Efficacy and Safety of Clarithromycin, Lenalidomide and Dexamethasone (Bird) Therapy for Japanese Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myelomas are a hematologic malignancy that originates in the plasma cells.
In recent years, the appearance of novel drugs has led to improvements in therapeutic outcomes,
but these outcomes remain insufficient in the case of elderly and patients with complications.
However, novel drugs such as Bortezomib and Lenalidomide may represent new therapeutic
strategies and their appearance means that their single and combined
use provides a wider range of drug options.
In particular, the immunomodulatory drug, Len, is an oral drug that is
highly beneficial to elderly patients and patients who live in remote
areas with poor access to the hospital, and for this reason, it has
become a key drug.
Dimopoulos and Weber have reported that the efficacy
of Len, when used in combination with Dexamethasone, is an improvement
over Dex monotherapy when used on new multiple myeloma.
In addition, the FIRST study, which conducted a comparison of melphalan,
prednisolone and thalidomide and Ld, verified the efficacy of Ld.
VRd therapy, which combines Ld with Bor, is also thought to be an
effective therapy. In recent years regimens that combine Ld with
Darazalex, Carfilzomib, Ixazomib, Elotuzumab, and other drugs
have been attempted.
Thus, the issue of which drug to combine with Lenalidomide is important.
Currently, there are cases – such as the elderly or those with particular
circumstances – who are unable to utilize novel drugs.
Intern Med Open J. 2019; 3(1): 4-8. doi: 10.17140/IMOJ-3-109
