Multiple Myeloma

Abstract

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant neoplasm of plasma cells that accumulate in bone marrow, leading to bone destruction and marrow failure. The American Cancer Society estimates that 20,580 new cases of MM will occur in the United States in 2009, including 11,680 in men and 8900 in women, with an estimated 10,580 deaths. The treatment of MM has dramatically improved over the past decade. The 5-year survival rate reported in the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database has increased from 25% in 1975 to 34% in 2003 because of the availability of newer and more effective treatment options. 2,