Ultimately, myeloma becomes fatal if the body's defenses are lowered to the point where it succumbs to an opportunistic infection, like pneumonia. Alternatively, abnormal blood chemistry can lead to other fatal conditions, such as stroke, congestive heart failure or kidney failure. Or, the side effects of treatment can sometimes prove fatal. To say it another way, treatment is given to make the patient feel better and function better. It may also control the effects of the disease on normal body function, slow the disease down or halt it temporarily.
Remissions can last from months to decades.
Many patients who achieve remission eventually die of natural causes. Experimental treatments aim at a cure, although none has yet been confirmed. Doctors have information on success rates and can use different tests to help choose the programs that have the best odds. The same can be also be said for bone marrow transplants, which aim at a cure. Find out how well the treatment has worked for others in similar situations.