The article posted below talks about a trial comparing to induction therapies vel/thal/dex to thal/dex.  After reading many lists such as acor and mmasupport it seems as if the standard induction therapy for newly dx mmer is thalidomide/dex.  This trial indicated that 27% more mmers acheived complete remission with velcade/thal/dex than just thal/dex alone. 

In addition, this trial indicated that the vel/thal/dex patients achieved complete remission after a stem cell transplant 29% more often than the thal/dex patients.

When more than a third of all newly dx patients can achieve complete remission without undergoing aggressive therapy like a sct, I think this is what is meant by "incureable but treatable disease."  David 

http://www.virtualcancerc...

“This study compared treatment with Velcade (bortezomib), thalidomide and dexamethasone (VcTD) to thalidomide and dexamethasone (TD) alone in 256 patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma. Half of the patients received the VcTD treatment and the other received TD. TD is currently the most common treatment for patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma.

In the group of patients that were given VcTD, 36% showed a complete response to the drug (ie. the cancer was no longer evident), whereas only 9% of the patients given TD showed a complete response. After stem cell therapy the VcTD patient group showed a complete response rate of 57%, which again was much higher than the TD group that showed only a 28% complete response rate.”