On What Are the Treatments for Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Based?

Multiple myeloma is a form of cancer affecting antibody-producing plasma cells in the bone marrow. Treatments for newly diagnosed cases of the disease vary according to a number of different factors.

Mild Cases

• Individuals with mild or borderline cases of multiple myeloma typically receive initial treatment that consists of nothing more than ongoing monitoring of the disease, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Some slow-growing forms of multiple myeloma do not produce symptoms for years after diagnosis.

Stem Cell Transplantation

• For individuals with symptoms, initial treatment depends on whether they are candidates for transplantation of healthy bone marrow stem cells. The Mayo Clinic cites factors determining suitability for stem cell transplantation that include general health, age and risk of disease progression.

Candidates

• Candidates for stem cell transplantation will initially receive treatment with a combination of the drugs lenalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone, or bortezomib and dexamethasone, notes the Mayo Clinic.

Non-Candidates

• Individuals who are not candidates for stem cell transplantation will initially receive treatment with a combination of the drugs melphalan, prednisone and thalidomide, or melphalan, prednisone and bortezomib, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Considerations

• The U.S. National Library of Medicine notes that bone marrow transplantation improves patient survival, but also introduces its own considerable health risks.