A new drug reduced the risk of relapse and increased survival by five months, according to a recent study. The results were presented at a cancer conference in Chicago in June.
Most often found in bone marrow sites, multiple myeloma is considered a chronic disease, although several new treatment options have increased the survival rate in recent years.
The disease affects more than 138 000 people worldwide. Over 400 Norwegians are diagnosed with multiple myeloma each year, and men are at greater risk.
The risk of developing multiple myeloma increases with age. On average, those affected are 70 years old when they are diagnosed.
The five-year survival rate for the disease after diagnosis averages 50 percent.