Editing Thalidomide (section)

==Medical uses==
[[File:Pack of Thalidomide tablets.jpg|thumb|Pack of thalidomide capsules]]

Thalidomide is used as a first-line treatment for [[multiple myeloma]] in combination with [[dexamethasone]] or with [[melphalan]] and [[prednisone]] to treat acute episodes of [[erythema nodosum leprosum]], as well as for maintenance therapy.<ref name="UKlabel2017">{{Cite web |date=January 2017 |title=Thalidomide Celgene 50 mg Hard Capsules - Summary of Product Characteristics |url=https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/21005 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180830210156/https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/21005 |archive-date=30 August 2018 |access-date=26 June 2017 |publisher=UK Electronic Medicines Compendium}}</ref><ref name="USlabel2017">{{Cite web |date=January 2017 |title=US Thalomid label |url=https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/020785s061lbl.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170710160759/https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/020785s061lbl.pdf |archive-date=10 July 2017 |access-date=26 June 2017 |publisher=FDA}} For label updates see {{cite web | url = https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/daf/index.cfm?event=overview.process&ApplNo=020785 | title = FDA index page for NDA 020785 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170629110300/https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/daf/index.cfm?event=overview.process&ApplNo=020785 | archive-date=29 June 2017 }}</ref>

The bacterium that causes [[tuberculosis]] (TB) is related to [[leprosy]]. Thalidomide may be helpful in some cases where [[Tuberculosis management|standard TB drugs]] and [[corticosteroid]]s are not sufficient to resolve severe inflammation in the brain.<ref>{{Cite journal |vauthors=Buonsenso D, Serranti D, Valentini P |date=October 2010 |title=Management of central nervous system tuberculosis in children: light and shade |url=http://www.europeanreview.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/827.pdf |journal=European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences |volume=14 |issue=10 |pages=845–53 |pmid=21222370 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818223324/http://www.europeanreview.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/827.pdf |archive-date=18 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |vauthors=van Toorn R, Solomons R |date=March 2014 |title=Update on the diagnosis and management of tuberculous meningitis in children |journal=Seminars in Pediatric Neurology |volume=21 |issue=1 |pages=12–8 |doi=10.1016/j.spen.2014.01.006 |pmid=24655399}}</ref>

It is used as a second-line treatment to manage [[graft-versus-host disease]] and [[aphthous stomatitis]] in children and has been prescribed for other conditions in children, including [[actinic prurigo]] and [[epidermolysis bullosa]]; the evidence for these uses is weak.<ref>{{Cite journal |vauthors=Yang CS, Kim C, Antaya RJ |date=April 2015 |title=Review of thalidomide use in the pediatric population |journal=Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology |volume=72 |issue=4 |pages=703–11 |doi=10.1016/j.jaad.2015.01.002 |pmid=25617013}}</ref>  It is recommended only as a third line treatment in graft-versus-host-disease in adults because of lack of efficacy and side effects observed in clinical trials.<ref>{{Cite journal |vauthors=Wolff D, Gerbitz A, Ayuk F, Kiani A, Hildebrandt GC, Vogelsang GB, Elad S, Lawitschka A, Socie G, Pavletic SZ, Holler E, Greinix H |date=December 2010 |title=Consensus conference on clinical practice in chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD): first-line and topical treatment of chronic GVHD |url=http://www.bbmt.org/article/S1083-8791(10)00275-2/fulltext |url-status=live |journal=Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation |volume=16 |issue=12 |pages=1611–28 |doi=10.1016/j.bbmt.2010.06.015 |pmid=20601036 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829083423/https://www.astctjournal.org/article/S1083-8791%2810%2900275-2/fulltext |archive-date=29 August 2021 |access-date=26 June 2017 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |vauthors=Wolff D, Schleuning M, von Harsdorf S, Bacher U, Gerbitz A, Stadler M, Ayuk F, Kiani A, Schwerdtfeger R, Vogelsang GB, Kobbe G, Gramatzki M, Lawitschka A, Mohty M, Pavletic SZ, Greinix H, Holler E |date=January 2011 |title=Consensus Conference on Clinical Practice in Chronic GVHD: Second-Line Treatment of Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease |url=http://www.bbmt.org/article/S1083-8791(10)00223-5/fulltext |url-status=live |journal=Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation |volume=17 |issue=1 |pages=1–17 |doi=10.1016/j.bbmt.2010.05.011 |pmid=20685255 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829083352/https://www.astctjournal.org/article/S1083-8791%2810%2900223-5/fulltext |archive-date=29 August 2021 |access-date=26 June 2017 |doi-access=free}}</ref>