For this reason it is particularly important for a myeloma patient being treated for other conditions to ensure their doctor is aware of the fact that he or she has myeloma. There is a separate Leukaemia Research Fund leaflet on Amyloidosis. I disease may require no initial treatment. These patients will be carefully monitored for evidence of disease progression. The main treatments used for patients with myeloma are radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Localised radiotherapy is used to treat affected bones.
It is quite likely that patients will be asked to consider participating in clinical trials of proposed new treatments. If this is the case then they will be given detailed information. No patient will be placed under any pressure to enter a clinical trial if they do not wish to do so. In patients who may be considered for an autologous transplant then it is usual to treat with drug combinations which are less liable to suppress the function of the marrow. There have also been clinical trials to assess the benefits of a biological compound called interferon during the plateau phase.