Glossary of Multiple Myeloma Medical Terminology

Paget’s Disease
A bone disease that is not related to cancer. It is a chronic condition that results in enlarged and deformed bones.

Palifermin
Medication that stimulates the growth of cells found in the oral cavity and skin and reduces the duration and severity of oral mucositis (inflammation of the lining of the digestive tract) after intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy for hematologic cancers. The brand name for palifermin is(...)

Palliative
Meant to reduce symptoms and relieve pain rather than to alter the course of disease.

Palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia (PPE)
See hand-foot syndrome (HFS)

Pamidronate (Aredia®)
A type of bisphosphonate. Bisphosphonates are drugs that are used to treat osteoporosis as well as to prevent and treat bone problems in myeloma patients.

Paraprotein
See Monoclonal protein.

Parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP)
Hormone produced by certain tumors that promotes the activity of bone-destroying osteoclasts and causes increased calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia).

Partial response (PR)
Treatment outcome where there is a greater than 50% decrease in M protein and disappearance of some (but not all) signs and symptoms of cancer; also referred to as partial remission.

PCROWD study
A clinical trial conducted to identify changes in the cells of patients with myeloma precursor conditions (MGUS or SMM) (visit www.enroll.pcrowd.org).

Performance status
A measure of a patient’s ability to perform everyday functions and self-care.

Peripheral blood
The blood that circulates throughout the body.

Peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC)
Stem cells collected from the blood. The term “peripheral” means that the cells come from outside the bone marrow.

Peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplant
Procedure in which blood containing mobilized stem cells is collected by apheresis, stored and infused following high-dose chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.

Peripheral edema
Abnormally large amount of fluid in the circulatory system or in tissues.

Peripheral neuropathy
Disorder of the nerves that can disrupt sensation or cause burning/tingling in the hands and feet.

Personalized medicine
Tailoring or individualizing treatment based on an individual’s biological make up.

Phase 1/2 study
A clinical study that combines a phase 1 and a phase 2 trial of the same treatment. First, the phase 1 part of the trial determines a safe dose, then more patients are treated at this dosage in the phase 2 part of the study to further evaluate safety and efficacy.

Phase 1 study
The first round of a clinical trial, conducted with a small number of participants to assess a drug’s safety and non-toxic dosage levels.

Phase 2 study
The second stage of a clinical trial, conducted with a larger number of participants to assess a drug’s effectiveness and further evaluate its safety.

Phase 3 study
The most advanced stage of drug development, conducted with a large number of participants to confirm a drug’s effectiveness, identify and monitor its side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug to be used safely; usually required for(...)

Phase 4 study
Clinical study conducted after a drug is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); may be conducted at the request of the FDA or by the sponsoring company for various reasons. Phase 4 studies may involve a larger patient population than that studied during earlier clinical trials;(...)

Placebo
Drug or treatment that is designed to look like the medicine being tested but that does not have the active ingredient; rarely used in cancer treatment trials.

Plasma cell
Antibody-secreting immune cell that develops from a B cell; in myeloma, it is this type of cell that has become cancerous or abnormal.

Plasmablast
Immature plasma cell.

Plasmablastic morphology
When the shape and appearance of myeloma cells are more similar to that of early immature plasma cells (plasmablasts). Absence of plasmablastic morphology typically indicates a more favorable prognosis.

Plasmacytoma
Tumor made up of cancerous plasma cells that occurs in bone or soft tissue; patients with a plasmacytoma may develop multiple myeloma.

Plasmapheresis
Method of removing blood plasma from the body by withdrawing blood, separating it into plasma and cells, and transfusing the cells back into the bloodstream; it is often performed when treating autoimmune conditions and may be used in myeloma.

Plateau phase
When the outcome of therapy, be it a response or stable disease, has leveled off and disease parameters remain at a stable level.

Platelets
Small cell fragments in the blood that help to clot.

Pomalyst (pomalidomide)
A type of immunomodulatory drug. It is in the same class of drugs as Revlimid and Thalomid.

Positron emission tomography (PET)
Imaging technique in which radioactive glucose (sugar) is used to highlight cancer cells.

Precision medicine
Highly specialized approach to myeloma therapy in which DNA test results are used to guide treatment.

Preclinical studies
Experiments conducted in the laboratory and in animals to identify a target for therapy and to confirm its anti-cancer activity.

Precursor cell
Earlier form of a cell; for example, B cells are precursors of plasma cells.

Prednisone
Type of steroid used to treat myeloma. It is frequently given in combination with a chemotherapy drug called melphalan.

Priority Review
Designation assigned to a drug or product by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stating that the FDA will review the application for approval within a target date of 6 months rather than the standard review target date of 10 months. A Priority designation is intended for drugs and(...)

Prognosis
Prediction of the course and outcome of a disease.

Prognostic indicator
Clinical or laboratory finding that helps determine prognosis. In myeloma, a prognostic indicator may help determine how fast the tumor is growing, the extent of disease, tumor cell biology, response to therapy, overall health status of the patient and when treatment should begin.

Progression-free survival (PFS)
The length of time during and after treatment in which a patient is living with a disease that does not get worse; also referred to as disease-free survival.

Progressive disease
Active myeloma that is worsening; in most cases, relapsed and/or refractory disease can be considered to be progressive disease.

PROMISE study
A clinical trial conducted to identify new ways to prevent multiple myeloma in individuals with its precursor conditions (MGUS or SMM) (visit www.enroll.promisestudy.org).

Prophylactic
Preventing the spread or occurrence of infection or disease.

Proteasome inhibitors
Drugs that slow myeloma cell growth and kill myeloma cells by interfering with processes that play a role in cell function; examples include Velcade, Ninlaro, and Kyprolis.

Protocol
Action plan for a clinical trial that includes detailed description of patients who may join the trial, the therapy that will be given and the care the patients will receive during and after the trial.

Pulmonary embolism
A sudden blockage in a lung artery, usually due to a blood clot that traveled to the lung from a vein in the leg. This is a very serious condition which may be life-threatening.

Pyrexia
Fever.