Multiple myeloma is a bone marrow cancer. It can affect your bones and kidneys, as well as your levels of healthy blood cells. It is a fairly rare cancer, with just under 35,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Multiple myeloma happens when cancerous plasma cells (white blood cells that make antibodies) build up in your marrow and crowd out healthy blood cells. The word “multiple” means that cancer cells are found in more than one area of the body. Smoldering myeloma and MGUS are conditions that can happen before multiple myeloma, but these conditions don’t usually need treatment.
At Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, we offer comprehensive myeloma treatment from a team of experts who are dedicated to treating patients with this rare cancer. Fred Hutch is an internationally recognized center for multiple myeloma, with the most advanced diagnostic, treatment and recovery programs.
Because of our innovation and research programs, patients at Fred Hutch have access to new approaches like CAR T-cell therapy and groundbreaking clinical trials.
Our doctors and scientists pioneered the bone marrow transplant, which is now one of the most important types of myeloma treatment. Every day, our research teams are exploring immunotherapies, new medicines and different combinations of medicines.
From the first time you come to see us, your care team will begin getting to know you and your family. What are your questions? What are your concerns?
At your first appointment, your hematologist-oncologist will explain your disease, including any unique parts of your diagnosis. They will tell you how the disease is treated and what tests you need to help plan your individual care. Before you leave, your team makes sure you understand the next steps.
The safest, most effective and most widely accepted therapies for cancer are known as the “standard of care.” For many patients, these therapies will be a large part of their treatment. At Fred Hutch, we provide all standard therapies for multiple myeloma. We know how to choose the right ones for you and how to deliver them to give you the best chance at a full recovery.
Our doctors and researchers are always asking how we can make multiple myeloma treatments more effective and reduce side effects as much as possible. This is why we do clinical trials (also called clinical studies). Through these studies, we are able to offer you therapies that aren’t available everywhere. A therapy that is going through trials today may become the new standard of care tomorrow.
Along with treating your cancer, a group of world-class professionals is here to support you. This team includes nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, dietitians, physical therapists, social workers and psychologists. We also include supportive care services for your physical, mental and emotional well-being.
Your treatment plan will depend on the type of multiple myeloma you have. You are unique, and your care team will design a treatment plan specifically for — and with — you. At Fred Hutch, doctors with knowledge and experience in your type will plan and provide your care.
Smoldering, or indolent, myeloma doesn’t cause symptoms, and patients with this condition may not need treatment right away. People who have active, or symptomatic, myeloma will be treated by our experienced, compassionate team.
As you go through treatment, your needs may change. Your care team at Fred Hutch is with you each step of the way. For example, we will help you cope with any side effects you have. We may suggest adding a new therapy that was just approved. Even after your multiple myeloma treatment is done, we will keep seeing you to protect your health over the long term.
When someone close to you is diagnosed with multiple myeloma, you might step into the role of caregiver. Being a caregiver can mean many things, from lending a hand with daily living tasks to helping with medical decisions. It can also mean dealing with your own emotions and stress.
At Fred Hutch, caregivers are valuable members of a patient’s care team. We see every day that your presence and your support make a difference. We know that what your friend or family member is going through affects you, too.
Part of our mission is to help you take care of yourself. Caring for yourself is good for your own physical, mental and emotional health. It also helps you give your best to your loved one. Our social workers, Spiritual Health team and Patient and Family Resource Center staff are here to help support you.
At Fred Hutch, a team of dedicated people surrounds you and your family to give you the highest level of care and support. You are the most important person on your care team. Our patients are at the center of everything we do.
Fred Hutch is a national leader in cancer research, with teams of doctors and scientists working to test new treatments or new ways to use current treatments.
There are many resources for learning about your disease, as well as organizations that provide support. Health educators at the Fred Hutch Patient and Family Resource Center have made a list of trusted sources to help you get started.
