Almost all myeloma patients will experience relapse (the cancer returns after a successful course of treatment) and/or the disease will become refractory (the cancer does not respond to treatment). The choice of a treatment regimen at relapse is affected by many factors including the type of prior therapy, the number of previous lines of therapy, genetic abnormalities, overall health and the aggressiveness of the relapse.
In some instances, the drug or combination of drugs that the patient had a good response to initially, may be repeated. Another option is to try one or more of the other therapies typically used in initial treatment.
The following drugs may be used alone or in combinations to treat relapsed or refractory myeloma:
- Belantamab mafodotin-blmf (Blenrep)
- Bortezomib (Velcade®)
- Carfilzomib (Kyprolis®)
- Daratumumab (Darzalex®)
- Daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj (Darzalex FasproTM)
- Dexamethasone (Decadron®)
- Elotuzumab (Empliciti™)
- Idecabtagene vicleucel (Abecma®)
- Ixazomib (Ninlaro®)
- Lenalidomide (Revlimid®)
- Liposomal doxorubicin (Doxil®)
- Melphalan flufenamide (Pepaxto®)
- Panobinostat (Farydak®)
- Pomalidomide (Pomalyst®)
- Selinexor (XpovioTM)
- Thalidomide (Thalomid®)
For information about the drugs listed on this page, visit Drug Listings.
The use of high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation may also be an option for some relapsed/refractory myeloma patients, who have either not been treated with a transplant before or who had a good durable response to a prior transplant.
Many new agents being studied in clinical trials are also showing promising results in the treatment of relapsed/refractory myeloma. See Clinical Trials.
Receive one-on-one navigation from an LLS Clinical Trial Specialist who will personally assist you throughout the entire clinical-trial process: Click Here
Related Links
Download or order The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's free booklet, Myeloma.