TY - JOUR
T1 - New insights, recent advances, and current challenges in the biological treatment of multiple myeloma
AU - Vallet, Sonia
AU - Podar, Klaus
PY - 2013/6
Y1 - 2013/6
N2 - INTRODUCTION: The availability of thalidomide, lenalidomide, and bortezomib has radically changed multiple myeloma (MM) treatment and significantly improved patients' outcome. Nevertheless, MM is still an incurable disease due to the development of resistance and relapse practically in all patients. Unraveling MM pathogenesis, identifying prognostically high-risk patient populations, and optimizing current treatment strategies are among the challenges we are facing to reach a cure for this disease.AREAS COVERED: This article reviews recent advances of the genomic analysis of malignant plasma cells and summarizes new insights into the pathophysiologic role of the MM microenvironment and the clinical assessment of derived novel therapeutic strategies. Moreover, current efforts to improve risk stratification and drug development are discussed, and most recent results of Phase II and III clinical trials that aim to optimize existing treatment regimens and to assess the next-generation anti-MM strategies are discussed. A systematic search was conducted of the Pubmed Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for primary articles, as well as of conference abstracts (e.g., of the American Society of Hematology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Association of Cancer Research, the European Hematology Association, and the Multiple Myeloma Workshop 2013), practice guidelines, and registries of clinical trials.EXPERT OPINION: Given continuing advances to overcome current treatment challenges in MM, we are confident that long-lasting responses can be expected in many of our patients within the next decade.
AB - INTRODUCTION: The availability of thalidomide, lenalidomide, and bortezomib has radically changed multiple myeloma (MM) treatment and significantly improved patients' outcome. Nevertheless, MM is still an incurable disease due to the development of resistance and relapse practically in all patients. Unraveling MM pathogenesis, identifying prognostically high-risk patient populations, and optimizing current treatment strategies are among the challenges we are facing to reach a cure for this disease.AREAS COVERED: This article reviews recent advances of the genomic analysis of malignant plasma cells and summarizes new insights into the pathophysiologic role of the MM microenvironment and the clinical assessment of derived novel therapeutic strategies. Moreover, current efforts to improve risk stratification and drug development are discussed, and most recent results of Phase II and III clinical trials that aim to optimize existing treatment regimens and to assess the next-generation anti-MM strategies are discussed. A systematic search was conducted of the Pubmed Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for primary articles, as well as of conference abstracts (e.g., of the American Society of Hematology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Association of Cancer Research, the European Hematology Association, and the Multiple Myeloma Workshop 2013), practice guidelines, and registries of clinical trials.EXPERT OPINION: Given continuing advances to overcome current treatment challenges in MM, we are confident that long-lasting responses can be expected in many of our patients within the next decade.
KW - Animals
KW - Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use
KW - Humans
KW - Molecular Targeted Therapy
KW - Multiple Myeloma/drug therapy
KW - Genetic alterations
KW - Multiple myeloma
KW - Carfilzomib
KW - Pomalidomide
KW - Bone marrow milieu
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84879571938&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1517/14712598.2013.807337
DO - 10.1517/14712598.2013.807337
M3 - Review article
C2 - 23768134
SN - 1471-2598
VL - 13
SP - S35-S53
JO - Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy
JF - Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy
IS - SUPPL.1
ER -