Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells that is currently incurable. However, there are a number of medications that can significantly improve the cancer's prognosis. One such drug is thalidomide, which affects the immune system. This drug was originally used in the 1950s for morning sickness but was withdrawn from the market due to its extreme risk of birth defects. Thalidomide is currently available as a medical treatment under very controlled circumstances.
Instructions
1. Consider the use of thalidomide---also known by the brand name Thalomid------carefully. Your oncologist will need to weigh the potential benefits of thalidomide treatment against its potential side effects. This evaluation must be performed on an individual basis, due to the high risks associated with the drug.
2. Register with the System for Thalidomide Education and Prescribing Safety (STEPS). This is a requirement for receiving thalidomide in the United States and your oncologist and pharmacy must also participate in the program. The primary purpose of the STEPS program is to minimize the chances of exposing a fetus to thalidomide.
3. Ask your oncologist about combining thalidomide with other drugs as part of a treatment regimen. The combination of thalidomide and dexamethasone is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of multiple myeloma. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) also recommends the use of thalidomide with prednisone as maintenance therapy. The combination of Thalomid used in conjunction with melphalan and prednisone is approved in Europe for the treatment of multiple myeloma.
4. Use the drug by itself in specific circumstances. Thalidomide may be used as a single agent for patients who cannot tolerate dexamethasone and it may also be an option for patients who relapse after plasma transplantation. The NCCN also recommends the use of thalidomide by itself for maintenance therapy.
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