Conditions: Multiple Myeloma
Keywords: Myeloma Thalidomide Pamidronate Aredia Bisphosphonate Anti-Angiogenesis Smoldering/Indolent Myeloma Zometa
Allocation: NA | Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Enrollment: 83
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The purpose of this research is to study how helpful the combination of thalidomide and Pamidronate or thalidomide and Zometa is in controlling the myeloma disease and to study any side effects.

Detailed description:
Recently laboratory research found that thalidomide can inhibit the formation of new blood vessels that are necessary for the growth and spread of cancer. In order to grow and increase in size tumors require new blood vessels to supply them with the necessary blood to grow. If we can prevent these new blood vessels feeding the tumor from being formed by using thalidomide we might slow or stop the growth of the tumor. This concept is called "anti-angiogenesis" It is hoped that thalidomide will slow or stop the growth myeloma. However, it cannot be guaranteed that you will benefit if you take part in this study. The treatment you receive may even be harmful.

Arms:
arm 1: 200 mg/day Thalidomide + 90 mg Pamidronate OR 4 mg Zometa every 2 weeks for 2 months and then every 4 weeks as maintenance therapy

Interventions: intervention 1: Pamidronate intervention 2: Thalidomide intervention 3: Zometa
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Patients will receive either pamidronate or zometa. Pamidronate is administered at a dose of 90 mg by continuous infusion over 90 minutes, every two weeks for 2 months. Disease will be reassessed after two cycles. Those with stable disease or better will receive 90 mg every 4 weeks as maintenance therapy. intervention 2: All Patients will receive thalidomide 200 mg as an oral, once daily dose. Dose may be reduced to as low as 50 mg qod in the event of severe toxicity. Thalidomide will continue daily as tolerated until criteria to remove from study are met.

Patients will receive appropriate regimen to prevent constipation (i.e., colace, dulcolax, milk of magnesia, or lactulose) intervention 3: Patients will receive either pamidronate or zometa. Zometa is administered at a dose of 4 mg by continuous infusion every two weeks for 2 months. Disease will be reassessed after two cycles. Those with stable disease or better will receive 4 mg every 4 weeks as maintenance therapy.

Protocol document: