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Multiple Myeloma

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Management of Hematological Cancer in Older People

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Abstract

The introduction of novel agents thalidomide, lenalidomide, and the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib, has dramatically improved the outcome of multiple myeloma and today various effective treatment options are available. Both young and elderly patients with multiple myeloma showed to benefit from sequential approaches including novel agents. In young patients, commonly eligible for transplantation, novel combinations as induction before transplantation led to deeper and long-lasting response, and improved survival. Elderly patients or patients with comorbidities would not tolerate high-dose therapy and transplantation, thus gentler approaches are needed. Also in these patients, novel agents have revolutionized the traditional treatment and new effective approaches are now used.

Here we present an overview of the latest strategies including novel agents used to treat both transplant eligible and ineligible patients with multiple myeloma.

Disclosure Statement

Roberto Mina has no conflicts of interest. Antonio Palumbo has received consultancy fees from Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Genmab A/S, Celgene, Janssen-Cilag, Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., Onyx Pharmaceuticals, and honoraria from Amgen, Array BioPharma, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Genmab A/S, Celgene, Janssen-Cilag, Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi Aventis.

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Acknowledgment

The authors thank the editorial assistant Giorgio Schirripa

Conflicts of Interest

Antonio Palumbo has received consultancy fees from Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Genmab A/S, Celgene, Janssen-Cilag, Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., Onyx Pharmaceuticals, and honoraria from Amgen, Array BioPharma, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Genmab A/S, Celgene, Janssen-Cilag, Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi Aventis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Myeloma Unit, Division of Hematology, University of Torino, Azienda Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Torino, Italy

    Roberto Mina MD & Antonio Palumbo MD

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  1. Roberto Mina MD
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Correspondence to Antonio Palumbo MD .

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  1. Department of Palliative Care, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Thüringen, Germany

    Ulrich Wedding

  2. St Helens Teaching Hospital, University of Liverpool, St Helens, United Kingdom

    Riccardo A. Audisio

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Mina, R., Palumbo, A. (2015). Multiple Myeloma. In: Wedding, U., Audisio, R. (eds) Management of Hematological Cancer in Older People. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2837-3_12

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