Table 1 Major milestones in therapeutic... | American Society of Hematology

Table 1

Major milestones in therapeutic options for myeloma

	Milestone	Notes
1962	Melphalan-prednisone (MP)⁴	Introduction of melphalan in the 1960s was associated with improved survival.⁴ More intense chemotherapy regimens increased response rates, but with no improvement in survival compared to melphalan and prednisone.³⁰
1996	Autologous SCT^6,7	Several randomized trials demonstrated a survival advantage for this modality compared to conventional chemotherapy (CCT).^5,–7 However, other trials either have failed to demonstrate an overall survival advantage or have demonstrated equivalent benefit from early or late ASCT.^31,,–34
1999	Thalidomide (Thalomid)^8,9	Thalidomide has demonstrated improved response rates and progression-free survival rates compared to dexamethasone alone. When added to MP, it improves survival compared to MP alone.
2003	Bortezomib (Velcade)^12,35	Bortezomib has improved survival compared to high-dose dexamethasone in patients with relapsed myeloma.
2003	Tandem autologous SCT³⁶	Tandem SCT has improved survival compared with single transplantation, albeit in those failing to achieve a very good partial response to first transplantation.
2005	Lenalidomide (Revlimid)^10,26	Lenalidomide and dexamethasone have improved survival compared with dexamethasone in relapsed myeloma in phase III trials.

	Milestone	Notes
1962	Melphalan-prednisone (MP)⁴	Introduction of melphalan in the 1960s was associated with improved survival.⁴ More intense chemotherapy regimens increased response rates, but with no improvement in survival compared to melphalan and prednisone.³⁰
1996	Autologous SCT^6,7	Several randomized trials demonstrated a survival advantage for this modality compared to conventional chemotherapy (CCT).^5,–7 However, other trials either have failed to demonstrate an overall survival advantage or have demonstrated equivalent benefit from early or late ASCT.^31,,–34
1999	Thalidomide (Thalomid)^8,9	Thalidomide has demonstrated improved response rates and progression-free survival rates compared to dexamethasone alone. When added to MP, it improves survival compared to MP alone.
2003	Bortezomib (Velcade)^12,35	Bortezomib has improved survival compared to high-dose dexamethasone in patients with relapsed myeloma.
2003	Tandem autologous SCT³⁶	Tandem SCT has improved survival compared with single transplantation, albeit in those failing to achieve a very good partial response to first transplantation.
2005	Lenalidomide (Revlimid)^10,26	Lenalidomide and dexamethasone have improved survival compared with dexamethasone in relapsed myeloma in phase III trials.