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In this Article

• What is multiple myeloma?
• What are multiple myeloma causes and risk factors?
• What are multiple myeloma symptoms and signs?
• How is multiple myeloma diagnosed?
• What are multiple myeloma stages?
• What is the treatment for multiple myeloma?
• What are methods of treatment for multiple myeloma?
• What supportive care can patients with multiple myeloma require?
• What happens after treatment for multiple myeloma?
• What support is available for cancer patients?
• What other resources are available to multiple myeloma patients?
• Multiple Myeloma At A Glance
• Patient Comments: Multiple Myeloma - Symptoms
• Patient Comments: Multiple Myeloma - Diagnosis
• Patient Comments: Multiple Myeloma - Prognosis
• Find a local Oncologist in your town
• Multiple Myeloma Index

Many different types of drugs are used to treat myeloma. People often receive a combination of drugs, and many different combinations are used to treat myeloma.

Each type of drug kills cancer cells in a different way:

• Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy kills fast-growing myeloma cells, but the drug can also harm normal cells that divide rapidly.



• Targeted therapy: Targeted therapies use drugs that block the growth of myeloma cells. The targeted therapy blocks the action of an abnormal protein that stimulates the growth of myeloma cells.



• Steroids: Some steroids have antitumor effects. It is thought that steroids can trigger the death of myeloma cells. A steroid may be used alone or with other drugs to treat myeloma.

You may receive the drugs by mouth or through a vein (IV). The treatment usually takes place in an outpatient part of the hospital, at your doctor's office, or at home. Some people may need to stay in the hospital for treatment.

The side effects depend mainly on which drugs are given and how much:

• Blood cells: When a drug used for myeloma treatment lowers the levels of healthy blood cells, you're more likely to get infections, bruise or bleed easily, and feel very weak and tired. Your health care team will check for low levels of blood cells. If your levels are low, your health care team may stop therapy for a while or reduce the dose of drug. There are also medicines that can help your body make new blood cells.



• Cells in hair roots: Chemotherapy may cause hair loss. If you lose your hair, it will grow back, but it may be somewhat different in color and texture.



• Cells that line the digestive tract: Chemotherapy and targeted therapy can cause poor appetite, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, or mouth and lip sores. Ask your health care team about medicines and other ways to help you cope with these problems.

The drugs used for myeloma may also cause dizziness, drowsiness, numbness or tingling in hands or feet, and low blood pressure. Most of these problems go away when treatment ends.

Stem cell transplant

Many people with multiple myeloma may get a stem cell transplant. A stem cell transplant allows you to be treated with high doses of drugs. The high doses destroy both myeloma cells and normal blood cells in the bone marrow. After you receive high-dose treatment, you receive healthy stem cells through a vein. (It's like getting a blood transfusion.) New blood cells develop from the transplanted stem cells. The new blood cells replace the ones that were destroyed by treatment.

Stem cell transplants take place in the hospital. Some people with myeloma have two or more transplants.

Stem cells may come from you or from someone who donates their stem cells to you:

• From you: An autologous stem cell transplant uses your own stem cells. Before you get the high-dose chemotherapy, your stem cells are removed. The cells may be treated to kill any myeloma cells present. Your stem cells are frozen and stored. After you receive high-dose chemotherapy, the stored stem cells are thawed and returned to you.



• From a family member or other donor: An allogeneic stem cell transplant uses healthy stem cells from a donor. Your brother, sister, or parent may be the donor. Sometimes the stem cells come from a donor who isn't related. Doctors use blood tests to be sure the donor's cells match your cells. Allogeneic stem cell transplants are under study for the treatment of multiple myeloma.



• From your identical twin: If you have an identical twin, a syngeneic stem cell transplant uses stem cells from your healthy twin.

There are two ways to get stem cells for people with myeloma. They usually come from the blood (peripheral blood stem cell transplant). Or they can come from the bone marrow (bone marrow transplant).

After a stem cell transplant, you may stay in the hospital for several weeks or months. You'll be at risk for infections because of the large doses of chemotherapy you received. In time, the transplanted stem cells will begin to produce healthy blood cells.

Second opinion

Before starting treatment, you might want a second opinion about your diagnosis and treatment plan. Some people worry that the doctor will be offended if they ask for a second opinion. Usually the opposite is true. Most doctors welcome a second opinion. And many health insurance companies will pay for a second opinion if you or your doctor requests it.

If you get a second opinion, the doctor may agree with your first doctor's diagnosis and treatment plan. Or the second doctor may suggest another approach. Either way, you have more information and perhaps a greater sense of control. You can feel more confident about the decisions you make, knowing that you've looked at your options.

It may take some time and effort to gather your medical records and see another doctor. In most cases, it's not a problem to take several weeks to get a second opinion. The delay in starting treatment usually won't make treatment less effective. To make sure, you should discuss this delay with your doctor. Some people with multiple myeloma need treatment right away.

There are many ways to find a doctor for a second opinion. You can ask your doctor, a local or state medical society, a nearby hospital, or a medical school for names of specialists. NCI's Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER can tell you about nearby treatment centers.