Aim of initial treatment

Treatment is required if you have symptoms and complications of myeloma at diagnosis. The aims of this initial treatment are to:

• Reduce the level of myeloma cells as far as possible
• Relieve the symptoms and control the complications the myeloma is causing
• Improve quality of life
• Prolong survival

Successful treatment will clear the bone marrow of myeloma cells or reduce their number to a low, stable level, allowing the bone marrow to recover. When this happens, the myeloma is said to be in remission.

In general, the initial treatment for myeloma can be broadly categorised into two groups:

1. Less intensive treatment for older and/or less fit patients – comprised of standard doses of treatment
2. More intensive treatment for younger and/or more fit patients – comprised of higher doses of treatment usually followed by a stem cell transplant

The reason for this is that the more intensive treatment brings with it the risk of increased side-effects and complications, which could be particularly risky for older and/or less fit patients.

Before embarking on treatment, you and your doctor need to make important decisions about what treatment is best or most appropriate for you.

 Making treatment decisions