Differential Diagnosis and Therapeutic Advances in Multiple Myeloma: A Review Article

Abstract

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematologic malignancy characterized by the abnormal clonal proliferation of plasma cells that may result in focal bone lesions, renal failure, anemia, and/or hypercalcemia. Recently, the diagnosis and treatment of MM have evolved due to a better understanding of disease pathophysiology, improved risk stratification, and new treatments. The incorporation of new drugs, including proteasome inhibitors, immunomodulatory drugs, anti-CD38 antibodies and high-dose chemotherapy followed by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, has resulted in a significant improvement in patient outcomes and QoL. In this review, we summarize differential diagnoses and therapeutic advances in MM.

Keywords:

• multiple myeloma
• myeloma
• smoldering myeloma
• Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia
• light-chain amyloidosis

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.