MM CTP 2016

Prof Pieter Sonneveld (University Hospital Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands) chairs an expert discussion for ecancertv at the multiple myeloma (MM) Current and Future Treatment Practices Meeting in Amsterdam with Prof Meletios Dimopoulos (University of Athens, Athens, Greece), Prof Heinz Ludwig (Wilhelminenspital, Center for Oncology and Hematology, Vienna, Austria) and Prof Michele Cavo (Seràgnoli Institute of Hematology, Bologna, Italy). The panel discuss the key topics to come out of this important meeting, starting with recent developments in imaging and what impact this can have on MM patients. The benefits of these advancements are specifically noted for patients with smouldering MM, with the panel agreeing that high risk SMM patients can now be candidates for novel treatments, albeit within a clinical trial setting. The topic of risk assessment was then touched on by Professor Ludwig, looking at how this impacts on clinical practice and what revised staging systems are now available. When identifying risk and assessing response, the key will always be the best possible depth of response, with the goal being MRD negative. The role of MRD assessment has been one of the major advances of recent years, with the panel agreeing that MRD assessment can more carefully evaluate depth of response over CR, and could also help stratify patients into groups, acting as a prognostic marker for treatment response. This being said, it is unlikely that these techniques are ready for use in widespread clinical practice at this moment. The discussion then moved on to treatment, providing an overview of the major recent advances in both the relapse setting and front line. Key data from the recent ASCO and EHA meetings are analysed, with particular focus on the encouraging combination regimens. From diagnosis to treatment the field of MM is rapidly accelerating, which is helping to generate a more positive outlook for all patients with multiple myeloma.