Practical Considerations for Multiple Myeloma: An Overview of Recent Data and Current Options

Treatment options for patients with multiple myeloma (MM) have increased dramatically with the availability of novel agents. These agents have not only improved overall response, but emerging data suggest that these agents also have an effect on overall survival in large population-based analyses. Because of the activity of bortezomib and lenalidomide in the relapsed/refractory MM setting, these agents have now been moved to the induction therapy setting, where their respective responses are even more impressive. This review will summarize some of the most promising combinations of novel agents in the induction therapy setting and briefly discuss the effect of additional emerging novel agents in the relapsed disease setting.