For some time, I have been reading about how close a number of multiple myeloma experts feel they are to turning multiple myeloma into a chronic disease.

This should be good news, right?  Novel therapy agents are delaying disease progression for years in a large majority of patients.  Median life expectancy has also jumped up, and these same experts expect that this number should continue to rise quickly.

But a number of multiple myeloma patients are saying “NOT SO FAST!” …

As you may already know, I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma four years ago, and part of my early therapy was to radiate several large lesions located up and down my spine.

I was initially treated at a state-of-the-art facility outside the Twin Cities in Minnesota. Treatment consisted of a twenty minute session under a huge, rotating robot-like machine, for ten days.

Twice the machine broke down before or during my treatment. Once I was forced to impatiently lie on the …

It is an exciting time for multiple myeloma patients, researchers, and physicians.  New treatment combinations and options are popping up left and right.

More treatment options mean most myeloma patients are living longer, and sometimes enjoying a better quality of life.

Most patients, but not all.  Unfortunately, multiple myeloma patients die every day from the cancer itself or from complications caused by years of chemotherapy.

A fellow survivor recently e-mailed me about an article he read about a relatively young, …

I just returned from an event designed to help kick off multiple myeloma awareness month. I didn’t remember March was “our month” until I was getting ready for the program.

In the competitive world of raising awareness about the different types of cancers, using specific colors and symbols to help “brand” each cancer is all the rage.

The pink ribbon representing breast cancer has been far and away the most effective.  Prostate cancer is trying to make light blue equally recognizable. …

Last week I shared a list of traits long-lived multiple myeloma survivors—those of us fortunate enough to have lived ten years or longer after our myeloma became active—tend to have in common.  

The one overriding trait the large majority of long-lived multiple myeloma survivors share is determination and focus. 

That is as close to a magic bullet as I can find.  Living with multiple myeloma isn’t easy.  In order to stay alive, we need to be determined to do …

The media often does stories about people who have lived at least one hundred years.  What is their secret?  Are these centenarians—as they are called—simply lucky, or do they share commonalities that might help others live longer?

The answer is yes.  Yes they are lucky.  And yes, many have certain things in common.

These common traits include staying active, a family history of longevity, commitment to family, friends and/or their community, and a positive attitude or innate ability to deal …

This week I’d like to discuss two questions that patients often have: Is it OK to suggest a change in a treatment plan due to side effects, trends in numbers, or having learned about a better therapy regimen? If a patient’s doctor suggests a treatment option that they don’t really like, should the patient suggest another one?

The answer to both questions is YES!

Treating multiple myeloma is definitely a work in progress. There's no one right answer. Setting goals …