Dr. O'Donnell on Unanswered Questions in Multiple Myeloma

Betsy O'Donnell, MD, medical oncologist, Multiple Myeloma Disease Center, director, Lifestyle Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses unanswered questions in multiple myeloma.

While numerous strides have been made in the management of patients with multiple myeloma, treatment isn’t unlimited, explains O'Donnell. As such, strategically selecting therapies for patients is critical.

Recently, data with novel agents such as daratumumab (Darzalex) have demonstrated unprecedented overall response rates in the upfront treatment of patients with multiple myeloma. The field is moving toward quadruplet regimens with proteasome inhibitors, immunomodulatory drugs, CD38-targeted monoclonal antibodies, and dexamethasone in the first-line setting, says O'Donnell.

However, the data for quadruplet regimens need to mature before they’re used upfront, says O'Donnell. These data will also shed light on optimal sequencing strategies in multiple myeloma, she concludes.