The Role of the Clinical Pharmacist in the Management of Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematologic malignancy in the United States and is characterized by monoclonal proliferation of malignant plasma cells that accumulate within the bone marrow. The incidence of MM has increased in recent years, in part due to the revised definition of symptomatic MM from the International Myeloma Working Group in 2014. The National Cancer Institute estimated a total of 34,470 new cases in 2022, with 12,640 deaths. Despite significant advancements in the treatment of MM over the last decade, this remains an incurable malignancy and novel therapies continue to be investigated; however, the 5-year relative survival rate has improved since the inclusion of novel therapies such as immunomodulatory agents, proteasome inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, and BCMA-directed therapy.

This activity provides an overview of recent updates in the treatment of newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, while highlighting the role of the clinical pharmacist in the management of these patients along side members of the care team.