But it did not do well in a large study done by researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. They looked at newly-diagnosed multiple myeloma patients who were given thalidomide on top of an already-grueling chemotherapy regimen. The study is reported in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine. It was paid for by Celgene, maker of the Thalomid brand of thalidomide, and the National Cancer Institute.
According to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, more than 15,000 Americans are diagnosed with multiple myeloma annually. The disease affects blood cells called B-lymphocytes. While some myelomas are slow-moving and pose little immediate threat, others can be very aggressive.
Thalidomide was taken off the market in the 1960s because women who took it during pregnancy had a much higher rate of severe birth defects. However, studies suggesting it might help against cancer led to its reintroduction -- with strict controls -- in 1998.
