, New Jersey on Sun, Apr 18, 2010
Courtney Charatsaris, the reigning Miss Mercer County for the Miss American Organization, has teamed up with the IMF for Cabaret for a Cure to support myeloma research.
5th Annual Music Against Myeloma in New York, New York on Thu, Apr 22, 2010
Enjoy musical performances, drink specials, the best cupcakes in NYC, gift bags and the official "Cancer Sucks" socks.
2010 MILES FOR MYELOMA 5K Walk/Run in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Sat, Apr 24, 2010
Join the Phillie Phanatic, NBC 10's Terry Ruggles and over 500 participants in what is sure to be a fun-filled day honoring MM patients, caregivers and family members.

New issue of Myeloma Today for Spring 2010 now on web
Articles include a conversation with Dr. Shaji Kumar about " Novel Agents for Initial Therapy of Multiple Myeloma: Comparable results with continued initial therapy and delayed transplantation at relapse versus early transplantation."

VA decides in Hanover man's favor
After years of denial, the Veteran's Administration has acknowledged that former Marine Paul Buckley's myeloma was caused by chemical contamination at a Marine Corps base where Buckley had served during the 1980s. (from the Hanover Mariner)

WHAT'S NEW IN RESEARCH

Histone deacetylases are critical targets of bortezomib-induced cytotoxicity in multiple myeloma
Jiro Kikuchi, Taeko Wada, Rumi Shimizu, Tohru Izumi, Miyuki Akutsu, Kanae Mitsunaga, Kaoru Noborio-Hatano, Masaharu Nobuyoshi, Keiya Ozawa, Yasuhiko Kano, and Yusuke Furukawa
Blood published 29 March 2010, 10.1182/blood-2009-07-235663
The antihelmintic flubendazole inhibits microtubule function through a mechanism distinct from vinca-alkaloids and displays preclinical activity in leukemia and myeloma
Paul A. Spagnuolo, Jiayi Hu, Rose Hurren, Xiaoming Wang, Marcela Gronda, Mahadeo A. Sukhai, Ashley Di Meo, Jonathan Boss, Iman Ashali, Reza Behesti Zavareh, Noah Fine, Craig D. Simpson, Sumaiya Sharmeen, Rob Rottapel, and Aaron D. Schimmer
Blood published 26 March 2010, 10.1182/blood-2009-09-243055
High incidence of arterial thrombosis in young patients treated for multiple myeloma:results of a prospective cohort study
Eduard J. Libourel, Pieter Sonneveld, Bronno van der Holt, Moniek P.M. de Maat, and Frank W.G. Leebeek
Blood published 25 March 2010, 10.1182/blood-2009-12-257519
Exploiting the mevalonate pathway to distinguish statin-sensitive multiple myeloma
James W. Clendening, Aleksandra Pandyra, Zhihua Li, Paul C. Boutros, Anna Martirosyan, Richard Lehner, Igor Jurisica, Suzanne Trudel, and Linda Z. Penn
Blood published 1 April 2010, 10.1182/blood-2009-07-230508
A novel aurora-A kinase inhibitor MLN8237 induces cytotoxicity and cell cycle arrest in multiple myeloma
Gullu Gorgun, Elisabetta Calabrese, Teru Hideshima, Jeffrey Ecsedy, Giulia Perrone, Mala Mani, Hiroshi Ikeda, Giada Bianchi, Yiguo Hu, Diana Cirstea, Loredana Santo, Yu-Tzu Tai, Sabikun Nahar, Mei Zheng, Madhavi Bandi, Ruben D. Carrasco, Noopur Raje, Nikhil Munshi, Paul Richardson, and Kenneth C. Anderson
Blood published 9 April 2010, 10.1182/blood-2009-12-259523
Adenosine A2A receptor agonists and PDE inhibitors: a synergistic multi-target mechanism discovered through systematic combination screening in B-cell malignancies
Richard J. Rickles, Laura T. Pierce, Thomas P. Giordano, 3rd, Winnie F. Tam, Douglas W. McMillin, Jake Delmore, Jacob P. Laubach, Alexis A. Borisy, Paul G. Richardson, and Margaret S. Lee
Blood published 9 April 2010, 10.1182/blood-2009-11-252668
Major Tumor Shrinking and Persistent Molecular Remissions After Consolidation With Bortezomib, Thalidomide, and Dexamethasone in Patients With Autografted Myeloma
Ladetto M, Pagliano G, Ferrero S, Cavallo F, Drandi D, Santo L, Crippa C, De Rosa L, Pregno P, Grasso M, Liberati AM, Caravita T, Pisani F, Guglielmelli T, Callea V, Musto P, Cangialosi C, Passera R, Boccadoro M, Palumbo A
J Clin Oncol. 2010 Mar 22. [Epub ahead of print]
ThaDD plus high dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation does not appear superior to ThaDD plus maintenance in elderly patients with de novo multiple myeloma
Offidani M, Leoni P, Corvatta L, Polloni C, Gentili S, Savini A, Alesiani F, Brunori M, Catarini M, Visani G, Samori A, Burattini M, Centurioni R, Montanari M, Fraticelli P, Ruggieri M, Falcioni S, Galieni P
Eur J Haematol. 2010 Mar 11. [Epub ahead of print]

CLINICAL TRIALS

CARFILZOMIB trials

REVLIMID® trials

THALOMID® trials

VELCADE® trials

If you would like more information about any clinical trial, you can call the IMF Hotline at 800-452-CURE. The Myeloma Matrix has a current list of all myeloma trials from pre-clinical to recently FDA approved. If you would like to browse trials currently open for enrollment, visit the Clinical Trials page of the IMF web site. Among the links, you will find EmergingMed, with whom the IMF has entered into a partnership to assist you in matching trials to your particular patient profile (i.e., stage of disease, previous treatment, how well you are able to carry out the activities of daily living, etc.) and by doing so, increase your chances of being eligible. You can also learn more about clinical trials by reviewing materials from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). To see the summaries of newsworthy clinical trial results, visit the National Cancer Institute Multiple Myeloma Trial Results.

UPCOMING SEMINARS AND CLINICAL CONFERENCES
Note: Some of the international seminar cities have been set, but the venues and agendas are still in the works. Check back often if you are interested in attending, as we post the sites and speakers as they are confirmed.

8ème Séminaire d'Information et de Soutien pour les Patients et les Familles
Paris Patient & Family Seminar
Paris, France
Wed, Apr 21, 2010
Moscow Clinical Conference
Moscow, Russia
April 27, 2010
Berlin Regional Community Workshop
Berlin, Germany
May 8, 2010
Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) 35th Annual Congress
San Diego, California
May 13-16, 2010
Portland Patient & Family Seminar
Portland, Oregon
May 21-22, 2010
International Myeloma Working Group Summit
Barcelona, Spain
June 8-9, 2010
15th Congress of the EHA (European Hematology Association)
Barcelona, Spain
June 10-13, 2010
Koblenz Regional Community Workshop
Koblenz, Germany
Jun 13, 2010
Leipzig Regional Community Workshop
Leipzig, Germany
Jun 19, 2010
Cincinnati Patient & Family Seminar
Cincinnati, Ohio
July 16-17, 2010
Honolulu Regional Community Workshop
Honolulu, Hawaii
Aug 06, 2010

Philadelphia Patient & Family Seminar
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
August 13-14, 2010
Los Angeles Patient & Family Seminar
Los Angeles, California
August 27-28, 2010
Shreveport Regional Community Workshop
Shreveport, LA
Sep 18, 2010
2010 Bath UK Conference
6th International Symposium on Clinical Applications of Serum Free Light Chain Analysis (plus Hevylite)
September 23-24, 2010
Las Vegas Regional Community Workshop
Las Vegas, NV
Sep 25, 2010
Vienna, Austria Patient & Family Seminar
Vienna, Austria
October 15-16, 2010
Co-sponsored by Myelom- und Lymphomhilfe Österreich and the IMF.
Raleigh/Durham Regional Community workshop
Durham, NC
Oct 16, 2010
Firenze (Florence) Regional Community Workshop
Florence, Italy
Autumn 2010 (Date not finalized)
Siena Regional Community Workshop
Siena, Italy
Autumn 2010 (Date not finalized)
Bologna Patient & Family Seminar
Bologna, Italy
Mon, Oct 18, 2010
Myeloma Canada Patient, Family & Healthcare Professionals Conference
Richmond, BC, Canada
Sat, Oct 23, 2010

UPCOMING MEMBER EVENTS

Cabaret for a Cure
Hamilton, New Jersey
Sun, Apr 18, 2010
5th Annual Music Against Myeloma
New York, New York
Thu, Apr 22, 2010
2010 MILES FOR MYELOMA 5K Walk/Run Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Sat, Apr 24, 2010

ForeMMORE
Prior Lake, Minnesota
Mon, May 24, 2010
Carolyn Czerkies Charity Golf Outing to Benefit the International Myeloma Foundation
Yorkville, Illinois
Sat, Jun 05, 2010

ONGOING MEMBER EVENTS

Veterans Against Myeloma
IMFer Jerry Walton encourages all vets to join Veterans Against Myeloma. "Many MM patients are veterans. Our combined efforts to continue our service through the Veterans Against Myeloma cause can help research and help us win the battle by finding a cure. Hopefully one day together we can say 'Mission Accomplished!'"

VISIONS Notecards by Jeff; A Cure for Karl
Jeff Hanson is a 15 year-old, visually impaired artist from Overland Park, Kansas. IMFer Karl Vollstedt and Jeff are great friends who use their time and talents to benefit others. Jeff created these note cards as a gift to Karl and to myeloma research.

Living With Cancer as "A New Normal"; A Journey with Cancer through the Eyes of a Caregiver
This guide to creating a "new normal" was developed by Dianna Mitchell Marston and her family to meet their own needs when her husband, Nathan, was diagnosed with myeloma. A portion of the sale of each book goes to the IMF to support its programs.

HELP THE IMF
	As a non-profit organization, the IMF is completely dependent on the support of our members. Tax-deductible donations in honor of a friend or family member make great gifts and are a wonderful way to celebrate a special occasion. You can donate online or by calling the IMF at (800) 452-CURE.
	How to Host an Afternoon Tea An elegant and easy way to build awareness about myeloma and raise money in your community, and the IMF will help.
	Kids Fight Back! Kids, need to earn a Citizenship merit badge or fulfill community service requirements? Here's a great idea about how to do both while you fight back against myeloma. We'll help you put on the best fundraiser ever!
	Shop for the IMF Shop with the leading merchants on the Internet, receive the same price as anyone else visiting their sites, and support the IMF at the same time!
See more exciting ways to help the IMF continue its important work in education, support and research.

ITEMS OF INTEREST

Have you downloaded your Myeloma Manager^™ Personal Care Assistant^™
Another exciting first from the IMF!
Free software to help manage and understand your lab results, and more!

The Eighth Annual Cancer Survivorship Series: Living With, Through & Beyond Cancer
This spring, CancerCare, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, LIVESTRONG, Intercultural Cancer Council, Living Beyond Breast Cancer and National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship,presents a four-part telephone workshop series. This free series offers cancer survivors, their families, friends and health care professionals practical information to help them cope with concerns and issues that arise after treatment ends.

Part II, Communicating with Your Health Care Team After Treatment: Making the Most of Your Visit, will take place on May 18th.
Part III, Survivorship and Workplace Transitions, will take place on June 22nd.
Part IV, Survivors Too: Communicating With and Among Family, Friends and Loved Ones, will take place on July 13th.

All of the workshops take place from 1:30 to 2:30 pm Eastern Time. These workshops are free – no phone charges apply. However, pre-registration is required. To register simply go to the CancerCare website, www.cancercare.org/connect.

Help for Underinsured Myeloma Patients
Thanks to the advocacy of the IMF, the Chronic Disease Fund has received an infusion of money to help them meet the needs of underinsured patients with multiple myeloma. The fund is designed to help patients with their insurance co-payments and/or their Medicare Part D 'doughnut holes.' Patients must qualify based on financial need. To speak with a representative of the Chronic Disease Fund, please call 877-968-7233, or contact them through their web site at cdfund.org.

NexProfiler
A tool to help understand the current status of the disease and the questions you should be asking.

Tell A Friend...
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