[Beacon Staff]

New U.S. multiple myeloma survival estimates (2017)

by Beacon Staff on Fri Apr 14, 2017 2:15 pm

Hello everyone,

The annual update to the U.S. govern­ment's cancer survival data has taken place. For the second year in a row, the update is good news for the multiple myeloma community. The new data from "SEER" adds an estimate of survival for 2009 to the previous 5-year survival estimates for myeloma patients. The 2009 estimate shows a sizable jump from 2008 -- see the graph below.

Note: The estimates in the graph are 5-year RELATIVE survival. That is survival compared to what others of a similar age, but without myeloma, experienced.

For those who are particularly interested in this issue, you may want to see this posting from 2014, which displays a graph by myeloma specialist Dr. Leif Bergsagel, where he wondered if we might be seeing increasing multiple myeloma survival along the lines of what we see in today's updated results.

MMSurvival1975-2009v2.png (77.95 KiB) Viewed 2886 times

[lys2012]

Re: New U.S. multiple myeloma survival estimates (2017)

by lys2012 on Fri Apr 14, 2017 9:19 pm

When I was first diagnosed (2010), I was very interested in stats. I was told 50% chance of making it 5 years. Felt like such a milestone to be in the plus side of that stat. But now that I'm 7 years in, I'm more interested in long-term stats, that is, what happens after 5 years? As there is no "cure" milestone in myeloma at 5 years like other cancers. So what does 5 years mean for multiple myeloma patients?

[Ron Harvot]

Re: New U.S. multiple myeloma survival estimates (2017)

by Ron Harvot on Mon Apr 17, 2017 11:21 am

The big increase in survivability is directly related to the advent of the novel agents. Looking at the graph from the mid 70s through the mid 90s, less than 30% of multiple myeloma patients survived 5 years or more. Now it is over 50% and climbing. Genetic testing has also progressed so that more targeted therapy can be brought to bear. Slowly multiple myeloma is becoming a chronic disease – not curable, but survival of 10 years or more is no longer considered rare.

[LibbyC]

Re: New U.S. multiple myeloma survival estimates (2017)

by LibbyC on Tue Apr 18, 2017 8:26 pm

Love seeing graphs like that. Makes me do a happy dance. It is 8 years for me, and at the end of this month 6 years post allo.