title: Management of asymptomatic myeloma patients.
abstract: Smoldering multiple myeloma is an asymptomatic disorder characterized by the presence of ≥30 g/l serum M-protein and/or ≥10% bone marrow plasma cell infiltration. The risk of progression to active multiple myeloma is not uniform, and several markers are useful for identifying patients at high risk of this. Although the current standard of care is not to treat, a randomized trial in high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma patients comparing those allocated to receive early treatment with lenalidomide plus dexamethasone with those under observation reported a significant benefit with respect to time to progression and overall survival. We conclude that efforts should be made to identify high-risk patients who are candidates for receiving early treatment before they develop myeloma-related symptomatology.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario de Salamanca - Hematology, Paseo San Vicente, 58-182 Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: María-Victoria
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Mateos
mesh_terms: D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: asymptomatic myeloma; early treatment; lenalidomide; risk factor; smoldering