Dr. Baz on Varying Treatment Approaches for Patients With Multiple Myeloma

Rachid Baz, MD, hematologist and medical oncologist, Moffitt Cancer Center, discusses how treatment approaches vary for patients with multiple myeloma.

Historically, physicians tried to avoid alkylating agents for patients who were eligible for transplant, Baz explains. Now, when considering treatments for elderly patients, the determinant outcome of these patients turns out to be based on fitness or frailty. For patients considered to be frail, a doublet regimen of lenalidomide (Revlimid)/dexamethasone that is dose-adjusted, or a subcutaneous injection of weekly bortezomib (Velcade) and dexamethasone could be choices.

For patients of intermediate fitness, a reasonable treatment would be bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone. Emerging, ongoing clinical trials are challenging that data for the future.