Summary Total therapy 3 incorporated bortezomib into a melphalan‐based tandem transplant regimen for 303 newly diagnosed patients with myeloma. Induction chemotherapy prior to and consolidation chemotherapy after transplants each consisted of two cycles of VTD‐PACE (bortezomib, thalidomide, dexamethasone and 4‐d continuous infusions of cis‐platin, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, etoposide); 3‐year maintenance comprised monthly cycles of VTD in the first and TD in the remaining years. The median age was 59 years (age >64 years, 28%). A minimum of 20 × 106 CD34 cells/kg was collected in 87% of patients; 83% completed both transplants, and only 5% suffered a treatment‐related death. At 24 months, 83% had achieved near‐complete remission, which was sustained in 88% at 2 years from its onset. With a median follow‐up of 20 months, 2‐year estimates of event‐free and overall survival were 84% and 86% respectively. The 44 patients who experienced an event more often had a high‐risk gene array profile, cytogenetic abnormalities and indicators of high lactate dehydrogenase, beta‐2‐microglobulin, creatinine and International Staging System stage. Toxicities of grade > 2 included thrombo‐embolic events in 27% and peripheral neuropathy in 12%. Results of this phase‐2 study demonstrated that bortezomib could be safely combined with multi‐agent chemotherapy, effecting near‐complete remission status and 2‐year survival rates in more than 80% of patients.

Background Improvements in some treatment programs for multiple myeloma (MM) are increasing survival. As patients live longer with MM as a chronic disease, the personal financial effects of MM treatment become a serious concern. Objective The objective of this study was to identify the personal financial effects of MM and its treatment in five areas: employment, disability, health/medical and life insurance, retirement, and out-of-pocket expenses. Methods We mailed a questionnaire about financial issues to 1015 patients who had received intensive treatment for MM at the study site. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and comparisons using independent t-tests. Results Our sample (n=762; mean age 61, SD 9.26), experienced issues with employment (66% employed at diagnosis and treatment; 33% employed at questionnaire time), disability (35% applied), health/medical and life insurance (29% lost coverage and 8% changed coverage), retirement (13% retired during treatment), and out-of-pocket expenses (36% of income in first treatment year and 28% of income during most recent 12 months). Conclusions Issues of employment, disability, health insurance, retirement, and out-of-pocket costs for treatment are major challenges for patients. Implications for Practice In the midst of assessing physical needs during clinical trials for chemotherapy and stem cell transplants, health care providers must keep sight of patients' personal financial needs so that we can intervene promptly with referrals to social work, rehabilitation therapy, and other health care professions to help patients decrease the personal financial effects of MM and its treatment.

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