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Clínic Barcelona

Early treatment of patients with asymptomatic myeloma delays disease progression

Early treatment of asymptomatic high-risk smoldering myeloma could significantly improve the course of disease, slowing its progression and significantly increasing the survival of patients. This was revealed by a clinical trial conducted by the Spanish Myeloma Group (GEM-Pethema), published in the August issue of the medical journal The New England Journal of Medicine. The authors of the study include Dr. Joan Bladé and Dr. Laura Rosiñol, from the Hematology-Oncology IDIBAPS - Hospital Clínic team.

21 Spanish hospitals and 3 Portuguese centers participated in this pioneering study, coordinated by Dr. Jesús San Miguel and Dr. María Victoria Mateos, from the Hematology Service at the University Hospital of Salamanca. A treatment with Lenalidomide was chosen, a new immunomodulator drug which has proven highly effective in patients with active myeloma, along with dexamethasone, a corticosteroid. This therapy is administered orally and has an excellent level of tolerance.

The risk of disease progression to symptomatic myeloma was significantly lower (5.59 times smaller) in patients early treated versus those not treated. This therapy also increases survival in early treated patients, as 94% of patients who received the treatment were still alive after five years compared to 78% of the untreated group.

Information via: Sobre la Sociedad Española de Hematología y Hemoterapia (SEHH)

Reference: María-Victoria Mateos, M.D., Ph.D., Miguel-Teodoro Hernández, M.D., Pilar Giraldo, M.D., Javier de la Rubia, M.D., Felipe de Arriba, M.D., Ph.D., Lucía López Corral, M.D., Ph.D., Laura Rosiñol, M.D., Ph.D., Bruno Paiva, Ph.D., Luis Palomera, M.D., Ph.D., Joan Bargay, M.D., Albert Oriol, M.D., Felipe Prosper, M.D., Ph.D., Javier López, M.D., Ph.D., Eduardo Olavarría, M.D., Ph.D., Nuria Quintana, M.D., José-Luis García, M.D., Joan Bladé, M.D., Ph.D., Juan-José Lahuerta, M.D., Ph.D., and Jesús-F. San Miguel, M.D., Ph.D. Lenalidomide plus Dexamethasone for High-Risk Smoldering Multiple Myeloma. N Engl J Med 2013; 369:438-447August 1, 2013DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1300439 Read the Abstract