Active clinical trials for "Multiple Myeloma"

RATIONALE: Providing information that is tailored to answer patients' questions about clinical trials may help patients with cancer decide to enroll in a clinical trial. It is not known whether providing personalized information is more effective than basic information in helping patients make decisions about clinical trials. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying personalized information to see how well it works compared with basic information in helping patients make decisions about participating in a clinical trial.

This protocol (in patients aged 65 and over suffering from previously untreated multiple myeloma), represents the first worldwide, pharmacogenomic study on this scale in terms of the number of patients analyzed and the implemented molecular diagnostics resources. The goal is to be able to identify patients who will best respond to the study treatments or experience the fewest associated side effects and improve prognosis, in order to optimize care management in multiple myeloma. To this end, the study seeks to predict the following parameters in these patients: The treatment response and occurrence of adverse events linked to a lenalidomide-dexamethasone combination or a melphalan-prednisone-thalidomide combination. Progression-free survival and overall survival. Prediction of the treatment response and the occurrence of adverse effects will be based on: An analysis of constitutive genetic traits linked to single nucleotide polymorphisms and DNA copy number variations. An analysis of changes in the tumor's genotype (change in the DNA copy number) and phenotype (altered gene and micro-RNA expression). Prediction of progression-free survival and overall survival will be based on an analysis of changes in the tumor's genotype and phenotype.

RATIONALE: Baclofen-amitriptyline-ketamine (BAK) gel may lessen peripheral neuropathy caused by chemotherapy. It is not yet known whether BAK gel is more effective than a placebo in treating peripheral neuropathy caused by chemotherapy . PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying BAK gel to see how well it works compared with a placebo in treating peripheral neuropathy caused by chemotherapy in patients with cancer.

To evaluate changes in coagulation (blood clotting) factors and platelet function in multiple myeloma participants undergoing VELCADE treatment for the first time.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as melphalan, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Keratinocyte growth factors, such as palifermin, may help prevent symptoms of mucositis, or mouth sores, in patients receiving melphalan before a peripheral stem cell transplant for multiple myeloma. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of melphalan when given together with palifermin in treating patients undergoing an autologous peripheral stem cell transplant for stage II or stage III multiple myeloma.

This research study is evaluating the effects of a mind body medicine intervention called the Relaxation Response Resiliency Program (3RP) on stress and stress related symptoms in patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM). This research study is a supportive care trial. This means that the intervention program may improve general well-being and comfort, but is not considered a treatment or "cure" for MGUS or SMM. It is considered an investigational intervention because the investigators are examining the effectiveness of a new program - the 3RP - on reducing stress and stress-related symptoms in patients with MGUS and SMM. Standard management of MGUS and SMM involves regular monitoring without chemotherapy. Mind-body medicine, as defined by the National Institutes of Health, "focuses on the interactions among the brain, mind, body, and behavior, and on the powerful ways in which emotional, mental, social, spiritual, and behavioral factors can directly affect health." The 3RP is a newly designed group therapy program that through a variety of mind body principles and self-care interventions seeks to buffer stress and promote psychological resiliency and physical well-being. This study will examine the effectiveness of the 3RP in reducing stress and symptoms associated with stress in patients diagnosed with MGUS or SMM. Data from this study will also be used to assess changes in gene expression that result from 3RP intervention, particularly genetic pathways that are known to be dysregulated in MM.

This is a research study to determine if the study drug lenalidomide will increase the body's immune response, which is the body's response against infections or tumors, to hepatitis B vaccine in patients with plasma cell diseases which include multiple myeloma, monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS) and Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia. It is not a study to see if lenalidomide is an effective treatment for plasma cell disease. Participants in this study have multiple myeloma or other plasma cell disease and have never been vaccinated with hepatitis B vaccine. One of the effects of the drug lenalidomide is to alter the immune system and thereby increase immune response. It also has some effect against cancer cells; therefore, in theory, it may reduce or prevent the growth of cancer cells. In this study, one-half of the subjects will be chosen at random to receive the study drug and the other half will take a placebo pill (a sugar pill that looks the same as the real medication). This is a double blind study where neither the subjects nor the investigators know whether the patient receives the study drugs or placebo pills. The effects of the active drug lenalidomide will be compared to the effects of the placebo. The results from this study will be also be compared with a similar but separate study to be done on individuals without known disease. This study expects to enroll 64 subjects and will be carried out at the Boston VA Healthcare System and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

This pilot clinical trial studies how well psychoeducational and behavioral strategies work in reducing distress and anxiety in patients with multiple myeloma and their family caregivers. Education and walking programs, may be able to reduce distress and anxiety and improve the well-being and quality of life of patients with multiple myeloma and their family caregivers. Understanding how different forms of education and support can promote emotional wellness may help nurse researchers find ways to improve services provided to patients and family members during cancer treatment.

This study is looking at the effects of Panobinostat, an investigational treatment, on cancer cells in patients who have Hodgkin lymphoma (a cancer of the immune system with specific Hodgkin/Reed Sternberg Cells), T-cell lymphoma (a cancer of the immune system with too many T lymphocytes), chronic lymphocytic leukemia or prolymphocytic leukaemia (immune system with too many lymphocytes in the blood stream), lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (immune system with too many plasma cells or B lymphocytes) or myeloma (a cancer of plasma cells). Panobinostat is a new drug which has led to disease improvement in some patients with Hodgkin lymphoma, certain types of T-cell lymphoma, myeloma and some B cell lymphomas. Not all patients benefit from panobinostat. The researchers wish to look at the effects of panobinostat on cancer cells. The aim of this project is find out which patients or diseases are likely to respond to treatment with panobinostat in the future and to see if there are particular features of the patient or of the cancer that affects the likelihood of the way individuals respond to panobinostat. Panobinostat is an oral medication (taken by mouth) that effects the way cancer cells and in normal cells make proteins. Panobinostat has been used in several clinical trials around the world. The largest trials generally have fewer than 200 patients and are in Hodgkin lymphoma, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, and myeloma where between one in five and one in three patients have significant improvement in their disease. Researchers will look at samples of tumour before treatment and during treatment. This will be one of the first studies to look at how cancer cells change following treatment with this drug. It is unusual because it requires repeated biopsies of the participant's tumour. Panobinostat is considered an experimental (or investigational) drug and not approved by any regulatory authority (such as the Food and Drug Administration, FDA in the USA or by the Therapeutics Goods and Administration, TGA, in Australia) to treat any type of cancer. Therefore, Panobinostat is not approved to treat patients who have been diagnosed with refractory or relapsed cancer. A total of 30 patients with one of the diseases listed above will be enrolled at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. It is expected it will take about 2 to 3 years to recruit 30 patients and that on average patients will take part for six to eighteen months. This time could be shorter or longer depending on how well the treatment works in each individual. While the trial will take up to 4 years to complete, the science studies may take longer.

Patients are asked to be in this study if they have multiple myeloma and are having tingling, numbness and pain from taking bortezomib (velcade®). Patients who have been diagnosed with multiple myeloma often take bortezomib (velcade®). This research is being done to find out if acupuncture can reduce the nerve pain, tingling, and/or numbness patients experience due to bortezomib (velcade®). Acupuncture is a medical technique of inserting very thin needles into the "energy points" on the body with the aim to restore health and well-being. It has been used widely to treat pain, such as lower back pain and nerve pain. In this study we will see if acupuncture can be used to ease nerve pain and tingling, numbness that is caused by bortezomib.