Dr Zonder on the Need for Increased Awareness in Multiple Myeloma

"It's important [to bring awareness to multiple myeloma] considering it's [one of the] most common hematologic malignancies. Multiple myeloma is an incredibly underappreciated disease."

Jeffrey Zonder, MD, leader of the Multiple Myeloma Sub-Committee at Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and a professor of medicine in the Department of Hematology and Oncology at Wayne State University School of Medicine, discusses the need for increased awareness of multiple myeloma during Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month, which occurs each year in March.

Among hematologic malignancies, multiple myeloma is common; however, many individuals remain unaware of the disease until they receive a diagnosis or hear multiple myeloma mentioned as a potential diagnosis, Zonder begins. Although survival outcomes for patients with multiple myeloma have improved with advancements in therapy, making it more likely for the general population to know someone living with the disease, the increasing prevalence of multiple myeloma highlights the need for education regarding risk factors, early detection, and disease progression.

For example, precursor conditions could put select patients at a higher risk of developing multiple myeloma, such as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), Zonder explains. MGUS is a precursor condition that is often asymptomatic and detected incidentally. Although not all patients with MGUS progress to multiple myeloma, some follow a stepwise transformation through smoldering myeloma before reaching symptomatic disease. Understanding this progression is essential for early intervention strategies and improved patient monitoring.

Although treatment innovations have extended survival, greater emphasis on early detection and risk stratification is needed, Zonder concludes. Increased awareness of precursor conditions such as MGUS and smoldering myeloma may offer opportunities for earlier intervention, potentially altering the disease trajectory and improving long-term outcomes. Additionally, targeted education efforts in high-risk populations and continued research into novel therapeutic strategies will be essential in further advancing the management of multiple myeloma.