Bortezomib

• Injectable bortezomib starves cancer cells by interrupting metabolic processes inside cells. Takeda markets bortezomib under the brand name Velcade, and patients with any form of multiple myeloma can receive the medication.
  
  

Corticosteroids

• Prednisone and dexamethasone often are used to boost the activity of multiple myeloma therapies. These corticosteroids limit inflammation and prevent allergic reactions to other medications.
  
  

Doxorubicin

• Two forms of doxorubicin serve as first choices for chemotherapy for people with multiple myeloma. The brand name medication Doxil from Ortho Biotech is formulated as a liposomal injection. Abraxis, Bedford, Pharmachemie and Teva produce generic versions of doxorubicin formulated as regular injections. Both forms of doxorubicin---and of other chemotherapy agents---prevent the reproduction of cells. High-dose chemotherapy often precedes bone marrow transplant surgery for cancer patients, according to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation,
  
  

Lenalidomide

• Marketed under the brand name Revlimid by Celgene, lenalidomide capsules attack multiple myeloma by slowing the growth of cancerous cells. The FDA-approved indication for lenalidomide states that patients can begin taking the medication along with dexamethasone when an earlier medication treatment has failed.
  
  

Thalidomide

• Thalidomide, which is marketed by Celgene as Thalomid, works in the same manner as lenalidomide, but can cause more severe side effects. As with lenalidomide, patients should take thalidomide in conjunction with dexamethasone. Unlike lenalidomide, however, thalidomide and dexamethasone can be a first-line treatment for multiple myeloma.
  
  

Other Chemotherapies

• In addition to doxorubicin, several other chemotherapies agents have proven effective for treating multiple myeloma in some patients. The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation identifies melphalan (Alkeran from GlaxoSmithKline) as an effective option for chemotherapy. Authors of a Mayo Clinic factsheet add cyclophosphamide and vincristine to the list of useful chemotherapies.