Efficacy versus toxicity of new therapies: does there need to be a trade off?

Prof Meletios Dimopoulos, Prof Jesús San Miguel, Prof Pieter Sonneveld and Prof Heinz Ludwig discuss several new issues that were highlighted during the 13th International Myeloma Workshop in Paris, including the treatment of older patients who are not eligible for high dose therapy, melphalan-based versus steroid-based therapy, double versus triple therapy, duration of treatment and the impact of maintenance. The expert panel also discuss how to define the elderly patient, risk stratification and strategies including tolerability of treatment, dose reduction, weekly dosing and subcutaneous administration of bortezomib (Velcade).

Professor Meletious Dimopoulos – University Athens, Greece
Professor Jesús San Miguel - University Hospital of Salamanca, Spain
Professor Pieter Sonneveld - Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands
Professor Heinz Ludwig - Wilhelminenspital, Center for Oncology and Hematology, Vienna, Austria

This programme has been supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Janssen Pharmaceutica (A Johnson & Johnson Company).