Multiple Myeloma Treatment

Patients with multiple myeloma have access to some of the world's leading myeloma experts. You will receive the highest standard of care, the newest clinical trials available and the most up-to-date approaches to myeloma treatment.

As Georgia’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, patients come from all over the country to receive Winship’s unmatched myeloma care and treatment. You and each of our patients will be provided the most advanced treatment options by myeloma specialists who are devoted to this specialized field.

The goal of controlling multiple myeloma as a chronic disease, or even curing it, is within reach. At Winship, a comprehensive, coordinated approach is put into place for your multiple myeloma treatment. To determine the best treatment plan, Winship’s tumor board reviews each myeloma case based on data and National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines.

Multiple myeloma treatment options have expanded, because of groundbreaking research and clinical trials at Winship and elsewhere. In the past decade, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved 13 new agents — all of which were tested here at Winship — and 29 treatments for multiple myeloma, transforming the treatment paradigm for patients with newly diagnosed and relapsed multiple myeloma.

Winship’s doctors and researchers are studying the genetic components of multiple myeloma and using that knowledge to come up with better, more targeted drugs and individualized therapies. Early intervention is a big area of focus as well. By refining our diagnostic criteria for myeloma types and treating smoldering myeloma (precancerous myeloma that often develops into multiple myeloma) earlier, patients can have a better survival rate.

Your treatment options will be tailored to your diagnosis based on the stage of your multiple myeloma and other factors such as lifestyle, age and overall health. Multiple myeloma treatment options stem from two main approaches: local therapies and systemic treatment.

Local Therapy

Local therapies treat the tumor without involving the rest of the body. They are generally used for earlier-stage myelomas rather than advanced-stage myeloma. These include:

• Surgery — This option is more common for single plasmacytomas. It is rarely used to treat multiple myeloma.
• Radiation — Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to target and kill cancer cells. A common type of radiation used for multiple myeloma is called external beam radiation therapy. The radiation is aimed at the cancer from a machine outside the body. The course of treatment can continue for several weeks.

Systemic Treatment

Multiple myeloma can also be treated through systemic treatment, which means drugs are administered into the body either via pill form or through the use of an IV. These systemic therapies can include:

• Chemotherapy — Multiple myeloma is sensitive to different combinations of chemotherapy, which may involve one or a combination of anticancer drugs that destroy cancer cells.
• Targeted drugs and combination therapies — Recently, the FDA approved a number of new drugs that use the patient's immune system to fight multiple myeloma. Winship has pioneered the use of these drugs in combination with front-line therapies.
• Autologous stem cell transplantation — A standard treatment for multiple myeloma, an autologous stem cell transplant consists of destroying myeloma cells by using higher doses of a chemotherapy medication called melphalan and then replacing them with healthy stem cells.
• CAR T-cell therapy — During treatment, a patient's white blood cells are removed from the body and genetically changed to recognize and kill cancerous cells. The re-engineered cells are then infused back into the patient. The FDA approved CAR T-cell therapy for use in some patients with multiple myeloma, thanks in part to clinical trials that took place at Winship.

Transplant remains a standard of care for multiple myeloma treatment. Pairing a transplant with drug therapy has shown to have the best survival rates. Winship's Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Center has pioneered many advances in stem cell transplant and cellular therapy procedures and drugs. It is the oldest and largest of its kind in Georgia. The team at our Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Center is internationally known for our research and treatment of blood cancers and blood disorders — including leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes, aplastic anemia, sickle cell anemia and bloodless transplants, as well as select solid tumors.

Supportive Treatment

This type of treatment aims to reduce the symptoms of multiple myeloma rather than trying to cure the disease. The goal of supportive treatment is to provide comfort and improve their quality of life. Supportive treatment can consist of:

• Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) — Because patients with multiple myeloma have a greater chance of infections, IVIG treatment raises the antibodies in a person’s blood, which can reduce infections.
• Drugs to treat anemia — A common side effect of multiple myeloma is anemia. Certain drugs can be given to help improve low red blood cell counts.

Each person’s treatment plan will be unique to fit their needs. Winship’s cancer team will be with you throughout the process to answer any questions or concerns you may have, minimize treatment side effects and provide support.

In addition to advanced treatment methods, Winship is a leader in multiple myeloma research and clinical trials, including studies on CAR T-cell therapy, precancerous treatment and cancer relapse. Clinical trials provide patients access to novel drugs that are being developed for myeloma treatment. Winship is Georgia’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, which offers patients the latest clinical trials being done to combat multiple myeloma today.

At Winship, each patient is carefully considered to see whether they qualify for a clinical trial using innovative treatment methods. Learn more about our clinical trials.

Besides the advanced care and treatment methods, Winship also offers a supportive oncology team of specialized doctors and nurses who can help with the physical, psychological and emotional aspects of living with cancer, including symptom management and counseling. We know that a cancer diagnosis is scary and stressful. That’s why Winship’s counselors, dietitians, social service and other professionals are with you every step of the way.