It is critical for the myeloma – stage 1 patient to understand that he/she is an outlier, statistically speaking, when compared to the “average” newly diagnosed patient.
Newly diagnosed multiple myeloma – Stage 1 diagnosis puts the patient in a position to live well-beyond the five-year survival averages that we all read about for multiple myeloma. Let me explain how to do this.
My point in calling out the information in the four bullet points above is that the FDA approved “standard-of-care” for all newly diagnosed myeloma patients may not apply very well to the stage 1 myeloma patient. In effect, stage 1 patients are outliers in many ways.
Or to put this another way, the early stage, fifty something myeloma patient who chooses to undergo both conventional therapies as well as evidence-based but non-conventional, non-toxic therapies may have a very different myeloma experience than the average patient.
Chances are your oncologist will follow the “standard-of-care” treatment plan for the newly diagnosed myeloma patient. Remember that research shows that the patient with early stage myeloma responds better, on average, than does the newly diagnosed patient with stage 2 or 3 advanced disease.
Less treatment means less toxicity and fewer short, long-term and late stage side effects.
Good luck,
David Emerson
- MM Survivor
- MM Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Life Expectancy-
“Stage I
- Your levels of albumin, B2M, and LDH are normal or close to it.
- The genetic makeup of your cancer cells doesn’t make it particularly aggressive.
- Multiple myeloma is most treatable at this stage, but most people don’t know they have it until it’s more advanced.
- Early-stage diagnosis. For the 5% of people who are diagnosed at an early stage, the 5-year survival rate is 71%.
Outlook for Stage 1 Multiple Myeloma
Doctors often measure a person’s prognosis (outlook) using a combination of survival statistics and individual factors. The five-year relative survival rate for all stages of multiple myeloma combined is 54 percent. This means that people with all stages of multiple myeloma are a little more than half as likely to live for five years or more after being diagnosed, compared to people without myeloma.
The relative survival rate has steadily increased over the past few decades, as researchers have learned more about myeloma and developed better treatments. This means that people diagnosed with multiple myeloma today may have better outcomesthan current data may indicate.
Doctors use the R-ISS for determining prognosis in addition to staging. People with lower levels of albumin, or higher levels of beta-2 microglobulin or LDH, have a worse outlook. Survival statistics vary between people with different R-ISS stages:
- About 82 percent of people with stage 1 disease live for five years or more after being diagnosed.
- Approximately 62 percent of people with stage 2 disease live at least five years after diagnosis.
- About 40 percent of people with stage 3 disease live for five years or more.
