Prof Antonio Palumbo and Prof Vincent Rajkumar discuss some of the key research into myeloma that was presented at ASH 2010. This includes trials demonstrating that post transplant lenalidomide maintenance treatment dramatically improves progression free survival, a study comparing bortezomib (Velcade) with thalidomide as maintenance treatments, a trial investigating the use of pomalidomide in patients refractory to both bortezomib and lenalidomide, research into the use of bisphosphonates and a trial showing the drawbacks of allogeneic stem cell transplants.

Prof Antonio Palumbo speaks about the research he presented which highlights the benefits of drug combinations followed by lenalidomide or bortezomib and thalidomide maintenance treatments. These trials have produced extremely positive complete response rates in patients aged 65-75, offering clinicians with an alternative to stem cell transplants.