From the Department of Immuno-Hematology, Hopital Saint-Louis, Paris, France
Author's disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
Address reprint requests to Jean-Paul Fermand, MD; e-mail: jpfermand{at}yahoo.fr
Overview: Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable plasma cell malignancy. Important advances in the understanding of the involved pathophysiologic mechanisms have been made, and this disease can no longer be considered a single entity. With the development of high-dose therapy and the introduction of new drugs, the therapeutic decision-making process is becoming increasingly complex. This article clarifies the therapeutic options that physician face. The ultimate goal of a true risk-adapted targeted therapy, which has yet to be achieved, will require not only further biologic, technologic, and pharmaceutical breakthroughs, but also rigorous clinical assessment in well-designed prospective trials.
