After multiple myeloma has been diagnosed and staged, a treatment plan will be established for the patient. As with all cancers, treatment for multiple myeloma is usually coordinated by a cancer care team, headed by a primary care physician and/or hematologist or oncologist.

There are a variety of methods used to treat multiple myeloma. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) describes this disease as highly treatable but rarely curable. The treatment method chosen for each patient depends on the stage of the disease as well as other factors including the patient’s age (survival is higher in younger patients) and overall health. Common treatment methods for multiple myeloma include:

• Bone marrow/stem cell transplant. This method allows a patient to receive high levels of chemotherapy. Although high-dose chemotherapy destroys the myeloma cells, it also destroys normal blood cells in the bone marrow. After the treatment, the patient receives an infusion of healthy stem cells through a vein. The stem cells may come from a matched donor or from the patients themselves. As a result, new blood cells begin to develop from the transplanted cells. This procedure is the standard treatment for young myeloma patients in otherwise good health, and many centers are also using it for patients up to age 70.
  
  
• Chemotherapy. This treatment method uses powerful drugs to destroy cancer cells. It may also be used to prevent the cancer from spreading. For multiple myeloma, a combination of drugs is usually used in treatment.
  
  
• Radiation therapy. Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. It may be ordered to treat areas of bone damaged by myeloma that have not responded to chemotherapy and are producing pain. It is also the most common treatment for solitary plasmacytomas.
  
  
• Biological therapy or immunotherapy. This method uses substances naturally produced by the immune system to kill myeloma cells, slow the growth of the cancer cells or activate the patient’s immune system to more successfully fight the disease.

In addition to cancer treatments, patients may receive treatment with medications to control their symptoms. Multiple myeloma can cause bone to dissolve, resulting in weakness and fractures. Bisphosphonates may be prescribed to slow this process. In some cases the drug is given in combination with chemotherapy. Diuretics, which are drugs that increase urination, may be prescribed to help the kidney remove excess fluid, salts and pain relievers from the body. Erythropoietin may also be prescribed to improve anemia and its symptoms.

Plasmapheresis may be recommended to relieve some symptoms of multiple myeloma. This procedure involves removing blood from a patient’s vein and separating the blood cells from the blood plasma (the liquid component of blood). The plasma is discarded because it contains the abnormal protein (monoclonal immunoglobulin) produced by the myeloma cells. The plasma is replaced with a salt solution and blood proteins from donors and the remaining components are returned to the patient through another vein. This treatment may be recommended when the buildup of myeloma proteins causes blood to thicken and interfere with circulation.

Following treatment, patients typically require regular visits to their physicians. Frequent checkups enable their physician to detect any changes in health and treat them immediately. Checkups may include a physical examination, blood tests, x-rays and other imaging tests.

Patients are encouraged to report the development of any new symptoms to their physician. They may be a sign of recurrent multiple myeloma (myeloma that has come back after treatment) or side effects of treatment. If a relapse occurs, it can occur in the bone or in another part of the body.

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), the five-year relative survival rate for multiple myeloma is approximately 33 percent. Younger individuals diagnosed with the disease have a better chance of survival than the elderly.

There are no established prevention methods for multiple myeloma because there are no known avoidable risk factors.