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Multiple myeloma (first line) - bortezomib and thalidomide (TA228) |
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Bortezomib and thalidomide for the first-line treatment of multiple myeloma
NICE recommends bortezomib and thalidomide as possible first treatments for some people with multiple myeloma (see below).
Who can have bortezomib and thalidomide?
You should be able to have thalidomide if:
- it’s given with a type of drug called an alkylating agent (for example, melphalan) and a type of drug called a corticosteroid (for example, prednisolone) and
- intensive drug treatment together with a stem cell transplant is not suitable for you.
You should be able to have bortezomib if:
- you would normally be offered thalidomide but you cannot take it because of side effects or other reasons.
Why has NICE said this?
NICE looks at how well treatments work, and also at how well they work in relation to how much they cost the NHS.
NICE recommended thalidomide because it works better than other treatments available on the NHS (such as melphalan with prednisolone). Although its use costs more than these other treatments, this was justified by the benefits it provided.
NICE recommended that bortezomib should only be offered to people who cannot take thalidomide. This is because although bortezomib works as well as thalidomide it costs more.
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Other information
How this guidance was produced
Background information
- None found
This page was last updated: 10 February 2012
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Guidance formats
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Implementation tools and resources
Patient
The summary of the key recommendations in the guidance written for patients, carers and those with little medical knowledge and may be used in local patient information leaflets.
Quick Reference Guide
The quick reference guide presents recommendations for health professionals
NICE Guidance
The published NICE clinical guidance, contains the recommendations for health professionals and NHS bodies.
Full Guidance
The published full clinical guidance for specialists with background, evidence, recommendations and methods used.
