This phase 2 clinical trial will test the effectiveness of a high-dose BeEAM chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for multiple myeloma. The primary outcome will be measured by the response to the treatment.
The details
BeEAM is a combination chemotherapy containing 4 different drugs (bendamustine, etoposide, cytarabine, and melphalan). High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (where patients’ blood stem cells are collected and transplanted back) is typically given as an initial treatment for patients with multiple myeloma. The purpose is to kill the cancer cells and replace the blood forming stem cells that are damaged during chemotherapy. This method of treatment has been effective in treating myeloma, but only a single chemotherapy drug is normally used for this therapy. Delivering the BeEAM combination therapy as a first-line treatment, rather than just one agent, may further improve the treatment response rate.
The study will examine the number of patients who completely respond to treatment 100 days after transplant, survival rate, and number of patients with no signs of disease up to 1 year.
Who are they looking for?
This trial is recruiting 65 patients between ages 18 and 70 years with multiple myeloma who have not started treatment. Patients should have adequate organ function and should not have an active infection. Pregant women will be excluded from this trial.
How will it work
Patients will receive a high dose BeEAM treatment intravenously (through IV), which will be followed by autologous stem cell transplant. Survival and disease response will be followed for up to 1 year.
