Treatment for multiple myeloma is not always needed right away. If there are no symptoms, you may have tests to look for myeloma to see if it gets worse. When multiple myeloma causes symptoms, treatment often begins with medication. Treatment can help relieve pain, control complications and slow the growth of myeloma cells.
Treatment may not be needed immediately
Sometimes multiple myeloma causes no symptoms. Doctors call this smoldering multiple myeloma. This type of multiple myeloma may not require immediate treatment.
If the myeloma is in the early stages and is growing slowly, you may have regular checkups to monitor the cancer. A healthcare professional can test your blood and urine to see if the myeloma is getting worse.
If you develop symptoms of multiple myeloma, you and your healthcare team may decide to start treatment.
Treatments
Treatment may include:
Targeted therapy Targeted therapy uses drugs that attack specific chemicals in cancer cells. By blocking these chemicals, targeted therapies can cause cancer cells to die.
Immunotherapy Immunotherapy is a treatment with drugs that help the body’s immune system kill cancer cells. The immune system fights diseases by attacking germs and other cells that shouldn’t be in the body. Cancer cells survive by covering up from the safe system. Immunotherapy makes a distinction between safe system cells finding and butchering cancer cells.
CAR-T cell treatment Chimeric antigen receptor T cell treatment, moreover called CAR-T cell treatment, trains your safe framework cells to battle different myeloma.
This treatment starts by removing some white blood cells, including T cells, from your blood. The cells are sent to a laboratory. In the laboratory, cells are treated to make special receptors. The receptors help cells recognize markers on the surface of myeloma cells.
The cells are then put back into your body. They can now find and destroy multiple myeloma cells.
Chemotherapy uses strong drugs to kill cancer cells. The drugs kill rapidly growing cells, including myeloma cells.
Corticosteroids Corticosteroid medications help control swelling and inflammation in the body, called inflammation. They also work against myeloma cells.
Bone marrow transplant A bone marrow transplant, also called a stem cell transplant, replaces diseased bone marrow with healthy bone marrow.
Sometime recently a bone marrow transplant, blood-forming stem cells are collected from your blood. High doses of chemotherapy are then given to destroy your diseased bone marrow. The stem cells are then injected into your body.
Radiation therapy Radiation treatment employments effective vitality pillars to murder cancer cells. The energy can come from X-rays, protons, or other sources. Radiation can rapidly shrink the growth of myeloma cells. It may be used if the myeloma cells form a mass called a plasmacytoma. Radiation can help control plasmacytomas that are causing pain or destroying bone.
Process of treatment
Your treatment plan will depend on whether you are a candidate for a bone marrow transplant. When deciding whether a bone marrow transplant is best for you, your healthcare team considers many factors. These incorporate whether your numerous myeloma is likely to urge more awful, your age and your general well-being.
When a bone marrow transplant is an option If your healthcare team thinks a bone marrow transplant is a good option for you, treatment often starts with a combination of medications. This combination may include targeted therapy, immunotherapy, corticosteroids, and sometimes chemotherapy.
After some months of treatment, blood stem cells are collected from your blood. A bone marrow transplant can occur immediately after the cells are collected. Or you can wait until after the relapse, if any. Sometimes doctors recommend two bone marrow transplants for people with multiple myeloma.
After a bone marrow transplant, you will likely have targeted therapy or immunotherapy. These can help prevent myeloma from coming back.
When a bone marrow transplant is not an option If you decide not to have a bone marrow transplant, treatment may include a combination of medications. This combination may include targeted therapy, immunotherapy, corticosteroids, and sometimes chemotherapy.
When myeloma comes back or doesn’t respond to treatment. Treatment may include a second course of the same treatment. Another option is trying one or more treatments available for multiple myeloma.
Research into new treatments is ongoing. You can join a clinical trial. A clinical trial may permit you to undertake unused medications that are being tried.
Ask your healthcare team what clinical trials are available.
Treatment of complications
Treatment may include treating complications of multiple myeloma. For example:
Bone pain Pain medications, radiation therapy, and surgery can help control sinus pain.
Kidney damage People with severe kidney damage may need dialysis.
Infection Immunizations can offer assistance in anticipating contaminations, such as the flu and pneumonia.
Bone loss Bone-forming drugs can help prevent bone loss.
Anemia medications can increase the number of red blood cells in the blood. This can help to reverse ongoing anemia.