How long can you live after a relapse in multiple myeloma?

Survival can range from a few months to more than 10 years (Kumar et al., 2012). The MM disease trajectory will vary for each patient; however, relapses are inevitable, and the depth and duration of response following each relapse are generally diminished (Figure 2).

How is the prognosis determined for a patient with multiple myeloma?

Measuring your prognosis Higher levels may indicate better prognosis. Higher levels indicate more extensive disease. Abnormal results may indicate poor prognosis (also indicates risk of progression of MGUS or asymptomatic myeloma to symptomatic myeloma). Presence of specific abnormalities may indicate poor prognosis.

What is the best treatment for relapsed multiple myeloma?

The standard treatment of relapsed multiple myeloma has been either lenalidomide-dexamethasone (RD) or bortezomib-dexamethasone (VD) but it is changing rapidly for 2 reasons.

What is considered relapse in multiple myeloma?

Generally, the definition of relapse in multiple myeloma is the reappearance of signs and symptoms of a disease after a period of improvement. Patients with relapsed multiple myeloma are those who have been treated.

How long does end stage multiple myeloma last?

Treatments can slow the progression of the stage 3 multiple myeloma and improve symptoms. With effective treatment, a person may see improvements in quality of life as well as life expectancy. With treatment, you could live for 5 or more years even when diagnosed with stage 3 multiple myeloma.

What happens in the last stages of multiple myeloma?

As active multiple myeloma gets worse, you’ll likely feel sicker, with fatigue or bone pain. You may have anemia, bleeding problems, or a lot of infections. Other symptoms of advanced multiple myeloma include unusual fractures, shortness of breath, weakness, feeling very thirsty, and belly pain.