RELAPSED AND REFRACTORY MULTIPLE MYELOMA

Course overview

MULTIPLE MYELOMA IS AN INCURABLE HEMATOLOGICAL MALIGNANCY, BUT RECENT ADVANCES IN THE TREATMENT HAVE IMPROVED THE SURVIVAL OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS. DESPITE TREATMENT, MULTIPLE MYELOMA PATIENTS ARE AT HIGH RISK OF RELAPSE AND NEED PROMPT TREATMENT TO REDUCE THE MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY ASSOCIATED WITH THE DISEASE AND ITS COMPLICATIONS. PATIENTS WHO FAIL TO ACHIEVE AT LEAST MINIMAL RESPONSE ON INITIAL THERAPY AND PROGRESS WHILE ON TREATMENT ARE TERMED "PRIMARY REFRACTORY." MULTIPLE MYELOMA IS CONSIDERED "DOUBLE REFRACTORY" IF THE DISEASE HAS PROGRESSED DURING OR AFTER TREATMENT WITH A PROTEASE INHIBITOR AND AN IMMUNOMODULATORY AGENT. IF THE PATIENT IS ALSO RESISTANT TO ADDING MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES, IT IS CONSIDERED A "TRIPLE-CLASS" REFRACTORY DISEASE, WHICH CONFERS A POOR PROGNOSIS. THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF RELAPSED AND REFRACTORY MULTIPLE MYELOMA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE HEALTHCARE TEAMS IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.