Multiple Myeloma Treatment

Chemotherapy remains a foundational treatment for multiple myeloma, leveraging a range of medications to target and destroy cancerous cells. As a systemic therapy, it offers the advantage of reaching cancer cells wherever they may reside in the body, making it effective against both localized and metastatic disease.

When it comes to treating multiple myeloma, chemotherapy can have various roles: it may serve as the primary treatment aimed at eradicating the disease, as a control measure to inhibit cancer progression, or as palliative intervention to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life. Additionally, it can be an integral part of a maintenance strategy to prevent relapse after initial treatment success.

Oncologists at Sheba customize chemotherapy to individual needs, considering factors such as the type and stage of cancer, as well as the patient’s overall health. The selection of drugs, dosages, routes of administration and treatment schedules are carefully tailored to maximize efficacy while minimizing side effects, ensuring that the treatment plan aligns with the patient’s needs and health goals.

Targeted therapy represents a modern approach to cancer treatment. As a form of biological therapy, it utilizes drugs designed to interfere with specific molecular targets that are involved in the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells. To develop these drugs, scientists conduct molecular research into cancer cell mechanisms.

As part of personalized treatment, oncologists often conduct a biopsy to identify the presence of specific molecular markers that will respond to targeted drugs. This form of therapy can be effective on its own, but it is commonly combined with other treatments to maximize its impact.

Treatment plans incorporating targeted therapy are meticulously tailored, considering the type, stage of cancer, and the patient’s health and quality of life. As oncological research progresses, the spectrum of targeted therapies continues to broaden, offering new avenues for treatment.

Radiotherapy is a vital component in the multifaceted treatment of multiple myeloma. Unlike chemotherapy, radiotherapy is a localized treatment, concentrating high-energy rays directly on cancerous cells. This focused approach aims to cause irreparable damage to the DNA of cancer cells, hindering their ability to multiply and ultimately leading to their demise.

Radiotherapy can also be utilized to shrink localized tumors, eradicate cancer cells in preparation for a bone marrow transplant or as a prophylactic measure to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence.

Additionally, it serves an important role in palliative care, alleviating symptoms and improving the quality of life for patients with advanced stage cancer. In cases where cancer returns, radiotherapy may also be used in an attempt to manage and treat the recurrence. The precision of radiotherapy minimizes the impact on healthy tissues, which is a significant advantage in preserving the patient’s overall wellbeing.

Bone marrow transplantation is a transformative treatment for blood cancers, significantly enhancing patient survival rates and offering a potential path to remission. This procedure replenishes the body’s ability to generate healthy blood cells by infusing healthy precursor cells into the patient’s bone marrow. Harvested from compatible donors, these cells are crucial for restoring normal marrow function, especially after it’s been compromised by cancer treatments.

Expert medical teams, equipped with advanced genetic testing technologies, ensure the best possible match between a donor and a patient, a critical factor in the transplant’s success. In scenarios where a match is challenging to find, extended donor registries are used to identify suitable cells.

At Sheba, throughout the transplantation, the patient’s overall health and quality of life remain the main priority, reflecting our patient-centered approach to cancer care. This comprehensive strategy aims to treat the cancer effectively while supporting the patient’s wellbeing during and after the procedure.

CAR T-cell therapy is an innovative form of immunotherapy for patients with multiple myeloma. This advanced treatment involves reprogramming the patient’s T-cells, a type of immune cell, with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that enable them to recognize and destroy cancer cells more effectively.

The procedure starts with extracting the patient’s T-cells, which are then genetically engineered in a laboratory to identify and attack cancer cells once reintroduced into the patient’s body. Prior to reinfusion, patients undergo chemotherapy to create an optimal environment for the CAR T-cells to proliferate and perform their function.

This therapy is notable for its potential to induce long-lasting cancer remission with a single treatment, as the modified T-cells can persist and continue to fight cancerous cells over time.
The advanced treatment is only available in select medical facilities, including Sheba.