Other side-effects reported include mood changes, dry mouth, headache, nausea, edema, dry skin, pruritus, menstrual irregularities, bradycardia, thyroid dysfunction, and hypo or hyperglycemia. The best dose for thalidomide in myeloma is not yet known. There may be a dose response relationship. The mechanism of action of thalidomide in myeloma is unknown. Thalidomide is an anti-angiogenic agent, but also has numerous immunomodulating effects.
Studies are ongoing to determine the mechanism of action of thalidomide in myeloma.
Thalidomide caused thousands of babies to be born with severe deformities of the arms and legs in the late 1950's and early 1960's, as a result of pregnant mothers taking the drug for morning sickness. Therefore extreme caution is required when using the drug. It is not available without a prescription from a physician who is authorized to prescribe the drug. Thalidomide is not FDA approved for use in myeloma. Information provided on this page is only a summary of the available literature.