[Beacon Staff]

Weekly Poll - Best Response To Initial Therapy - 2014

by Beacon Staff on Wed Mar 12, 2014 10:31 am

This week's poll is about multiple myeloma patients' responses to initial therapy.

A few clarifications:

First, this question is only for readers who have received treatment for multiple myeloma.

Second, by "initial induction therapy," we are referring to the first drug or combination of drugs that you were treated with to get your myeloma under control. It does not include stem cell transplantation, consolidation therapy, or maintenance therapy. We are also referring to induction therapy that you received just after diagnosis, not after any failed therapy or relapses.

Third, if you are a caregiver or family member of someone who has myeloma, feel free to answer on their behalf.

For your reference, here are definitions for the different response types:

Molecular complete response - No evidence of disease using sensitive molecular techniques

Stringent complete response - No detectable myeloma cells and all laboratory tests are normal

Complete response - No presence of M-protein and less than 5 percent myeloma cells

Very good partial response - At least 90 percent decrease in M-protein

Partial response - At least 50 percent decrease in M-protein

Minimal response - Less than 50 percent decrease in M-protein

Stable disease - Disease that has not responded to therapy (no change in M-protein) but has not progressed

Progressive disease - Increasing M-protein and worsening end organ damage

As always, feel free to post comments, thoughts, or feedback in the space below. They can be very useful to other readers.

See the link below for results from the same poll conducted in 2012:
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/weekly-poll-best-response-to-initial-therapy-t1061.html