[Beacon Staff]

New U.S. multiple myeloma survival estimates (2018)

by Beacon Staff on Mon Apr 16, 2018 10:12 am

Another April, another annual update to the U.S. government's cancer survival data. This year's update is not bad news, but it's not the sort of really good news that it has been for the past couple of years. Five-year survival for myeloma patients diagnosed in 2010, the newest date available, was essentially unchanged from what it was for patients diagnosed in 2009. Last year and the year before, five-year survival had jumped noticeably compared to the prior years. (See accompanying graph.)

Note: These are estimates of 5-year RELATIVE survival - i.e., survival compared to what others of a similar age, but without myeloma, experienced.

MMSurvival1975-2010v3.png (95.03 KiB) Viewed 1298 times

[Nancy Shamanna]

Re: New U.S. multiple myeloma survival estimates (2018)

by Nancy Shamanna on Mon Apr 16, 2018 10:48 am

Thanks Beacon editors. When you see that the statistics are based on survival rates from 2010, in reality many patients are probably surviving longer than the 50.7% quoted in the SEERS data. Since 2010, many new therapies have become available. Here in Canada, there have been changes as to how the therapies are administered. For example, Revlimid is now available for maintenance therapy. Velcade has become available in a sub-cutaneous form, as opposed to being available by injection (this cuts back on neuropathy). We also have Pomalyst available, and many patients are receiving other newer medications by clinical trial or special access, or private insurance drug plans. In the US, there have been many new therapies approved, so hopefully that will also have a bearing on survival rates in the next few years.

[MikeJr]

Re: New U.S. multiple myeloma survival estimates (2018)

by MikeJr on Mon Apr 16, 2018 10:51 pm

Agreed.

[Beacon Staff]

Re: New U.S. multiple myeloma survival estimates (2018)

by Beacon Staff on Tue Apr 17, 2018 10:28 pm

We have a news article that discusses the updated SEER results, their significance, and what might explain why they have behaved as they did. The article also discusses how the survival rates look when they're broken down by age, race, and gender.

"Key U.S. Multiple Myeloma Survival Rate Unchanged In Annual Cancer Statistics Update," The Myeloma Beacon, April 17, 2018