Dear madison5-ga;
Thank you for allowing me an opportunity to answer your interesting
question. Frankly, there are so many treatments for this disease
nowadays and the rate of new treatment is developing so fast that it
would be difficult outline them all. I was able to find this fantastic
resource though that highlights many of the existing and emerging
treatments and since these descriptions are of a medical and
scientific nature it would not be well for me to try and paraphrase
them. Therefore, I thought it best to point them out rather than
outline them, having obtained this from this source and others below:
MULTIPLE MYELOMA RESEARCH FOUNDATION
http://206.204.218.38/default.asp
As an example, here is a brief excerpt of only one of the many
treatments listed here (the actual articles on each treatment are
quite lengthy and much more informative):
One of the most promising of new treatments for multiple myeloma seems
to be Thalomid® (thalidomide) ? yes, it?s that same drug that got the
bad reputation back in the 1950?s for causing birth defects in
children whose pregnant mother?s took it for insomnia, but it is now
considered by many to be the first new agent with major antimyeloma
activity in more than 30 years. Thalidomide is an immunomodulatory
agent (a drug that affects the immune system) that prevents the growth
of myeloma cells in several different ways that are not yet fully
understood. What scientists do know is that it works in many cases
even when the disease is in the advanced stages.
MULTIPLE MYELOMA RESEARCH FOUNDATION - Thalomid® (thalidomide)
http://206.204.218.38/treatments/3.04.asp
Here are some of the other widely used treatments that, like the one
mentioned above, have had some remarkable successes. Use the search
feature after the second paragraph and you will find a detailed
description of each drug, how it works, how it is applied, the
recommended dosages and benefits of each:
MULTIPLE MYELOMA RESEARCH FOUNDATION - TREATMENTS
http://206.204.218.38/treatments/default.asp
Here is a list of emerging treatments that hold great promise. Each
are listed in the table with the name of the drug or therapy, the
company that manufactures it (if applicable), the stage at which is
appears to be most effective and a brief description of how the drug
works toward combating multiple myeloma.
MULTIPLE MYELOMA RESEARCH FOUNDATION ? EMERGING THERAPIES
http://206.204.218.38/treatments/3.08.asp
In addition, here are some very easy to understand articles about the
treatment of multiple myeloma that cover such topics as Before
Treatment, Treatment Methods, Treatment Studies, and Side Effects of
Treatment:
NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE: CANCER.GOV
http://cancer.gov/cancer_information/doc_wyntk.aspx?viewid=5db34eef-d9c1-47dd-94e1-3c98099798ba#8
I think it is important too to recognize that treating this disease as
one would treat a cold, with medicines and therapies is not all there
is too it. With a disease this complex and threatening there are
several stages of treatment, each having it?s own compliment of
medications, proactive and reactive methodologies. The basic phases in
the treatment of the disease are of three fundamental types (excluding
of course, a total eradication of the myeloma):
Induction ? focuses on reducing the amount of disease and achieving remission
Maintenance ? focuses on prolonging remission
Salvage Therapy ? focuses on reducing the effects of the disease when
effective therapy has failed or when patients relapse after a
remission
With each phase comes a non-specific approach in terms of medications
and therapies use, depending of course upon the patient and the
advancement of the disease. Therefore it is would be impossible to do
each treatment justice in anything less than a research essay or white
paper on each one as to how one goes about treating each individual
with which treatment.
MYELOMA INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH AND THERAPY, UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR
MEDICAL SCIENCES
http://myeloma.uams.edu/treatment.asp
Even better news comes to use from the US Senate, who just five days
ago appropriated $28.3 billion to fund the research and treatment of
multiple myeloma, so clearly the fast paced development of treatments
will continue and even more will become available as clinical trials
continue and report back to the FDA with their findings:
INTERNATIONAL MYELOMA FOUNDATION
?SENATE PASSES FUNDING BILL; INCLUDES MONEY FOR MYELOMA COMMUNITY?
http://www.myeloma.org/myeloma/article.jsp?type=detail&articleId=1187
You can contact the IMF toll free if you?d like more information about
this press release or if you just have questions about other issues
related to the treatment of multiple myeloma:
?You are not alone. We're here to help you. Call our toll free
hotline--staffed by NCI-trained specialists--at (800) 452-CURE
(800-452-2873) in the US and Canada between 9 am and 4 pm PST;
elsewhere call (818) 487-7455.?
Or by email here: http://myeloma.org/myeloma/contact_us.jsp
I hope you find that my research exceeds your expectations. If you
have any questions about my research please post a clarification
request prior to rating the answer. Otherwise I welcome your rating
and your final comments and I look forward to working with you again
in the near future. Thank you for bringing your question to us.
Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga ? Google Answers Researcher
INFORMATION SOURCES
Defined above
SEARCH STRATEGY
SEARCH ENGINE USED:
Google ://www.google.com
SEARCH TERMS USED:
Multiple myeloma, treatments, therapies, emerging |
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