"Every cancer patient deserves an optimistic oncologist," says Dr. Hillengass.
Multiple Myeloma
“Since myeloma currently is a chronic disease considered incurable, we work on both finding a cure but also adding new treatments to the cancer journey of patients to prolong their lives while preserving and ideally even improving their quality of life.”
“Cancer patients have to be warriors all the time, but I don’t consider myself one. I had a lot of help from everyone at Roswell — the positivity from everyone at the front desk, the nurses and everyone I met."
Sometimes it seems much more is unknown about multiple myeloma than is known.
Though considered a rare disease, multiple myeloma is the second-most common type of blood cancer and is diagnosed in about 32,000 people a year in the U.S.
"We hope that we can have an influence on bone pain caused by the myeloma; peripheral neuropathy; and the quality of life of patients, especially those in remission," says Dr. Hillengass.
If you have been diagnosed with multiple myeloma — or are the caregiver for someone with multiple myeloma — plan to join us Saturday, Nov.
If you've received a diagnosis of MGUS or smoldering myeloma, you may wonder what the chances are that they will turn into multiple myeloma. Dr. Jens Hillengass explains.
Dr. Lee says hopes are high for the success of immunotherapies targeting multiple myeloma: “I think we’re seeing a major change in the way we take care of the disease.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new indication for the oral drug lenalidomide (brand name Revlimid) as a maintenance therapy for multiple myeloma patients following autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (ASCT), also known as autologous blood and marrow transplant (BMT).
March is Myeloma Awareness Month. At Roswell Park we’re working year-round to uncover new ways of understanding this disease in order to develop new treatment methods and improve long-term survival rates for patients.
Roswell Park recently honored March as Myeloma Awareness Month and I want to share with you some of the exciting research being done regarding multiple myeloma treatment.