In addition to the myeloma support groups I speak to across the country, I attend two local groups here in Florida. The Nature Coast Multiple Myeloma Support Group, and a smaller, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) group. Wednesday night I should have stayed home.  But I felt it is important for me to participate–and like [...]

I want to apologize.  I try to publish my posts each day by 9 am Eastern time. Well, it’s now 3 PM.  I just received a call from a reader, wondering if I’m OK.  I love that! Unfortunately, I’m not OK.  Two weeks ago I spent close to a week recovering from the worst cold [...]

Here is a link to an excellent Myeloma Beacon review/summary which compares different experimental proteasome inhibitors Marizomib (NPI-0052) and MLN9708 with Velcade and carfilzomib: Marizomib May Be Effective In Relapsed / Refractory Multiple Myeloma (ASH 2011) Hopefully, each of these three new agents will help a number of patients who have become refractory to Velcade [...]

Good Morning!  Let’s get right to Danny Parker’s column–installment number five in his series about multiple myeloma and nutrition:   Diet and Multiple Myeloma (Part 5): Eating to Starve Cancer Ever wondered how Revlimid works? Lenalidomide is a powerful anti-angiogenic agent. And just what is that? Put simply, angiogenesis is the process where new blood [...]

While it is a bit “after the fact,” it is exciting to learn this evening that the FDA has approved administering Velcade sub-q. Let me share an email I received from company spokesperson, Peter Schrager, along with the official press release/announcement: Pat, Hope all is well. Today, Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company announced that the [...]

I hope everyone had a fulfilling weekend. I wanted to start out the new week by sharing some updates I received by email this weekend. First, I hope you take the time to read yesterday’s post.  The article dispels a number of myths associated with median life expectancy statistics. One of the first questions anyone [...]

I received a disturbing follow-up email from a reader last week. She had been searching for help to find a therapy that might work for her brother with multiple myeloma. Unfortunately, her brother died before he could even start therapy. Last year, a member of our support group here in Florida recently passed away after [...]

If you fit into this category then please note Arayvan Clinical Research of Arlington, TX is conducting clinical studies to see if CIN medication has any relation to a very high risk HPV infection. These are some of our exclusion Factors: • You must not have used any form of investigational agents for at least [...]

OncologySTAT ran this feature article about pomalidomide last week in their hematology edition.  Here are a few excerpts: Pomalidomide Elicits Responses When Other Myeloma Regimens Fail By P. Wendling SAN DIEGO – The potent, next-generation immunomodulatory inhibitor pomalidomide works in at least one-third of patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma when nothing else does, [...]

Do you have shortness of breath or do you have trouble concentrating on the issues at hand? Do you feel tired or fatigued all the time? Here are some trial benefits: Any study patient that fits the criteria will receive study related medical exams and also will be supplied study related medicine free of cost. [...]

• Do you always feel sad? • Do you feel as if there is no hope? • Are you lacking in energy? • Are you restless at night or have trouble falling asleep? • Are you between the age of 18 to 75? If you have answered yes to these questions then our medical research [...]

Are you a female Diagnosed with IBS-D? Because of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, have you ever experienced abdominal pain, bowel urgency and loose stools? Arayvan Clinical Research of Arlington Texas invites you to volunteer for a very important clinical study. This study is based on a marketed drug to determine if it will help alleviate symptoms [...]

Today is a proud day for me.  The first print run of my second book, Stem Cell Transplants from a Patient’s Perspective, has been shipped by the publisher. While it will take a week or two for the book to show-up on Amazon.com, our online My Cancer Store is stocked and ready to go. My [...]

Yesterday I promised to share some tips on ways to stay positive in the face of adversity. This is certainly something that I–along with many other multiple myeloma survivors–face nearly everyday. Let me start by admitting that I’m not an “over -the-top, read self help books and always think positive” kind of guy. I don’t [...]

Monday I shared a link-back to an article from Nature Magazine about the validity of using stem cell transplants as a primary anti-myeloma therapy;  featuring a lot about me and my transplant experience this past summer:  Stem cells: Transplants on trial This article was just part of seventeen article feature called Nature Outlook, all about [...]

I have been traveling/flying every ten days or so lately–and it’s taking a toll on my day to day health. Friends and family often say things like this to me:  “I don’t know how you should travel in your condition!”  Or “Should you be traveling so much?” Up to this point, I have mainly gotten [...]

Today on NBC's today show, celebrity chef Paula Deen confirmed she had Type 2 diabetes.  She was diagnosed 3 years ago, but only decided to come out today.  She also mentioned that she is a paid spokesperson for drug company Novo Nordisk, mak...

Hello CureTalk readers and TrialX supporters, users Happy 2012 and we kick off to some great news here at TrialX. Our team (Ask Dory) was adjudged as a winner of a national health application development challenge sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Office of the National Coordinator of Health to use publicly [...]

While I was in San Diego at ASH, I covered an IMF activist training meeting. The primary goal of the group was to prepare to help the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) work for passage of a variety of state and Federal legislation, all centering around the cost disparities between infusion and oral chemotherapy Medicare [...]

Last month I was featured in a Nature Magazine article about multiple myeloma and stem cell transplants: Stem cells: Transplants on trial By Elie Dolgin They included this handsome picture, too! Point of fact, the photo editors–located in England–flipped the captions of the two pictures I sent them.  The actual stem cell infusion pic was [...]