MedifocusHealth

In general, the median survival of patients with multiple myeloma is 3 years, however, some patients can live for up to 10 years or longer. The single most important factor for predicting survival in multiple myeloma is the stage of the disease. As noted previously, patients with multiple myeloma are grouped by the International Staging System (ISS) into 3 stages (I, II, or III) based on the levels of serum beta-2 microglobulin and serum albumin. The median survival for each ISS group is as follows:

• Stage I = 5.2 years
• Stage II = 3.7 years
• Stage III = 2.4 years

Other important prognostic factors that can help doctors predict the outcome for patients with multiple myeloma include:

• Performance status - a measure of how well patients are able to perform routine activities of daily living independently without requiring assistance from others.

• Chromosomal abnormalities - Some patients with multiple myeloma have specific chromosomal abnormalities that can be detected by either conventional cytogenetic testing or a technique known as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Examples of specific chromosomal abnormalities include deletion of chromosome 13 and a condition known as hypodiploidy (having less than the normal diploid set of 46 chromosomes).

• High levels of the lactate dehydrogenase enzyme

• Myeloma cell labeling index - a measure of how fast the cancerous plasma cells are growing

These prognostic factors, together with the ISS (stage of the disease), serve as a basis for classifying multiple myeloma patients into two broad categories: 1) standard-risk multiple myeloma and 2) high-risk multiple myeloma. In general, the prognosis for patients with standard-risk multiple myeloma is more favorable than for those with high-risk multiple myeloma.