Treatment FAQ

what is the best treatment for multiple myeloma

by Shanon Schmeler Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Corticosteroids help destroy myeloma cells and make chemotherapy more effective. The most common types used to treat myeloma are dexamethasone and prednisolone. Steroids are taken by mouth after eating.

Medication

the most frequently used regimens for the treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (tables 3and and4)4) are thalidomide plus dexamethasone (td), lenalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone (rd), bortezomib plus dexamethasone (vd), bortezomib, thalidomide, dexamethasone (vtd), bortezomib, lenalidomide, dexamethasone (vrd) and bortezomib, …

Procedures

Sep 08, 2021 · Management of multiple myeloma includes immediate treatment with myeloma drugs, bisphosphonates for patients with bone loss and options for clinical trials. Non-intensive treatment is more common and typically used on older or more frail patients.

Therapy

“More than half of patients with relapsed multiple myeloma treated with carfilzomib experienced cardiac issues during treatment, according to a multi-institutional study. The study recommends that patients undergo a detailed cardiovascular history before being prescribed carfilzomib and then be monitored with natriuretic peptide testing, an indicator for heart failure.

Nutrition

Dr. Kumar notes that he recommends an induction, consolidation and maintenance sequence for patients eligible for stem cell transplant, and induction followed by continuous therapy for ineligible patients; each relapse would then be treated in either scenario.

Is there a complete cure for multiple myeloma?

Apr 01, 2022 · The main treatments for Multiple Myeloma include: 2,3 Drug therapy Radiation therapy Surgery Stem cell transplant CAR T-cell therapy Supportive treatments Targeted therapy Immunotherapy, which uses the body’s immune system to fight cancer Chemotherapy drugs for multiple myeloma, which uses drugs to destroy cancer cells

How effective is Revlimid for multiple myeloma?

What is the best diet for myeloma patients?

How do doctors choose the treatment for multiple myeloma?

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What is the latest treatment for multiple myeloma?

Rye Brook, N.Y., December 1, 2021 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently granted the seventh approval to daratumumab for the treatment of multiple myeloma. This injectable antibody is approved alone or in combination with other drugs at different states of multiple myeloma treatment.Dec 1, 2021

Can myeloma be treated without chemotherapy?

Smoldering myeloma patients can do well for years without treatment. For many patients, starting treatment early does not seem to help them live longer. These patients are watched closely without starting chemo or other treatments for myeloma.Mar 1, 2022

What kills multiple myeloma?

A stem cell transplant (SCT) lets doctors use very high doses of chemo to kill the myeloma cells. The high doses of these drugs destroy the bone marrow, which keeps new blood cells from being made.Feb 28, 2018

What is the first line of treatment for multiple myeloma?

The combination of a proteasome inhibitor and an immunomodulatory agent plus the steroid dexamethasone is the standard of care for newly diagnosed patients.

Can you live a normal life with myeloma?

While multiple myeloma doesn't yet have a cure and can be fatal, patients' life expectancies vary widely, according to Jens Hillengass, MD, Chief of Myeloma at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. “I have seen patients live from several weeks to more than 20 years after being diagnosed,” Dr. Hillengass says.Mar 26, 2021

How do you feel when you have multiple myeloma?

You might feel: Sudden, severe back pain. Numbness or weakness, often in your legs. Muscle weakness, often in your legs....This can slow blood flow to your brain and lead to:Confusion.Dizziness.Symptoms of a stroke, like drooping on one side of your face, weakness or numbness in one arm, and slurred speech.Aug 29, 2020

How do you know when multiple myeloma is getting worse?

As active multiple myeloma gets worse, you'll likely feel sicker, with fatigue or bone pain. You may have anemia, bleeding problems, or a lot of infections. Other symptoms of advanced multiple myeloma include unusual fractures, shortness of breath, weakness, feeling very thirsty, and belly pain.May 27, 2021

Is multiple myeloma a death sentence?

Today, a multiple myeloma diagnosis is no longer a death sentence because our community's efforts have helped bring 11 new drugs through FDA-approval.Sep 13, 2019

Are there any natural treatments for multiple myeloma?

They can include massage, acupuncture, tai chi, and herbal remedies. There's some overlap between this term and naturopathy, homeopathy, and holistic medicine. Complementary and alternative therapies for multiple myeloma symptoms and treatment side effects include: Exercise.Apr 9, 2021

How effective is Revlimid in treating multiple myeloma?

Patients who took REVLIMID and dexamethasone continuously had a 75% response rate compared to 73% of patients who took REVLIMID and dexamethasone for only 18 months and 62% of patients who took the combination of melphalan, prednisone, and thalidomide.

Why is dexamethasone given in multiple myeloma?

Dexamethasone and the other steroids are useful in myeloma treatment because they can stop white blood cells from traveling to areas where cancerous myeloma cells are causing damage. This decreases the amount of swelling or inflammation in those areas and relieves associated pain and pressure.Jul 13, 2016

What is the gold standard treatment for multiple myeloma?

In the United States, the gold standard of care today is then the combination of an immune modulator drug, such as lenalidomide, with a proteasome inhibitor, such as bortezomib, and corticosteroids. Patients who receive these drugs have almost 100% response rate, so their symptoms improve quickly.Jul 25, 2018

What is the best treatment for myeloma?

Corticosteroids. Corticosteroid medications regulate the immune system to control inflammation in the body. They are also active against myeloma cells. Bone marrow transplant. A bone marrow transplant, also known as a stem cell transplant, is a procedure to replace your diseased bone marrow with healthy bone marrow.

How to cope with myeloma?

Start with the National Cancer Institute and the International Myeloma Foundation. Maintain a strong support system. Having a strong support system can help you cope with issues and anxieties that might occur. Your friends and family may be willing to offer support.

What is the abnormal protein in myeloma?

Another abnormal protein produced by myeloma cells — called beta-2-microglobulin — may be detected in your blood and give your doctor clues about the aggressiveness of your myeloma. Additionally, blood tests to examine your kidney function, blood cell counts, ...

How to cope with cancer?

Coping and support. A cancer diagnosis can be shocking and devastating. With time, you'll find ways to cope with the stress and uncertainty of living with cancer. Until you find what works best for you, consider trying to: Learn enough to make decisions about your care. Learn enough about multiple myeloma so that you're able to participate in ...

What stage of myeloma is the most aggressive?

Stage I indicates a less aggressive disease, and stage III indicates the most aggressive disease. Your multiple myeloma may also be assigned a risk category, ...

Can you get treatment for multiple myeloma?

If you have multiple myeloma but aren't experiencing any symptoms (also known as smoldering multiple myeloma), you might not need treatment right away. Immediate treatment may not be necessary for multiple myeloma that is slow growing and at an early stage.

What kind of doctor treats multiple myeloma?

If you're diagnosed with multiple myeloma, you'll likely be referred to a doctor who specializes in treating blood and bone marrow disorders (hematologist) or a doctor who specializes in treating cancer (oncologist).

What is the best treatment for myeloma?

Patients with active myeloma or light chain amyloidosis are often given a combination of 2 or 3 drugs. The drugs chosen depend on the patient’s health (including their kidney function) and whether a stem cell transplant is planned. Often, a combination containing bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone is used.

What is the treatment for bone disease?

Treatment for bone disease (bisphosphonates) is often started along with chemo. If the areas of damaged bone continue to cause symptoms, radiation therapy may be used. Patients with multiple myeloma also receive supportive treatments, such as transfusions to treat low blood cell counts, and antibiotics and sometimes intravenous immunoglobulin ...

Can lenalidomide be used for myeloma?

This is known as maintenance treatment, and helps delay the return of the myeloma, but it can cause serious side effects. Many drugs and drug combinations can be useful in treating myeloma.

Can Bortezomib be used for multiple myeloma?

Combinations containing bortezomib are especially helpful in patients with kidney problems and those whose myeloma cells contain certain high-risk chromosome abnormalities. Many other combinations may be considered as well. For more on these drugs and some of the more common combinations used, see Drug Therapy for Multiple Myeloma. ...

Does fish oil cause heart failure?

“High plasma levels of the kinds of fatty acids found in fish oil were associated with a lower long-term risk for new heart failure (HF), whether with reduced or preserved ejection fraction…”

Does carfilzomib cause cardiac problems?

“More than half of patients with relapsed multiple myeloma treated with carfilzomib experienced cardiac issues during treatment, according to a multi-institutional study. The study recommends that patients undergo a detailed cardiovascular history before being prescribed carfilzomib and then be monitored with natriuretic peptide testing, an indicator for heart failure.

How to treat multiple myeloma?

Broad treatment principles for relapsed multiple myeloma followed by Mayo Clinic hematologists specializing in multiple myeloma include: 1 Noting the duration of initial response, which defines biology and provides important clues to the physician for a patient's risk stratification 2 Preferring triplet or two active drug classes plus dexamethasone over doublet, including at least one drug from a nonrefractory class for the patient 3 Considering performance status, age and comorbidities when selecting drugs and doses so that uptitration to maximum response can occur slowly if the patient displays poor performance status or frailty 4 Taking into account prior or residual toxicities 5 Treating to maximum response and maintaining on one drug until progression or signs and symptoms of diminished tolerability, such as low blood count or neuropathy

What is the Mayo Clinic's assessment of multiple myeloma?

Kumar indicates that the Mayo Clinic multiple myeloma group's overall assessment of a patient's case includes a careful analysis of not only traditional staging and prognostication but also risk — factors such as comorbidities and age. This combination provides optimal direction for the hematologist to treat a patient's multiple myeloma, particularly for patients at high risk.

How long does multiple myeloma last?

Kumar. Whereas 10 to 15 years ago, median survival was only three years, it's now seven to eight years.

Is multiple myeloma a chronic disease?

In summary, while multiple myeloma remains a chronic disease with multiple potential recurrences for any given patient, a long- term strategy is essential. This plan should include a risk-stratified approach while selecting the most ideal combinations and sequencing the hematologist can determine for the given patient's disease.

What is Multiple Myeloma?

Multiple myeloma is a type of bone marrow cancer. Bone marrow is the soft tissue inside bones that produces the body's blood cells, including a type of white blood cell called plasma cell. Plasma cells play an important role in the immune system: they produce antibodies that help the body fight off germs. 1,2

What are symptoms of Multiple Myeloma?

Some patients with multiple myeloma have no symptoms, especially at an early stage of the disease. Symptoms a patient may have are: 1,2

Treatment for Multiple Myeloma

There are different multiple myeloma treatment options. Treatments of multiple myeloma can help relieve pain, control complications of the disease, stabilize the body and slow the progress of the cancer. 2,3

Is there a cure for Multiple Myeloma?

No. Unfortunately, there is no cure for multiple myeloma. Drugs for multiple myeloma may help to control symptoms and improve quality of life. This has been done in many patients for years. 3

Multiple Myeloma treatment side effects

These treatments can each cause side effects and complications. Side effects from multiple myeloma treatment drugs can be short term and go away after treatment is finished, or they may be long term. The type of side effects caused by multiple myeloma therapy depends on the type of treatment, the stage and grade of disease.

What are new treatments for Multiple Myeloma?

There are several approved new drugs for Multiple Myeloma. Here are some of them:

Why access and buy treatments for Multiple Myeloma with TheSocialMedwork?

TheSocialMedwork is registered in The Hague with the Dutch Ministry of Health as an independent medicines intermediary (registration number 6730 BEM) and as an international pharmacy (registration number 16258 G).

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Diagnosis

Treatment

Clinical Trials

Alternative Medicine

Your provider will work with you to develop a care plan that may include one or more of these treatment options.
Treatment includes medication, radiotherapy, or bone marrow transplant.
Medication

Chemotherapy: To kill rapidly multiplying cells; is non-specific and can also kill healthy fast-growing cells.

Vincristine . Doxorubicin


Targeted therapy: Destroys cancer cells only.

Bortezomib . Carfilzomib


Corticosteroids: To control inflammation in the body.

Prednisone . Dexamethasone

Procedures

Bone marrow transplantation: To replace the bone marrow with a healthy one.

Therapy

Radiation therapy:Given to quickly shrink the cancerous cells or tumor. High energy beams X-ray or protons are used for the therapy.

Nutrition

A balanced diet is recommended for persons with multiple myeloma.

Foods to eat:

  • Foods rich in fiber: such as whole grains, vegetable and fruits such as apples, pears and figs, to prevent constipation
  • Foods rich in fibre: such as whole grains, vegetable and fruits such as apples, pears and figs, to prevent constipation
  • Foods rich in iron such as legumes, lean meats, and dark, leafy greens

Foods to avoid:

Patients of multiple myeloma are more prone to infections and should avoid:

  • Uncooked meat
  • Unwashed vegetables and fruits
  • Unpasteurized drinks

Specialist to consult

Oncologist
Specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Hematologist
Specializes in the study of the blood and blood disorders.

Coping and Support

  • Sometimes multiple myeloma is diagnosed when your doctor detects it accidentally during a blood test for some other condition. It can also be diagnosed if your doctor suspects you could have multiple myeloma based on your signs and symptoms. Tests and procedures used to diagnose multiple myeloma include: 1. Blood tests. Laboratory analysis of your blood may revea…
See more on mayoclinic.org

Preparing For Your Appointment

  • If you're experiencing symptoms, treatment can help relieve pain, control complications of the disease, stabilize your condition and slow the progress of multiple myeloma.
See more on mayoclinic.org

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