Treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common oncohematologic disease. Most patients are older than 65 years at diagnosis, and different therapeutic options are available depending on the age of the patient. For those younger than 65 years, autologous stem cell transplantation is the standard of care, whereas in older patients the better choice is conventional chemotherapy. The introduction of thalidomide, bortezomib, and lenalidomide, which target MM cells and the bone marrow microenvironment, has changed the therapeutic options in newly diagnosed patients with MM. Copyright © 2008 by Current Medicine Group LLC.