Does Multiple Myeloma Risk Affect Your Treatment?
SHARE

Fact Checked

SurvivorNet Fact Checking and Medical Review Standards:  

The SurvivorNet News Team creates high quality medical information that complies with our industry leading standards for factual accuracy and sourcing from leading experts at academic medical institutions. Every news article is thoroughly fact-checked by our physician collaborators. We vet each piece of work for factual integrity, impartiality, and clearly label any professional conflicts.

All SurvivorNet articles adhere to the following standards:

  1. All studies and research papers cited are from reputable academic medical institutions or peer-reviewed journals.
  2. When we use data, statistics, or quotes these references link to the original source.
  3. All content related to new treatments, drugs, procedures, and so on must clearly describe availability, side effects, treatment target (such as triple negative breast cancer)
  4. All medical information on SurvivorNet is sourced from respected medical professionals with verified medical credentials and links are provided to these sources.
  5. We strive to give the reader relevant background information and include, clearly-sourced contextual health information in all articles. Readers are clearly alerted to any conflicts of interest from a medical source or the authors of a cited study.
/ Updated July 31st, 2022

Does Multiple Myeloma Risk Affect Your Treatment?

Medical Source: Dr. Sagar Lonial
Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University
×

Not everybody who gets multiple myeloma has the same risk. Some patients have what is called the standard risk. Other patients are high-risk. So that raises an important question: does multiple myeloma risk affect your treatment?  First let’s look at what determines the risk. It depends upon irregularities in the chromosomes of their cancer cells:

  • Standard RiskThis is typically characterized by extra copies of some of the chromosomes.
  • High RiskThis is typically characterized by a missing part of chromosome number 17

These gene differences control the aggressiveness of the cancer cells. Standard risk has “a better prognosis” whereas high risk myeloma “confers a much poorer outcome,” according to Dr. Kenneth Anderson, Director of the Multiple Myeloma Center at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. So when it comes to treatment, in the first two phases there is no difference. But the treatment approach differs in the third phase. Here’s how it works.

  • Induction Phase: This phase is the same regardless of risk. It consists of a triplet drug therapy
  • Stem-Cell Transplant Phase: This phase is the same regardless of risk. It consists of chemotherapy coupled with a stem-cell transplant.
  • Maintenance Phase: This phase will differ based on the risk-profile.
Read More
During this maintenance phase standard risk patients are given only Revlimid (Ienalidomide), a drug that acts on the immune system, daily for three weeks. In contrast, high risk patients are given Revlimid (Ienalidomide) daily for three weeks in addition to a proteasome inhibitor every other week.

In short, the standard risk patients need one drug while the high-risk patients need two. Lenalidomide has been shown to extend overall survival in the standard risk patients. But Dr. Anderson says, “a proteasome inhibitor needs to be added in with the lenalidomide in the high risk patients in order to achieve that benefit.”

 

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

Dr. Sagar Lonial is the Chief Medical Officer at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. Read More

close

Patient Pathfinder

We’re here to help. Have you had any treatment for myeloma yet?

You might want to check out some top experts outlining the initial treatment for myeloma.

Here’s the link:


Multiple Myeloma Initial Treatment

Learn More

Got it. Are you looking for maintenance treatment?

You might want to check out some top experts outlining maintenance treatment for myeloma.

Here’s the link:


Multiple Myeloma Maintenance Treatment

Learn More

Ok. Has your Myeloma come back? Here are some useful resources:

Here’s the link:


Multiple Myeloma Reoccurrence Treatment

Learn More

If you’ve had at least four treatments that have not worked or stopped working you might be a candidate for a treatment called CAR T Therapy.

Here’s the link:


CAR-T Therapy for Multiple Myeloma

Learn More
First Treatment for Multiple Myeloma

Many people will begin their treatment for multiple myeloma with a combination of three drugs called induction therapy.

NOW
PLAYING
The Story of Lenalidomide - A Huge Step for Myeloma
NOW
PLAYING
First Phase Treatment - How Will I Feel?
NOW
PLAYING
Myeloma Initial Treatment: How Will I Feel?
NOW
PLAYING
Treatment for Multiple Myeloma Induction Therapy
NOW
PLAYING
Standard Risk vs. High Risk Multiple Myeloma
NOW
PLAYING
Initial Treatment: Should You Receive Monoclonal Antibodies?

Patient Pathfinder:

Clinical Trial Finder

Are you looking for other treatment options?
Right now there are ... multiple myeloma trials in the U.S. within 100 miles of

Enter your zip code and travel distance to explore trials in your area...

Continue The Journey

Explore: Maintenance Treatment

Related Articles

Overview

‘Young and the Restless’ Star Christian LeBlanc’s Hair Treatment: A Hilarious Tribute to Gloria Swanson While Battling Multiple Myeloma

Country Star Toby Keith Admits ‘Cancer’s a Rollercoaster,’ But He Won’t Let Stage 4 Stomach Cancer Define Him

FDA Approval of a New Drug Elrexfio Offers More Option for Multiple Myeloma

Overview

Veteran News Anchor Says He Once Turned To Marijuana for Pain Relief While Battling Multiple Myeloma – What Experts Say About Marijuana and Cancer Patients

×

Introducing, the Journey Bar

Use this bar to access information about the steps in your cancer journey.