Myeloma

Cristina Gasparetto, MD, details typical multiple myeloma maintenance in comparison with Donna’s therapies, and Donna tells us about her first relapse with multiple myeloma.

We learn more about Donna’s 2 transplants, her chemotherapy, and how they impacted her quality of life.

Donna discusses her multiple myeloma diagnosis and the start of her treatment, while Dr Gasparetto educates on the importance of transplants.

Cristina Gasparetto, MD, gives a brief overview of the multiple myeloma disease state and introduces us to Donna, one of her patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

Patients with cancer can advocate for themselves by researching their illnesses and treatments before an appointment, so they’re able to ask better questions, says an expert from the HealthTree Foundation for Multiple Myeloma.

When a patient is first diagnosed with myeloma, they should seek out various opinions until they find a specialist that is well-versed in their cancer type, says an expert from the HealthTree Foundation & Myeloma Crowd.

New advances in research around immunotherapies for patients with myeloma are on the horizon, according to an expert from the HealthTree Foundation & Myeloma Crowd.

All patients with multiple myeloma have had MGUS, so what is it?

There is a difference between patient and oncologists regarding prognosis, and patients are lacking understanding of prognosis and interventions needed to help them make more informed treatment choices.

The Food and Drug Administration’s recent approval of Abecma is an extremely significant development for patients with heavily pretreated multiple myeloma, according to an expert from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Most patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma treated with a combination of Kyprolis, Revlimid, dexamethasone and Darzalex achieved minimal residual disease negativity during a median follow-up of 11 months.

Treatment with Xpovio, Velcade and dexamethasone is effective, safe and tolerable for patients with multiple myeloma, specifically those who are at least 65 years and frail.

Elie Fahed, MD, provides an overview of what multiple myeloma is, and Beth walks us through her frustrating journey to initial diagnosis as an atypical patient.

In an interview, Dr. Nina Shah of UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center discusses how she changed her perspective on finding a cure for myeloma and what her goals are when it comes to treating her patients.

CURE® is looking back at the Educated Patient® Multiple Myeloma Summit, a half-day virtual event to educate, inform and connect patients with multiple myeloma to a variety of experts in the field.

In an interview, Dr. Andrew Yee of Massachusetts General Hospital discusses how a multiple myeloma diagnosis affects a patient’s life and how hopeful he is about helping them lead normal lives.

In an interview, Dr. Nina Shah of UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center explains what a myeloma millennial, or ‘myelennial,’ is, and how recent advances in multiple myeloma treatments inspired the term.

The biggest fear for many patients, according to an expert from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, is when they hear that myeloma, for most patients, is not curable. However, she notes that every few years patient survival is increasing.

“This approval is an important advancement for patients whose disease has relapsed and reinforces the potential for Sarclisa to become a standard of care in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma,” said Dr. Thomas G. Martin.

An expert discusses therapies that are changing the treatment landscape and the research to make this disease more livable.

Efficacy is one of the most important drivers in determining which cell-based therapy a patient with multiple myeloma receives, according to an expert. However, she says, other factors, such as how aggressive the disease is, may play a major role.

Abecma is the first cell-based gene therapy approved for the treatment of patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma who did not respond to at least four treatments, or whose disease returned after those four lines of therapy.

There is a lot of hype on T-cell engagers and CAR T-cell therapy, but there are other new and exciting immunotherapies in myeloma not talked about that may be approved in the near future, according to an expert.

Although a multiple myeloma diagnosis can be overwhelming for patients, an expert from the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center notes how the disease is very treatable, and that patients can go on to lead full lives.

In this episode of the “CURE® Talks Cancer” podcast, we’re honoring Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month by speaking with Dr. Andrew Yee, about the signs and symptoms of this rare form of cancer, what the current treatment paradigm looks like and what advice he has for newly diagnosed patients.