Drug Helps Keep Myeloma From Returning

Drug treatment can help to keep the cancer multiple myeloma from coming back after a stem cell transplant, a new study has found. Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. The study included 568 people. First, doctors removed stem cells from the patients’ blood. Then they were treated with drugs or radiation to kill their cancer. Finally, the blood cells were returned to their bodies. About 100 days later, people were divided into two groups. Half began to take a new drug, lenalidomide (Revlimid). The others received a placebo (fake drug). Cancer came back within just over two years for half of the people getting the placebo. But cancer returned more slowly for the lenalidomide group. In all, their risk of cancer’s return was 58% lower than for people getting the placebo.