Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells, the white blood cells in bone marrow responsible for making antibodies. When plasma cells grow uncontrollably, they crowd out healthy blood cells, weaken bones, and produce abnormal proteins that can damage the kidneys. It is one of the more common blood cancers in adults, with incidence rising alongside ageing populations across East and South Asia.
Medicines used to treat Multiple Myeloma
Lenalidomide Capsules
10mg
Indicated to address haematological malignancies to support cancer remission.
How the Disease Presents
Early multiple myeloma is often silent. When symptoms do appear they typically cluster around what clinicians call CRAB: elevated Calcium, Renal (kidney) impairment, Anaemia, and Bone lesions. Patients may notice persistent bone pain (especially in the back or ribs), unusual fatigue, frequent infections, or thirst and frequent urination. Unexplained fractures or a sudden drop in haemoglobin are also common reasons the condition is first investigated.
Drug Regimens and the Medicines Behind Them
Treatment combines agents from several classes, usually in two- or three-drug regimens, and is tailored to transplant eligibility and disease stage. Melphalan is a long-established alkylating agent that remains the backbone of high-dose conditioning before stem-cell transplant. Cyclophosphamide is used in induction and salvage combinations. The immunomodulatory drugs thalidomide and lenalidomide have transformed outcomes over the past two decades; lenalidomide in particular is now standard in both newly diagnosed and relapsed settings. A broader overview of supportive and anti-cancer therapies is available in the oncology support category.
Bone-protective agents (bisphosphonates) and growth factors to manage anaemia are usually given alongside systemic treatment to reduce skeletal complications and maintain quality of life.