An examination of the evidence for the mechanism of action of thalidomide in the treatment of myeloma.
This paper discusses thalidomide, a very controversial drug which was originally banned due to its teratogenic side effects. In particular, it looks at how it has been recently brought back and tested on myeloma, a form of cancer that begins in the body’s plasma cells, with promising results. It reviews the current proposed mechanism of action of thalidomide in the treatment of myeloma.
Thalidomide was found to demonstrate selective inhibition of androgen receptor positive prostate cancer cells (Capitotsi et. al 2004). In combination with arsenic trioxide, it was found to benefit low and high risk myelodysplastic syndrome patients (Raza et. al 2004). Moreover, thalidomide is successful in treatment of erythrema nodosum leprosum, a stage in leprosy, because it inhibits tumor necrosis factor alpha (Sampaio et. al 1991). Finally, according to Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, thalidomide is now under clinical trials for the treatment of many solid and blood tumors.