Maintenance Therapy for Multiple Myeloma
- Maintenance therapy is meant to prevent disease recurrence and extend remission for as long as possible. It is generally low intensity, and one of our experts says it can be a long-term phase for many patients.
- According to one of our experts, his standard approach for maintenance therapy is 21 days of oral medication taken once daily, then seven days without treatment.
- A clinic visit is scheduled after the first month to monitor progress, draw labs, and assess for any adverse reactions to the medication. As maintenance progresses smoothly, clinic appointments may be spaced further apartup to every three months.
SurvivorNet spoke with Dr. C. Ola Landgren, Leader of Experimental Therapeutics Program & Leader of Myeloma Service at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami, about how experts monitor disease progression during maintenance therapy.
Read MoreWhat Does Monitoring During Maintenance Look Like?
When you first enter the maintenance phase, you’ll need to adjust to the lower intensity of treatment. According to Dr. Landgren, his standard approach is 21 days of oral medication taken once daily, then seven days without treatment.
A clinic visit is scheduled after the first month to monitor progress, draw labs, and assess for any adverse reactions to the medication. As maintenance progresses smoothly, clinic appointments may be spaced further apartup to every three months.
“If I were to see that the labs change at the follow-up visits, I would obviously not wait for three months,” Dr. Landgren adds. “I would repeat the labs again after a week or weeks and make sure if this is a false alarm, or if there’s something that we need to work on.”
How Long Does Maintenance Treatment Last?
This varies, but many remain on maintenance therapy for years after their initial diagnosis. “The vast majority of patients can stay on maintenance for many years,” explains Dr. Landgren. “I have had patients five to ten plus years on maintenance and I see them four times a year.”
RELATED: Are There Maintenance Therapy Options for Multiple Myeloma?
Fortunately for many patients, maintenance therapy is a much less agonizing process than the initial treatments they undergo. With careful monitoring, you can live a mostly normal life during this time.
It’s impossible to say how long any one person will stay on maintenance therapy, but Dr. Landgren’s experience indicates that it can be a long-term phase for many patients. But because multiple myeloma isn’t curable, many multiple myeloma patients will eventually reach a point where they need to transition their treatment.
“At the current time, unfortunately, we do not have yet to understand curative treatment for multiple myeloma, but we have many very good drugs and can drive the disease down.”
Talk to Your Doctor About Maintenance
Multiple Myeloma treatment isn’t a one-size-fits-all process. You should always consult with your oncologist to determine the best course of action. But, as discussed, maintenance therapy is often a much lower intensity process than induction or consolidation therapymaking it a more manageable part of treatment.
With careful monitoring and regular follow-up visits to your oncologist, you can be sure that you’re getting the best possible care.
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