Forums
3 posts
• Page 1 of 1
Prognosis for smoldering myeloma
Hi, does anyone know what the typical prognosis is for someone with smoldering myeloma? How long does it usually take for smoldering to progress to symptomatic myeloma? Is there a possibility that I will never progress?
-
smoldering Frank - Name: Frank
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Jan 22, 2010
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Prognosis for smoldering myeloma
Hi smoldering Frank,
Different people with smoldering multiple myeloma have different prognoses. One major way doctors figure out prognoses is by looking at their patients' levels of plasma cells in their bone marrow and M protein in their blood serum. A blood test and a bone marrow biopsy will tell your doctor your plasma cell and M protein levels.
People with less than 10 percent plasma cells and more than three g/dL serum M protein have a median progression time of 19 years.
Studies have shown that for people with more than 10 percent plasma cells and less than three g/dL serum M protein, the median time it takes for their smoldering myeloma to progress to symptomatic myeloma is eight years.
People with more than 10 percent plasma cells and more than three g/dL serum M protein progress after a median of two years.
There is a possibility that you will never progress. Many people with smoldering myeloma never get symptomatic multiple myeloma.
Of course, your doctor will have other tools at his disposal for determining your diagnosis, and can give you a better idea of your prognosis, but this is a rough guide. I hope you'll find it helpful.
Different people with smoldering multiple myeloma have different prognoses. One major way doctors figure out prognoses is by looking at their patients' levels of plasma cells in their bone marrow and M protein in their blood serum. A blood test and a bone marrow biopsy will tell your doctor your plasma cell and M protein levels.
People with less than 10 percent plasma cells and more than three g/dL serum M protein have a median progression time of 19 years.
Studies have shown that for people with more than 10 percent plasma cells and less than three g/dL serum M protein, the median time it takes for their smoldering myeloma to progress to symptomatic myeloma is eight years.
People with more than 10 percent plasma cells and more than three g/dL serum M protein progress after a median of two years.
There is a possibility that you will never progress. Many people with smoldering myeloma never get symptomatic multiple myeloma.
Of course, your doctor will have other tools at his disposal for determining your diagnosis, and can give you a better idea of your prognosis, but this is a rough guide. I hope you'll find it helpful.
Re: Prognosis for smoldering myeloma
Dr. Martha Lacy from the Mayo Clinic said:
"Smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) is a distinct entity from monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and active multiple myeloma.
Medical literature prior to 2003 is somewhat confusing because different investigators used slightly different definitions to describe smoldering multiple myeloma. In 2003, the International Myeloma Working Group agreed on a uniform definition of SMM.
Dr. Kyle reported the long-term outcome in a series of 276 patients diagnosed with SMM according to the new IMWG consensus criteria. The median time to progression was 4.8 years.
Interestingly, the longer a patient had SMM, the less likely it was to progress. The overall risk of progression was 10% per year for the first 5 years, 3% per year for the next 5 years, and only 1% per year beyond 10 years of follow-up.
In that report, the most important factors for predicting prognosis were the number of plasma cells in the bone marrow and the size of the M-spike, with the best prognosis seen in patients with a protein > 3 g/dL and bone marrow plasma cells < 10%. In this group, the median time to progression was 19 years.
In other reports, abnormal serum immunoglobulin FLC ratio and abnormal MRI scans are useful predictors of risk."
"Smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) is a distinct entity from monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and active multiple myeloma.
Medical literature prior to 2003 is somewhat confusing because different investigators used slightly different definitions to describe smoldering multiple myeloma. In 2003, the International Myeloma Working Group agreed on a uniform definition of SMM.
Dr. Kyle reported the long-term outcome in a series of 276 patients diagnosed with SMM according to the new IMWG consensus criteria. The median time to progression was 4.8 years.
Interestingly, the longer a patient had SMM, the less likely it was to progress. The overall risk of progression was 10% per year for the first 5 years, 3% per year for the next 5 years, and only 1% per year beyond 10 years of follow-up.
In that report, the most important factors for predicting prognosis were the number of plasma cells in the bone marrow and the size of the M-spike, with the best prognosis seen in patients with a protein > 3 g/dL and bone marrow plasma cells < 10%. In this group, the median time to progression was 19 years.
In other reports, abnormal serum immunoglobulin FLC ratio and abnormal MRI scans are useful predictors of risk."
3 posts
• Page 1 of 1