Velcade (Bortezomib) for Myeloma

Overview
Velcade is a prescription medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating multiple myeloma. Velcade is often combined with a corticosteroid and other drugs such as Cytoxan, Revlimid, or Thalomid in specific chemotherapy regimens to treat myeloma. Velcade may also be referred to by its drug name, bortezomib.

Velcade is an anti-cancer drug used in chemotherapy. Velcade is a member of a class of drugs called proteasome inhibitors. Velcade is believed to work by interfering with cell division, slowing the growth of cancer cells.

How do I take it?
Velcade is administered as a subcutaneous injection or intravenous infusion.

Side effects
The FDA-approved label for Velcade lists common side effects including fatigue, fever, rash, headache, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, loss of appetite, weight loss, low blood count, psychiatric disorders, and peripheral neuropathy (pain, tingling, or numbness in the extremities).

Rare but serious side effects listed for Velcade include heart failure, damage to the lungs, liver, or gastrointestinal system, low blood counts, fetal harm in pregnant women, numbness or tingling in the extremities, and low blood pressure that may lead to fainting.

For more details about this treatment, visit:

Velcade — Takeda Oncology
http://www.velcade.com

Drug Therapy for Multiple Myeloma — American Cancer Society
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/multiple-myeloma/...