BY LIZZY SMITH
There are so many myeloma phrases, terminology and acronyms that things can get incredibly confusing. Even though I'm highly involved in the myeloma community and I'm three years into my myeloma journey, I still have a hard time keeping it all straight.
So let's talk about Relapsed Myeloma (sort of self explanatory) and Refractory Myeloma (need a refresher course on this one!).
Relapsed Myeloma
According to Dr. Sagar Lonial, MD of the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University, Relapsed Myeloma "specifically includes patients whose first progression occurs in the absence of any therapy following successful initial therapy." In other words, a patient had active treatment, went off treatment and then the disease came back. The time to relapse is important - a shorter relapse period (less than six months) means a more aggressive disease.
Refractory Myeloma
Dr. Damian Green, MD of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, generally defines Refractory Myeloma as "disease that is progressing despite active treatment." The National Cancer Institute breaks it down even further to say that there are two main types of refractory myeloma patients:
1. Primary refractory patients who never achieve a response and progress while still on induction chemotherapy (or their myeloma never responded to treatment initially).
2. Secondary refractory patients who do respond to induction chemotherapy but do not respond to treatment after relapse. (The myeloma medications worked at the beginning of treatment, but after the disease relapsed, they no longer work.)
What Now?
After the disease has relapsed or become refractory, myeloma specialists will consider many factors as they create a new game plan:
Dr. Lonial gives a few examples of how these factors can be balanced.
If your myeloma has relapsed or has become refractory, talk with your doctor to develop the best plan for you.
about the author
Lizzy Smith
Lizzy Smith was diagnosed with myeloma in 2012 at age 44. Within days, she left her job, ended her marriage, moved, and entered treatment. "To the extent I'm able, I want to prove that despite life's biggest challenges, it is possible to survive and come out stronger than ever," she says.
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