Myeloma Australia’s Medical and Scientific Advisory Group (MSAG) presents the article of the week.
Multiple myeloma (MM) is the third most common hematologic malignancy worldwide, characterized by excessive proliferation of monoclonal plasma cells. The development of novel anti-MM agents has expanded treatment options for MM patients and improved out-comes. Despite recent treatment advances, MM remains incurable, with most patients relapsing and developing treatment-refractory disease. Relapsed and refractory MM (RRMM) represents a challenging disease to treat, given the heterogeneity of the disease and patient population.
Importantly, advanced age, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS), Inter- national Staging System (ISS), renal impairment, exposure to multiple lines of therapy, refractoriness to treatment, and the presence of high-risk cytogenetics have been associated with poor prognosis and shorter survival in patients with MM (including RRMM). Therefore,
there is a continued need to identify safe and efficacious and ultimately convenient treatments across the hetero- geneous RRMM patient population. For treatments with demonstrated safety and efficacy, convenience represents an important factor.