Recently Diagnosed or Relapsed? Stop Looking For a Miracle Cure, and Use Evidence-Based Therapies To Enhance Your Treatment and Prolong Your Remission
Multiple Myeloma an incurable disease, but I have spent the last 25 years in remission using a blend of conventional oncology and evidence-based nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle therapies from peer-reviewed studies that your oncologist probably hasn't told you about.
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Can Revlimid Cause Colds, Infections, Etc.?
Can Revlimid cause colds, infections, etc? Yes. The question below is one of the more commonly asked questons in online MM groups.
While there are conventional therapies that can enhance immune function such as IVIG therapy, it is PeopleBeatingCancer.org’s role to offer evidence-based non-conventional therapies. In this case, therapies that can enhance an MM patient’s immune system.
Hi everyone, wondering does anyone have trouble with colds, respiratory infections, lung infections, pneumonia etc. being on revlimid? I have had several since September. I will get sick with cold that will escalate into something more.
This last one put me in the hospital. My hematologist told me last visit that if it continues to happen that I will need to possibly have to reduce more or go off of revlimid all together.
All About Revlimid (lenalidomide) for Multiple Myeloma
Telling your oncologist that you are experiencing colds and infections is important. However, because infections are a major cause of mortality in MM, it seems to me that talking to your onc. about experiencing infections is a bit like closing the barn door after the horse has bolted.
Evidence-based, non-conventional therapies to enhance immune function are:
Have you been diagnosed with MM? What stage? What therapies have you undergone? Scroll down the page, post a question or a comment, and I will reply to you ASAP.
Hang in there,
David Emerson
- MM Survivor
- MM Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Revlimid (lenalidomide)
significantly increases the risk of infection, especially serious and high-grade infections, due to lowered white blood cell counts (neutropenia) and immune system effects. Combination therapies (e.g., with dexamethasone) and patient risk factors (age, smoking) further heighten infection risk, requiring careful monitoring, prophylactic measures, and prompt medical attention for symptoms.
Key points on Revlimid and infection risk
- Mechanism: Lowers blood cell counts (neutropenia, thrombocytopenia) and modulates the immune system, leading to higher vulnerability to bacterial, viral, and fungal infections.
- Risk Level: Associated with a substantially increased risk of severe infections, pneumonia, febrile neutropenia, and in some cases, fatal outcomes.
- Combination Therapies: Adding other drugs (dexamethasone, proteasome inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies) enhances the risk.
- Monitoring: Requires frequent blood count (CBC) monitoring, especially during early cycles.
- Symptoms: Patients should report any signs of infection (fever, chills, shortness of breath, cough, etc.) immediately to their doctor.
- Prevention: Avoid sick people, practice good hygiene, and discuss potential antibiotic prophylaxis with your doctor.
Risk of Serious Infections with Lenalidomide-Based Regimens in Multiple Myeloma: A Network Meta-Analysis
Background:
Lenalidomide is an immune modulator, approved for use since 2005 for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) patients. Its use is associated with an increased risk of infections. Combination of lenalidomide with other drugs, monoclonal antibodies, proteasome inhibitors, dexamethasone, and alkylators, can enhance the risk of serious infections. We conducted a network meta-analysis to compare the incidence of ≥Grade 3 infections among lenalidomide based regimens used in MM that can help clinicians to monitor patients for the risk of infections…
Results:
In 23 RCTs, the median age was ≥65years in 11 RCTs (N=5585) and ≤65 in 12 RCTs (5589). 9 RCTs were performed on relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) patients (N=4254), while 13 RCTs were performed on newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients (N=6920).
Lenalidomide regimen was used as maintenance therapy in 8 RCT (N=4255). Table 1 reviews the baseline characteristics. The pooled incidence of high-grade infections in trials with a median age of ≥65 and ≤65 years is 1010/5585 and 634/5589, respectively. The incidence of high-grade infections is 693/4254 in RRMM patients, 951/6920 in NDMM patients, and 466/4255 in NDMM patients with maintenance therapy….
Conclusion:
This network meta-analysis suggests an increase in the risk of high-grade infections with the addition of bortezomib, monoclonal antibodies, ixazomib, and carfilzomib to lenalidomide in multiple myeloma patients with the highest increase in risk with the addition of carfilzomib. Additional randomized clinical trials are needed on the toxicity of lenalidomide based regimens to confirm these results.
Can Revlimid cause colds infections Can Revlimid cause colds infections Can Revlimid cause colds infections