Velcade + Cyclophosphamide in Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma

The primary purpose of this study is to estimate the overall response rate (ORR), defined as partial response (PR) or better at any time during induction therapy. The success of the therapy will be determined by ORR with strong consideration given to the secondary endpoints of tolerability, duration of response, and quality of life (QOL). All patients will be treated with the same experimental regimen. Several novel features are being explored: the substitution of cyclophosphamide for melphalan; once weekly AND subcutaneous bortezomib instead of standard twice weekly, intravenous dosing; and alternating bortezomib and lenalidomide in maintenance. The investigators hypothesize that this regimen will prove to be tolerable and effective in inducing and maintaining remission in a patient population that is historically very difficult to treat, namely Multiple Myeloma (MM) patients who are too elderly or suffer comorbidities, such as renal insufficiency, that otherwise complicate aggressive therapies like autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT). In short, the investigators view this as the "Multiple Myeloma trial for non-trial candidates."