stella
Multiple MyelomaDecember 2020Summary reviewed August 2026

Adding One Drug to Standard Blood Cancer Treatment Cut Pain More

Patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who got daratumumab plus three standard drugs before and after a stem cell transplant had less pain, better emotional health, and sharper thinking than those who got the standard three drugs alone. Both groups felt better overall after treatment.

What the trial was testing

The CASSIOPEIA enrolled 1,085 patients with multiple myeloma. The study was sponsored by Intergroupe Francophone du Myelome and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.

It was a large trial designed to confirm whether the treatment works well enough for wider use. Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.

What the results showed

Patients getting the four-drug combo had significantly less pain and better emotional health after their transplant.

The Lancet. Haematology · 2020 · NCT02541383

These findings — that patients on the four-drug combo had greater pain relief after transplant — were published in the The Lancet. Haematology and represent the headline result of the study.

Researchers tracked outcomes across 1,085 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.

What this means for patients

For patients with multiple myeloma, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.

What you can do now

If you've just been diagnosed with multiple myeloma and are eligible for a stem cell transplant, adding daratumumab to your treatment may help you feel better during and after the process. This four-drug combo is FDA-approved and widely used for newly diagnosed patients. Ask your doctor if this approach is right for you.

Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.

Open multiple myeloma trials

RecruitingSafety & dosing / Early efficacy

A Study to Assess Adverse Events and Change in Disease Activity of Oral Surzetoclax Alone or in Combination With Subcutaneous and/or Oral Antimyeloma Agents in Adult Participants With Multiple Myeloma (MM)

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell disease characterized by the growth of clonal plasma cells in the bone marrow. The purpose of this study is to assess the safety and change in disease activity of surzetoclax in adult participants with relapsed/refractory (R/R) MM. Adverse events and change in disease activity will be assessed. Surzetoclax is an investigational drug being developed for the treatment of R/R MM. In Substudy 1 there will be a dose escalation phase where participants will receive various doses of surzetoclax in combination with daratumumab + dexamethasone, to determine the best dose of surzetoclax. This will be followed by a dose expansion and selection phase where participants will receive 1 of 2 doses of surzetoclax in combination with daratumumab + dexamethasone, or daratumumab + dexamethasone + pomalidomide (only during the expansion phase). In Substudy 2, there will be a dose escalation phase where participants will receive various doses of surzetoclax alone. Approximately 130 adult participants with R/R MM will be enrolled in the study in approximately 40 sites worldwide. In Substudy 1 escalation phase, participants will receive oral surzetoclax tablets in combination with subcutaneous (SC) daratumumab injections + oral dexamethasone tablets and in the expansion phase, will receive oral surzetoclax tablets in combination with SC daratumumab injections + oral dexamethasone tablets or daratumumab injections + oral pomalidomide + oral dexamethasone tablets. In Substudy 2, Japanese participants will receive oral surzetoclax tablets. The total study duration is approximately 4.5 years. There may be higher treatment burden for participants in this trial compared to their standard of care. Participants will attend regular visits during the study at an approved institution. The effect of the treatment will be frequently checked by medical assessments, blood tests, and side effects.

Los Angeles, California, United States +24 more
RecruitingObservational study

Prospective Cohort With Hemopathy in Languedoc-Roussillon

Prospective Cohort Study of clinical and laboratory data of patients with hemopathy.

Montpellier, France