Clinical Trials Monitor focuses on Pharmaceutical Trials and Single Institution Trials and is updated on a monthly basis. There are also trials that are sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and Cancer Cooperative Groups. To learn more about NCI sponsored trials, use PDQ, NCI's clinical trials database. The Coalition of National Cancer Cooperative Groups also has information about many Cooperative Group trials.

MMRF's CTM is a searchable database of pharmaceutical trials and single institution trials in multiple myeloma. You can search based on up to 3 different search category: Type of Trial; Patient Type or Eligibility; and State. We also ask that you identify yourself as a patient, family member, patient friend, clinician, researcher, nurse, healthcare worker, or member of the pharmaceutical industry or media. It is important that you identify yourself accurately so we can obtain feedback about who is benefiting most from this information. Please note that the results of your search will be the same no matter how you identify yourself.

Once you have selected your choices in the search form, click the "Start Search" button at the bottom. Clinical trials that match your search terms will be shown in a list. To obtain details about a trial in the list, click on its title.

Learn more about a search category:

Fortunately, there are several types of trials being conducted in multiple myeloma today. Select the trial types that most interest you in the list box. You may select more than one by holding down the control key as you click (or the apple key for Mac users).

Available trial types:

New compounds used in the treatment of multiple myeloma. They may be used alone or in combination with conventional drugs or therapies. Several novel drugs that have been developed in the laboratory are currently available to patients through clinical trials participation. Examples are Thalidomide and other IMiDs™, and PS-341.* (*also known as LDP 341)

The goal of immune therapy, or immunotherapy, is to stimulate the patients own immune system to fight myeloma cells and to minimize treatment side effects. It has primarily been used to improve the outcome for patients receiving high dose chemotherapy and transplantation. Vaccines and adoptive immunotherapy (e.g. donor lymphocyte infusion) are the main types of immunotherapies being tested in multiple myeloma.

In multiple myeloma, stem cell transplants are often used to help restore the body's normal blood cells, which are destroyed by the disease and by conventional treatments, such as chemotherapy. There are several types of stem cell transplants in use to treat patients with multiple myeloma. Click here to view our patient education booklet entitled "Understanding Stem Cell Transplantation" for more information.

Chemoprevention is a new therapeutic approach that is being tested in people with Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS) to prevent the progression of this condition to active multiple myeloma.

Supportive therapies or treatments that address the symptoms and complications of myeloma, such as bone destruction and anemia. Some examples include bisphosphonates, growth factors, antibiotics and anti-emetics.

This category includes all other types of trials, for instance trials that test new types of chemotherapy drugs or regimens.

To search by patient type, select the option that best describes your/your family member's current condition. For this parameter, you can only select one type.

Please note that the eligibility criteria listed for each trial is abbreviated. Please contact the Principle Investigator or study coordinator for additional criteria.

Patient types:

MGUS, or Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance is a pre-cancerous condition with similar characteristics to multiple myeloma. Patients diagnosed with MGUS, however, have no symptoms of multiple myeloma and typically do not receive treatment, although they are closely monitored for plasma cell and M protein changes. One to two percent of patients/year with MGUS will develop myeloma and related diseases.

Smoldering Myeloma is often referred to as slowly progressing or stable disease. No symptoms of the disease are reported or evaluated and patients do not receive treatment until the disease begins to progress.

Confirmed diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma where treatment is recommended or required to help halt or slow the progression of the disease.

Myeloma patients who have responded to therapy and whose disease is stable once treatment is stopped.

First relapse occurs when multiple myeloma begins to progress again for the first time after response to initial therapy.

When multiple myeloma begins to progress again after a salvage or second treatment.

When patients relapse shortly after completion of therapy, and/or don't respond to either primary or salvage treatments.

In order to help you identify trials that are geographically convenient, CTM allows you to search for trials by one or more states, or Canada. You may select more than one by holding down the control key as you click (or the apple key for Mac users).

We welcome your feedback on our Clinical Trials Monitor. Please direct your CTM comments and questions to quinnyounga@themmrf.org