Clinical Pearls for Multiple Myeloma Management

Jill Burke, NP, and Tanika Pittman, APRN, conclude the discussion with practical clinical pearls for APPs caring for patients with multiple myeloma across frontline and early relapse settings. Jill emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying biology of multiple myeloma and translating complex concepts into clear, patient-friendly language, with education revisited over time as patients become more familiar with their treatment. She also highlights the need to understand comorbidities and collaborate with specialists when myeloma therapy may affect pre-existing conditions, while recognizing the importance of the patient’s caregiver and support system. Tanika reinforces that APPs do not need to memorize treatment regimens but should understand why each therapy and its individual components are being used. She encourages APPs to treat the patient rather than laboratory values alone, while appropriately considering markers such as M-spike, free light chains, MRD, creatinine, and blood counts alongside the patient’s overall clinical status. The faculty also emphasize anticipating rather than simply reacting to toxicity, prioritizing preventive measures, maintaining thorough patient education, and considering the entire treatment journey when making decisions today. The program closes by highlighting the evolving role of APPs in providing longitudinal, coordinated, patient-centered care for multiple myeloma.