Vincent Rajkumar: With recent advances, the priorities for what is next in myeloma research has changed

Vincent Rajkumar shared a post on X:

“With recent advances, the priorities for what is next in myeloma research has changed. Here is what we need to focus on

1) Can we cure myeloma? How?

2) How to improve outcomes for true high risk Multiple Myeloma?

3) How can we identify and prevent early progression following initial therapy?

4) How to treat true Penta (including Bar Code Medication Administration) refractory myeloma?

5) How to optimally dose bispecifics?

6) How to reduce cost and toxicity of myeloma treatment?

7) How do we use Minimal Residual Disease testing to change treatment?

8) How do we best prevent progression of high risk Smoldering Multiple Myeloma to myeloma?

9) Should we screen as? If so, who and when?

10) How do we reduce racial disparities?

There is more. But this is a start.

We used to lose 15-20% of patients in the first year following diagnosis when I started in the field. Now we hardly lose any in first year, and 4 year survival rates are more than 70-90% with modern therapy depending on age.”

Source: Vincent Rajkumar/X

Vincent Rajkumar is a Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and Chair for the Mayo Clinic Myeloma, Amyloidosis, and Dysproteinemia Group.  He also chairs the Board of directors of  The International Myeloma Foundation and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Myeloma Committee.

His extensive contributions include over 230 peer-reviewed publications, predominantly focusing on multiple myeloma and related plasma cell disorders. Furthermore, Dr. Rajkumar is a Section Editor for multiple myeloma and related disorders for Leukemia and an Associate Editor for the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.