In October, Myeloma UK launched two new initiatives to explore different ways to support younger myeloma patients, carers and family members who are still in work. The first of these initiatives was a pilot extension of the Myeloma Infoline Service to include Saturdays from 10 am to 1 pm. The Myeloma UK Infoline (08009803332) is a…
This month Myeloma UK welcomed Sarah McDonald as our new Director of Research. In her new role, Sarah will be responsible for both the patient advocacy and research teams. She will play a key role in advancing our patient advocacy work and health services, translational, and clinical research programmes to strengthen the impact of Myeloma…
Serious infection is one of the largest contributors to early mortality in myeloma. The use of antibiotic prophylaxis for newly diagnosed patients starting treatment offers an opportunity to tackle this early complication however the potential for antibiotic resistance, side effects and healthcare associated infections needs to be carefully considered. Last month Prof Mark Drayson, Consultant…
New recommendations from the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) on the use of imaging methods in monoclonal plasma cell disorders were recently published in The Lancet Oncology. (1) Overall, the guidelines recommend that more sensitive imaging techniques, such as whole-body CT and MRI, be introduced generally into clinical practices for the diagnosis and management of…
Lenalidomide (Revlimid®) maintenance for myeloma patients who have undergone high dose therapy and stem cell transplantation (HDT-SCT) will be considered for use on the NHS by The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) later this year. This announcement comes after updated advice from the manufacturer Celgene and follows publication of data from the Myeloma XI clinical…
Results from two phase III clinical trials (MAIA and CASSOPIEA) evaluating daratumumab (Darzalex®) combinations for the treatment of newly diagnosed myeloma patients have been recently published. The data provide evidence to support the use of daratumumab for the treatment of newly diagnosed myeloma patients whether they are eligible for high dose therapy and stem cell…
Myeloma patients at first relapse in Scotland will now be able to access the new treatment of daratumumab (Darzalex®), bortezomib (Velcade®) and dexamethasone on the NHS after it was approved for use by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC). This decision brings Scotland into line with the rest of the UK following the decision by NICE…
Myeloma UK is launching a new research programme to continue support for patient-centric myeloma clinical trials in the UK, the UK Myeloma Research Alliance-Myeloma UK-Concept and Access Research Programme (UKMRA-Myeloma UK-CARP). This initiative is part of an ambitious new strategy Myeloma UK recently published with a mission to make myeloma history. One of our key…
The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has approved the myeloma treatment lenalidomide (Revlimid®) and dexamethasone for use in treating newly diagnosed patients and patients at first relapse. The decision means that lenalidomide and dexamethasone will now be available on the NHS to patients in England and Wales who are not eligible for…
Myeloma is a relapsing-remitting blood cancer arising from the clonal expansion of abnormal plasma cells in the bone marrow. It is a difficult cancer to diagnose due to the vagueness of symptoms and rarity of the disease. This means myeloma patients experience some of the longest delays in diagnosis of all cancer patients. Myeloma UK…
