Multiple myeloma is the most frequent cancer to involve the skeleton, with up to 80 percent of patients having bone disease. Although fewer patients appear to have bone involvement more recently, it is still a major source of both complications and death among patients with myeloma.

Bone disease is so severe in myeloma because the normal bone remodeling process is disrupted. In normal individuals, damaged bone is removed by bone-destroying cells, the osteoclasts, and then bone is replaced by bone-forming cells, the osteoblasts. In myeloma, the number and activity of the bone-destroying …

Novel agents, such as Velcade (bortezomib) and Revlimid (lenalidomide), have greatly advanced the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma. Indeed, by incorporating novel agents as induction therapy prior to consolidation with high-dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation, we have made huge strides in survival outcomes over the last 10 years.  However, treatment with anti-myeloma agents may be associated with side effects that negatively impact quality of life.

Recently, two advances have been reported resulting in a decrease in peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage causing pain, numbness, and/or tingling in the …

One of the most frequent questions that I get asked by multiple myeloma patients is: What is the current role of stem cell transplantation in myeloma therapy?

As the conversation continues, several pertinent questions arise: Should I get a transplant? Am I too old for a transplant? Is it better to do one now, or can I wait? One or two? Two back to back, or one now and one later? And so on…

Myeloma is the number one use of autologous stem cell transplantation, which involves the use of a patient's …

Each year at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of He­ma­tol­ogy we hear about dozens of new drugs that are able to annihilate mul­ti­ple myeloma cells in the test tube and in animal models. Unfortunately, at the same meeting, we also sit through pre­sen­ta­tions and walk by posters of drugs that looked hot in the laboratory but then fail to work when given to real patients with myeloma.

This is not new. It has been the story with myeloma for ages. The myeloma cells are smart and are seemingly able to …

In the last 10 years, we have witnessed dramatic changes in the treatment of multiple myeloma that have provided hope and optimism to myeloma patients worldwide.

We have a better understanding of the biology of the disease and an array of approved and investigational new drugs with excellent clinical activity.

Importantly, we have also come to the realization that myeloma is not one genetically distinct disease, but a clinical condition with many distinct molecular subtypes. Indeed, there are subtle differences in clinical presentation among the various subtypes.

More remarkable, however, are the …