Chemotherapy for multiple myeloma

The combination of the melphalan and prednisolone (MP) can induce objective responses in about 50% of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) since its introduction in 1960. Since then many combination chemotherapy regimens have been used, but a large metaanalysis showed that the combination of oral MP is as effective as combination regimens including intravenous drugs. In recent years, many novel agents (including bortezomib, thalidomide, and liposomal doxorubicin) have been developed for the MM treatment. More recently, MP has been used in combination with these novel agents. The combination treatment of MP and thalidomide, overall survival was significantly better than seen in the MP treatment. In the near future, primary induction therapy will be changed.