Conditions: Multiple Myeloma
Keywords: hematologic malignancy
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 90
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
Investigators planned to accrue 176 participants, to compare the response rate, overall response rate and survival of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) when randomized to two regimens (thalidomide+Dexamethasone versus Vincristine+Adriamycin+Dexamethasone). Investigators also planned to test if treatment with zoledronate immediately prior to chemotherapy results in an enhanced response to treatment (i.e. increase in complete response rates).

Detailed description:
Patients Randomized to receive VAD (vincristine, adriamycin, dexamethasone): All patients received four cycles of VAD repeated every 4 weeks. Chemotherapy was administered by continuous IV Infusion for 96 hours: vincristine at a dose of 0.4 mg/day and doxorubicin at a dose of 9 mg/m\^2/day. Patients were administered dexamethasone 40 mg by mouth (PO) on days 1 to 4, 9 to 12, and 17 to 20 of the initial two cycles. Dexamethasone was given only on days 1-4 of all subsequent cycles. Patients were randomized to receive zoledronic acid IV on either Day 1 or 15 of each cycle. This schedule continued monthly as long as the patient remained on study. The dose was calculated based on the patients' monthly creatinine clearance. Upon initiation of Zometa therapy, the following guidelines were applied: For patients with creatinine clearance \>60 mL/min, the recommended dose remained at 4mg. For patients with reduced creatinine clearance, dosing was calculated to achieve the same area under curve (AUC) as in patients with creatinine clearance of 75 mL/min. Creatinine clearance was calculated using the Cockcroft-Gault formula.

Arms:
arm 1: VAD (vincristine, adriamycin, dexamethasone). Vincristine and adriamycin was administered by continuous infusion via a venous catheter for 96 hours every 28 days. Each 28 days is considered one "cycle" of therapy. Patients were to receive 4 to 6 cycles of therapy. Dexamethasone was taken in pill form. During the first 2 cycles it was taken on days 1-4, 9-12, 17-20. For all other cycles dexamethasone was taken only on days 1-4. Patients were randomized to receive zoledronic acid IV on either Day 1 or 15 of each cycle. arm 2: Thalidomide was taken orally once every day in the evening for four to six months. The dexamethasone was taken in a pill form. During the first 2 cycles it was taken on days 1-4, 9-12, 17-20. For all other cycles dexamethasone was taken only on days 1-4.

Interventions: intervention 1: zoledronic acid intervention 2: dexamethasone intervention 3: thalidomide intervention 4: vincristine intervention 5: adriamycin
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Patients were randomized to receive zoledronic acid I.V. on either Day 1 or 15 of each cycle. This schedule continued monthly as long as the patient remained on study. The dose was calculated based on the patients' monthly creatinine clearance. intervention 2: As outlined in VAD Treatment arm and Thalidomide and Dexamethasone Treatment arm intervention 3: As outlined in Thalidomide and Dexamethasone Treatment arm intervention 4: As outlined in VAD Treatment Arm intervention 5: As outlined in VAD Treatment arm

Protocol document: