Dr. Friend on the Importance of Work-up for Patients With Multiple Myeloma

Reed Friend, MD, a medical oncologist in hematology and medical oncology, of Levine Cancer Institute and Carolinas HealthCare System, discusses the importance of appropriate work-ups for patients with multiple myeloma.

In terms of the diagnosis and prognosis of multiple myeloma, it is imperative that local providers and physicians who see patients with suspected myeloma are giving them appropriate work-ups, Friend explains. Many patients can be missed in terms of diagnosis if the right tests are not ordered. The most common ones forgotten include serum-free light chains and urine samples.

Even on a skeletal survey, clinicians can only detect up to 50% to 70% of the bone damage that occurs. If damage in the bones is suspected, then further tests are needed, such as whole-body MRI, where a more sensitive approach to the marrow damage is taken, Friend adds.