New

Approximately 35,000 people in the U.S. were diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma (MM) in 2023, and that annual trend shows no signs of abating.  I am neither a scientist nor a prognosticator, but my general knowledge of the landscape of therapeutic developments for the treatment of MM lead me to believe that 2024 will be another year of breakthroughs in tackling this form of cancer.  Contributing to the rapid pace of advancements is the multifaceted approach that medical science is taking to address this currently incurable disease.  Here is a brief overview of what the future holds for the long-term diagnosis and management of MM.

- Newly approved therapies such as Carvykti, Elrexflo and Talvey offer different methods for further extending progression-free survival; the length of time during and after treatment that the cancer does not grow or spread further.  All three of the aforementioned drugs are for folks who have already gone through at least four previous treatment regimens, and are searching for a more effective way to successfully curb/contain their RRMM (relapsed refractory MM = keeps escalating / not under control; unlike the state that I fortunately am living with).  New drugs are looking at whole new ways of understanding and attacking the disease; its origin and/or progression.

- Medical science is getting better and better at determining exactly which "strain" of MM a given patient has.  This contributes to an enhanced understanding of what types of available drugs would be the best match for the patient and their probability of a positive outcome from this course of treatment (as well as which available therapies will not likely be as successful; avoiding wasting precious response time and causing potentially unnecessary distress for patients).

- Increased emphasis is being focused on healthcare equity as relates to MM and other diseases. Statistically African Americans are disproportionately affected by MM.  There is no clear-cut genetic or socio-economic reason behind this reality, but data does point to disparities in diagnosis, treatment access and successful outcomes.  One way to address this imbalance is coming at the beginning of the drug research process by increasing the diversity of the participants in clinical trials - to be more accurately reflective of the true patient population.

I encourage anyone out there who is new to the "Club" to explore these topics further as to how they could possibly pertain to your situation.  And for those of us veteran victims who have been diagnosed, there is much to look forward to in 2024 and beyond.