Low-dose thalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone therapy in patients with refractory multiple myeloma.

Abstract

We report the results of a non-randomized phase II study of low-dose thalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone therapy in 66 patients with refractory multiple myeloma. The overall response rate (near complete, partial and minimal response) was 63.6%, and progression-free and overall survival periods were 6.2 and 25.4 months. In adverse events, the incidence of peripheral neuropathy and deep vein thrombosis was lower than the data reported in USA and Europe. On the other hand, leukopenia was observed in 41% of patients, including 11% of those with Grade 3. Leukopenia was closely related to pretreatment pancytopenia, especially thrombocytopenia. The incidence of adverse events related to dexamethasone was low. In conclusion, low-dose thalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone therapy was as effective as high-dose thalidomide plus high-dose dexamethasone therapy in patients with refractory multiple myeloma. Leukopenia is one of the most serious adverse events in Japanese patients, especially in patients with pretreatment pancytopenia.

• Authors: Hirokazu Murakami, Hiroshi Handa, Masahiro Abe, Sinsuke Iida, Akihiro Ishii, Takayuki Ishikawa, Tadao Ishida, Masatsugu Oota, Shuji Ozaki, Masaaki Kosaka, Akira Sakai, Morio Sawamura, Chihiro Shimazaki, Kazuyuki Shimizu, Toshiyuki Takagi, Hiroyuki Hata, Takashi Fukuhara, Hiroshi Fujii, Akira Miyata, Toshio Wakayama, Kiyoshi Takatsuki
• Journal: European journal of haematology (Eur J Haematol) Vol. 79 Issue 3 Pg. 234-9 (Sep 2007) ISSN: 0902-4441 [Print] England
• PMID: 17655699 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Phase II, Journal Article, Multicenter Study)

Chemical References

• Thalidomide
• Dexamethasone

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Dexamethasone (administration & dosage, toxicity)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Female
• Humans
• Leukopenia (etiology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Multiple Myeloma (complications, drug therapy, mortality)
• Peripheral Nervous System Diseases (etiology)
• Remission Induction
• Salvage Therapy (methods)
• Survival Analysis
• Thalidomide (administration & dosage, toxicity)
• Venous Thrombosis (etiology)