Thalidomide, lenalidomide and their analogues, as therapy for multiple myeloma

This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows: To investigate the role of thalidomide and IMiDs in the treatment of MM through a systematic review and quantitative meta-analysis of relevant randomised controlled trials (RCTs). We intend to treat the effects of thalidomide and lenalidomide as separate questions - there will be no attempt to analyse thalidomide and lenalidomide together. These drugs have been used at different stages of the treatment process, and we will consider separately the roles of these drugs in induction therapy, consolidation therapy, maintenance therapy and salvage therapy. Given that more trials of thalidomide have been reported, the main question will be the role of thalidomide, with the role of lenalidomide and other IMiDs being a secondary question.