The maintenance therapy in multiple myeloma

Abstract

Multiple myeloma (MM) remains the incurable disease despite considerable progress in chemotherapy. Optimal way of maintenance treatment is still searching, which it would be maximally effective near acceptable toxicity. The hypothesis about possible successful maintenance therapy, which may improve survival of MM patients became more actual in the face of the incorporate to the studies with maintenance of a new drugs as: thalidomide, lenalidomide and bortesomib. The expectations on the essential progress to establish the optimal bortesomib-based regimen of the maintenance treatment in MM cause the results of the studies with its subcutaneous administration, which proved comparable efficacy with advantage in toxicity profile, especially neurological in comparison to classic intravenous way. The standard of the maintenance treatment for multiple myeloma patients is not established. Individual therapeutic approach after induction-consolidation phase using the most effective drugs is recommended in every case.