VELCADE^® (bortezomib) for Injection Patient Profile: Barbara Stevens

As she was leaving her office one evening in January 2001, Barbara slipped on the ice and fell, fracturing one of her vertebrae. While she had surgery on her back to stabilize the fracture, she soon developed excruciating muscle spasms and after a few months, more pain around her diaphragm. When an x-ray found additional fractures in her spine, physicians ordered blood tests to rule out multiple myeloma - a form of blood cancer. In April 2001, Barbara was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and given less than three years to live. After working closely with cancer patients for more than 25 years, Barbara found herself in the role of a patient. Not one to back away from a challenge, she told her oncologist: "That's not how it will be for me. Let's get busy fighting this thing."

Barbara began chemotherapy and radiation treatments. However, her disease continued to progress, and Barbara underwent two stem cell transplants which the doctors hoped would put her in remission. Unfortunately, in September 2002 her myeloma became active once again, and unable to undergo another transplant, she began looking for alternative treatments.

In February 2003, Barbara took the advice of a doctor from Indiana University who recommended that she try VELCADE. VELCADE is given by injection at the doctor's office twice a week for two weeks followed by 10 days without treatment (called a cycle). It is used to treat people with multiple myeloma who have been given at least one other medication previously. In a clinical study, 51 percent of patients who received VELCADE as their second therapy experienced a complete or partial response. Individual results seen with VELCADE may vary from those seen in clinical studies.

Having undergone too many therapies to qualify for a clinical trial, Barbara worked to open the VELCADE compassionate use trial at the oncology practice where she had worked. As the paperwork for the trial was being finalized, the FDA approved VELCADE and Barbara received two doses before discovering she had been getting better while she was without any treatment. She stopped taking VELCADE until her myeloma aggressively returned the following year, when she resumed therapy. After just three cycles with VELCADE, Barbara was in remission for the first time since her diagnosis. She stayed on VELCADE for six months and has been in remission ever since.

Barbara has experienced some side effects from the therapy, including tingling, numbness and pain in her extremities, known as peripheral neuropathy. These symptoms should be reported to a health provider immediately so he or she can help with managing the symptoms. The dose of VELCADE may need to be lowered or treatment interrupted until these symptoms get better, at which time the doctor may decide to continue VELCADE at a lower dose. The most commonly reported serious side effects are fever, pneumonia, diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration and nausea. Other common side effects include fatigue, malaise, weakness, constipation, low blood pressure, and temporary low platelet counts (the cells that help blood to clot). It is important to identify side effects early and talk to a health provider as they occur.

From Barbara's perspective, her world wouldn't be the same without VELCADE: "This therapy has made a huge difference in my life, and helped me beat the odds. With VELCADE I had a partner to fight the disease with, and now I can say I'm a cancer survivor. It's the only treatment that has worked for me." While VELCADE worked for Barbara, it may not work for everyone. Please consult your physician to determine if VELCADE is right for you.