Abstract
Bortezomib (Velcade) is a representative of class of medicines called proteasome inhibitors. This drug represents quite new and unique medical treatment of the patients with multiple myeloma (MM).
A total 424 patients with multiple myeloma treated with bortezomib from June 2004 to June 2010 were evaluated. The median follow-up was 12,4 months.
The mean age of patients was 66 years and majority of them were patients with relapsed multiple myeloma. Of the total 424 patients, 205 patients had bortezomib as second line therapy.
Assessment of therapeutic response was possible in 83,3% of treated patients. Therapeutic response was achieved in 52,7%.
Among mentioned responses, complete response was obtained in 14,2%. The most severe toxicity observed was peripheral neuropathy, grade 3 or higher was developed in 14%.
There was recorded a thrombocytopenia grade 3 in 28,8%, further occurence of infections grade 2 or higher in 33,6% and eventually we could observe increased number of thromboembolic disease.