BSH 2017 | Current treatment landscape of myeloma

Martin Kaiser, MD, from the Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK, discusses the current treatment landscape of myeloma at the 2017 British Society for Haematology (BSH) Annual Scientific Meeting in Brighton, UK. The treatment landscape of myeloma is getting more and more complex, with new treatments being developed that have been shown to have limited toxicity profiles. Current challenges involve when to give these treatments, and which combinations wold be the most efficacious, while also being the most affordable. Some recent trials have shown very promising drugs, however their affordability by the US, and in particular the UK, is a challenge. He explains that a fundamental question is whether patients can be identified at diagnosis as to which treatment pathway would be most beneficial. The myeloma XI trial (NCT01554852) provides the opportunity to identify biomarkers that would answer this question. Currently, approximately 30% of patients are surviving for a minimum of 10 years, however, this can be improved upon with more effective treatments.