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Stage 3 Myeloma Diagnosis w/ Kidney Disease

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Studies have also shown that bortezomib (velcade) is also effective in patients with MM who present with renal failure (kidney disease).

Hello Mr.Emerson- My name is Tammy. I’m writing this email to you because my father was diagnosed with Stage 3 Multiple Myeloma cancer with kidney disease  on December 7,2020

The oncologist told my father and I that 75% of his body has been affected by this cancer. Due to this, my father also has kidney disease. He has started his first line of treatment with the dexamethasone pills. 

He is also supposed to be receiving revlimid injections in conjunction with the pills. However, he’s unable to at the moment due to financial reasons. 

I asked the oncologist about CAR T-Cell therapy, but he told that’s only used as a third-line treatment. 

I’ve been doing my research on this therapy, and I feel my father is a good candidate for it, and I don’t want the first line treatment to not be effective and for the cancer to progress any further. 

My question to you is, are there any herbal medications that you have come across that aid in the destruction and inhibition of the cancer cells? 

My father wants to have a holistic approach in conjunction with the conventional medications. 

I bought burdock root to make a tea for him as well as sea moss gel, and I wonder, in your experience and knowledge if that would help. I’m soo thankful to have found you and this network. 

Any information that you can provide me with is greatly appreciated. Tammy

Multiple Myeloma – Stage 3


Hi Tammy- I am sorry to learn of your father’s MM diagnosis. My interpretation of your comment about “75%” is that a bone marrow biopsy indicated that there are monoclonal plasma cells (MM) IN your dad’s bone marrow in the amount of 75%. 

This sounds about right for the stage 3 MM patient. 

As for the presence of kidney involvement, again this is a common symptom and indicates that your dad has a high presence of light-chains. 

As for CAR-T cell therapy, at this point this therapy is still in the experimental phase and is available to those MM patients who have progressed through first and second line treatment regimens. Thats the way MM therapy works in the United States. 

Regarding first and second line MM therapies, to answer your question, yes, there are therapies shown by studies to both

  • kill MM 
  • enhance the efficacy of MM chemotherapy

Please see the MM CC Integrative therapy guide below. For example, studies cite curcumin as an integrative therapy for both Velcade as well as Revlimid. 

In other words, curcumin will enhance the MM killing ability (apoptosis) of both Velcade (bortezomib) as well as Revlimid. 

According to research, there are other non-toxic supplements that both kill MM as well as protect kidney health.  

According to the study linked below, Velcade will help your father’s kidney involvement. 

How old is your father? 

How is his health otherwise? 

Let me know if you have any questions. Hang in there, 

David Emerson

  • MM Survivor
  • MM Cancer Coach
  • Director PeopleBeatingCancer

Recommended Reading:


Rapid improvement in renal function in patients with multiple myeloma and renal failure treated with bortezomib (velcade)

“Multiple Myeloma (MM) frequently presents with renal dysfunction apart from other manifestations. Development of renal failure in patients with MM carries a poor prognosis. 

Bortezomib is a new addition to drugs used in MM and has shown good efficacy and safety profiles. Previous trials have shown its efficacy in relapsed and refractory MM as well. 

Studies have also shown that bortezomib is also effective in patients with MM who present with renal failure. 

We report here six cases of renal failure secondary to MM treated with bortezomib. All patients had poor performance status of 3-4 on ECOG scale. 

Five out of six patients showed satisfactory anti-myeloma response to bortezomib. Reversal of renal failure was observed in all six patients. Adverse effects to bortezomib were mild and manageable. 

Reversal of renal failure persisted despite incomplete response to MM in two cases, and progression of disease in one patient. 

It appears that bortezomib may have an effect on the kidneys in reversal of renal failure, other than its anti-myeloma effect. 

In conclusion, bortezomib appears to be an effective treatment for patients with advanced MM and renal failure irrespective of performance status and age.”

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