Active clinical trials for "Neoplasms, Plasma Cell"

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.

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.

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.

The purpose of this study is to determine if denosumab is non-inferior to zoledronic acid in the treatment of bone disease from multiple myeloma.

RATIONALE: An Opioid Titration Order Sheet that allows healthcare providers to adjust the dose and schedule of pain medication may help improve pain treatment for patients with cancer. It is not yet known whether the use of an Opioid Titration Order Sheet is more effective than standard care in treating pain caused by cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying an Opioid Titration Order Sheet to see how well it works compared with standard care in treating patients with cancer pain.

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.

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: 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.

RATIONALE: Epoetin alfa may cause the body to make more red blood cells. It is used to treat anemia caused by cancer and chemotherapy. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying how well epoetin alfa works in treating patients with anemia who are undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.