Skip to content
Inciteful Med
Resources About us Ask a Question

Is Multiple Myeloma a Chronic Disease?

Published: | Updated:

Thanks to advanced treatments, multiple myeloma is now often considered a manageable chronic disease rather than a terminal illness. Patients frequently live 8 to 12 years or longer by cycling through periods of active treatment, remission, and managed relapse.

Key Takeaways

  • • Multiple myeloma often follows a predictable relapsing-remitting cycle of treatment, remission, and relapse.
  • • Advanced therapies have significantly increased survival rates, transforming the cancer into a chronic condition for many patients.
  • • Median overall survival now exceeds 12 years for patients diagnosed at age 70 or younger.
  • • An individual's prognosis depends heavily on cytogenetic abnormalities, which are the specific DNA changes within the myeloma cells.
  • • New treatments like CAR-T cell therapy and bispecific antibodies offer powerful options even when the disease becomes resistant to standard drugs.

When a doctor calls multiple myeloma a “chronic” disease, it represents a massive shift in how this condition is understood and treated. Just twenty years ago, multiple myeloma was considered a terminal condition with a short life expectancy. Today, thanks to the introduction of advanced targeted and immune therapies (such as proteasome inhibitors, immunomodulatory drugs, and monoclonal antibodies), it has transformed into a manageable, chronic condition for many people [1][2][3].

While it remains officially incurable, this new chronic classification means that many patients now live with multiple myeloma for a decade or more, managing it over the long term much like other chronic illnesses [2][4][5].

The Relapsing-Remitting Cycle

Understanding multiple myeloma as a chronic disease means understanding its relapsing-remitting nature. This is the typical pattern the disease follows over time [6][7][8]:

  1. Treatment: You receive an initial combination of therapies (and possibly a stem cell transplant) to aggressively lower the number of myeloma cells in your body.
  2. Remission (or Plateau): The disease is brought under control. The duration of this phase can vary widely from person to person, ranging from months to many years. You may take a lower-dose “maintenance” drug—often a daily pill taken at home—to keep the myeloma cells suppressed [9][10][11]. During this time, patients often feel well, return to their daily routines, and enjoy a high quality of life.
  3. Relapse: Eventually, the myeloma cells figure out a way around the treatment and begin to grow again [12][13][14]. This is expected and is a normal part of the chronic disease cycle. Relapses are usually caught early through routine blood and urine tests before you even start to feel sick [15][16][17].
  4. Retreatment: Your care team will switch you to a different combination of drugs to induce a new remission [3][4].

It is common for the periods of remission to become somewhat shorter with each cycle, as the myeloma cells become more resistant to therapies over time [12][13][14]. However, the medical toolbox for treating multiple myeloma has expanded significantly, providing many different lines of therapy to use when a relapse occurs [3][5][18].

What Are Realistic Survival Expectations Today?

Because multiple myeloma treatments have advanced so rapidly, older survival statistics found online are often outdated and can be needlessly frightening. The integration of modern therapies into front-line treatment has completely changed the landscape of life expectancy [1][19][3].

While every person’s situation is unique, recent data shows that median overall survival (meaning half of patients live longer than this) now exceeds 12 years for patients diagnosed at age 70 or younger, and is around 8 years for those diagnosed over age 70 [20].

Your individual prognosis depends on several factors, primarily the specific genetics of your myeloma cells. Cytogenetic abnormalities (DNA changes inside the myeloma cells) help doctors categorize the disease as “standard risk” or “high risk,” which influences how aggressively the disease might behave and how long remissions may last [21][22].

Managing Life with a Chronic Cancer

Living with multiple myeloma as a chronic disease means balancing the goal of keeping the cancer under control with the goal of living a good life. Because you may be on some form of treatment for many years, you and your doctor will need to carefully manage:

  • Side effects: Adjusting doses to minimize neuropathy, fatigue, or gastrointestinal issues so that the treatment is tolerable over the long term [2][23][24].
  • Bone health: Multiple myeloma can weaken bones, so treatments often include bone-strengthening medications to prevent fractures and pain [15][17].
  • Quality of life: Prioritizing your daily functioning, mental health, and physical comfort [25][26][27].
  • Infection risks: Long-term therapies and the disease itself lower your immune defenses, making ongoing monitoring and preventive care essential [23][24].
  • Logistical and financial impact: The ongoing nature of treatment can create significant financial and time burdens (sometimes called “financial toxicity”), making it important to utilize social workers and support programs [2][23].

Even when the disease becomes resistant to several standard treatments (known as relapsed/refractory myeloma), cutting-edge options like CAR-T cell therapy and bispecific antibodies are now highly effective at providing new, durable remissions [28][29]. The rapid pace of research means that new tools are constantly being added, keeping the focus on long-term survival and your quality of life.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is multiple myeloma now considered a chronic disease?
Advanced targeted and immune therapies can control the cancer for many years. Instead of being viewed as a terminal illness, it is now treated as a condition you manage long-term through predictable cycles of treatment and remission.
What is the current life expectancy for someone with multiple myeloma?
With modern treatments, the median overall survival exceeds 12 years for patients diagnosed at age 70 or younger, and is around 8 years for those over 70. Keep in mind that individual prognosis varies based on your specific cancer genetics.
What does the relapsing-remitting cycle mean in multiple myeloma?
This cycle means the disease goes through periods of active treatment followed by a remission phase where the cancer is controlled. Eventually, the cancer will relapse, which is expected, requiring a switch to a new combination of treatments.
What happens if my multiple myeloma stops responding to treatment?
If your myeloma becomes resistant to your current medications, your care team will switch you to a different line of therapy. Cutting-edge options like CAR-T cell therapy and bispecific antibodies are highly effective at providing new remissions for relapsed disease.
How do doctors determine if I have high-risk or standard-risk myeloma?
Doctors use cytogenetic testing to examine the DNA changes inside your myeloma cells. These genetic markers help categorize your disease as standard risk or high risk, which influences how your cancer behaves and how it should be treated.

Questions for Your Doctor

  • • What are the results of my cytogenetic testing, and do I have standard-risk or high-risk disease?
  • • What specific markers in my blood or urine will you monitor to catch a relapse early?
  • • If I go on maintenance therapy, what does that practically look like for my daily routine (e.g., taking pills at home vs. visiting the clinic)?
  • • What are my options if my disease eventually stops responding to our current plan?
  • • How can we best manage my ongoing side effects so that I can maintain my quality of life over the long term?

Questions for You

  • • What are my primary goals for my quality of life during remission (e.g., traveling, continuing to work, spending time with family)?
  • • Have I noticed any subtle changes in how I feel physically or mentally that I should report to my care team?
  • • Do I have a support system in place to help handle the emotional, logistical, and financial aspects of managing a chronic cancer?

Want personalized information?

Type your question below to get evidence-based answers tailored to your situation.

References

  1. 1

    Multiple Myeloma: Diagnosis and Treatment.

    Rajkumar SV, Kumar S

    Mayo Clinic proceedings 2016; (91(1)):101-19.

    PMID: 26763514
  2. 2

    The Diagnosis and Treatment of Multiple Myeloma.

    Gerecke C, Fuhrmann S, Strifler S, et al.

    Deutsches Arzteblatt international 2016; (113(27-28)):470-6.

    PMID: 27476706
  3. 3

    New Drugs in Multiple Myeloma.

    Kunacheewa C, Orlowski RZ

    Annual review of medicine 2019; (70()):521-547 doi:10.1146/annurev-med-112017-091045.

    PMID: 30691369
  4. 4

    Multiple myeloma: Every year a new standard?

    Rajkumar SV

    Hematological oncology 2019; (37 Suppl 1()):62-65 doi:10.1002/hon.2586.

    PMID: 31187526
  5. 5

    Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma in 2020/2021 and Beyond.

    Podar K, Leleu X

    Cancers 2021; (13(20)) doi:10.3390/cancers13205154.

    PMID: 34680303
  6. 6

    Multiple myeloma.

    Kumar SK, Rajkumar V, Kyle RA, et al.

    Nature reviews. Disease primers 2017; (3()):17046 doi:10.1038/nrdp.2017.46.

    PMID: 28726797
  7. 7

    Measurable Residual Disease by Next-Generation Flow Cytometry in Multiple Myeloma.

    Paiva B, Puig N, Cedena MT, et al.

    Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2020; (38(8)):784-792 doi:10.1200/JCO.19.01231.

    PMID: 31770060
  8. 8

    Current Treatment Approaches to Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma.

    Ghandili S, Weisel KC, Bokemeyer C, Leypoldt LB

    Oncology research and treatment 2021; (44(12)):690-699 doi:10.1159/000520504.

    PMID: 34784608
  9. 9

    Moving Beyond Autologous Transplantation in Multiple Myeloma: Consolidation, Maintenance, Allogeneic Transplant, and Immune Therapy.

    Krishnan A, Vij R, Keller J, et al.

    American Society of Clinical Oncology educational book. American Society of Clinical Oncology. Annual Meeting 2016; (35()):210-21 doi:10.14694/EDBK_159016.

    PMID: 27249701
  10. 10

    Triplet Therapy, Transplantation, and Maintenance until Progression in Myeloma.

    Richardson PG, Jacobus SJ, Weller EA, et al.

    The New England journal of medicine 2022; (387(2)):132-147 doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2204925.

    PMID: 35660812
  11. 11

    Daratumumab, Bortezomib, Lenalidomide, and Dexamethasone for Multiple Myeloma.

    Sonneveld P, Dimopoulos MA, Boccadoro M, et al.

    The New England journal of medicine 2024; (390(4)):301-313 doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2312054.

    PMID: 38084760
  12. 12

    Cell autonomous and microenvironmental regulation of tumor progression in precursor states of multiple myeloma.

    Manier S, Kawano Y, Bianchi G, et al.

    Current opinion in hematology 2016; (23(4)):426-33 doi:10.1097/MOH.0000000000000259.

    PMID: 27101529
  13. 13

    Liquid extramedullary disease in multiple myeloma strongly predicts a poor prognosis and is associated with bortezomib resistance gene upregulation.

    Ji J, Guo R, Ma J, et al.

    Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry 2023; (548()):117497 doi:10.1016/j.cca.2023.117497.

    PMID: 37479009
  14. 14

    MAMDC2-AS1 Induces Cuproptosis in Relapsed and Refractory Multiple Myeloma.

    Chen Y, Liu J, Zhu Y

    Cancer reports (Hoboken, N.J.) 2025; (8(5)):e70216 doi:10.1002/cnr2.70216.

    PMID: 40344606
  15. 15

    Longitudinal minimal residual disease assessment in multiple myeloma patients in complete remission - results from the NMSG flow-MRD substudy within the EMN02/HO95 MM trial.

    Schmitz A, Brøndum RF, Johnsen HE, et al.

    BMC cancer 2022; (22(1)):147 doi:10.1186/s12885-022-09184-1.

    PMID: 35123422
  16. 16

    Plasma Cell Dyscrasia: A Case Series of a Masquerader.

    Elenjickal N, Kulkarni C, Algeri R, et al.

    Saudi journal of kidney diseases and transplantation : an official publication of the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation, Saudi Arabia 2022; (33(3)):492-497 doi:10.4103/1319-2442.385971.

    PMID: 37843149
  17. 17

    Multiple Facets of Multiple Myeloma in Kidney Biopsy: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

    Shankar M, Anandh U, Guditi S

    Indian journal of nephrology 2024; (34(1)):31-36 doi:10.4103/ijn.ijn_362_22.

    PMID: 38645901
  18. 18

    Novel Treatment Options for Multiple Myeloma.

    Portuguese AJ, Banerjee R, Chen G, et al.

    JCO oncology practice 2025; (21(7)):950-961 doi:10.1200/OP-24-00752.

    PMID: 39772633
  19. 19

    Rapidly changing myeloma epidemiology in the general population: Increased incidence, older patients, and longer survival.

    Turesson I, Bjorkholm M, Blimark CH, et al.

    European journal of haematology 2018; doi:10.1111/ejh.13083.

    PMID: 29676004
  20. 20

    Novel Agents as Main Drivers for Continued Improvement in Survival in Multiple Myeloma.

    Puertas B, González-Calle V, Sobejano-Fuertes E, et al.

    Cancers 2023; (15(5)) doi:10.3390/cancers15051558.

    PMID: 36900349
  21. 21

    Prognostic implications of abnormalities of chromosome 13 and the presence of multiple cytogenetic high-risk abnormalities in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

    Binder M, Rajkumar SV, Ketterling RP, et al.

    Blood cancer journal 2017; (7(9)):e600 doi:10.1038/bcj.2017.83.

    PMID: 28862698
  22. 22

    Daratumumab or Active Monitoring for High-Risk Smoldering Multiple Myeloma.

    Dimopoulos MA, Voorhees PM, Schjesvold F, et al.

    The New England journal of medicine 2025; (392(18)):1777-1788 doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2409029.

    PMID: 39652675
  23. 23

    Increasing therapy-related myeloid neoplasms in multiple myeloma.

    Fernández-Caballero M, Salmerón D, Dolores Chirlaque M, et al.

    European journal of clinical investigation 2019; (49(2)):e13050 doi:10.1111/eci.13050.

    PMID: 30422316
  24. 24

    Consensus guidelines and recommendations for infection prevention in multiple myeloma: a report from the International Myeloma Working Group.

    Raje NS, Anaissie E, Kumar SK, et al.

    The Lancet. Haematology 2022; (9(2)):e143-e161 doi:10.1016/S2352-3026(21)00283-0.

    PMID: 35114152
  25. 25

    Symptoms and anxiety predict declining health-related quality of life in multiple myeloma: A prospective, multi-centre longitudinal study.

    Ramsenthaler C, Gao W, Siegert RJ, et al.

    Palliative medicine 2019; (33(5)):541-551 doi:10.1177/0269216319833588.

    PMID: 31060467
  26. 26

    Multiple myeloma patients undergoing chemotherapy: Which symptom clusters impact quality of life?

    Zeng L, Huang H, Qirong C, et al.

    Journal of clinical nursing 2023; (32(19-20)):7247-7259 doi:10.1111/jocn.16791.

    PMID: 37303229
  27. 27

    Early Nurse-Led Integrated Palliative Care Intervention for Patients With Multiple Myeloma.

    Ohana S, DeKeyser Ganz F, Shaulov A

    The American journal of hospice & palliative care 2026; 10499091251408467 doi:10.1177/10499091251408467.

    PMID: 41482960
  28. 28

    Teclistamab in Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma.

    Moreau P, Garfall AL, van de Donk NWCJ, et al.

    The New England journal of medicine 2022; (387(6)):495-505 doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2203478.

    PMID: 35661166
  29. 29

    Cilta-cel or Standard Care in Lenalidomide-Refractory Multiple Myeloma.

    San-Miguel J, Dhakal B, Yong K, et al.

    The New England journal of medicine 2023; (389(4)):335-347 doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2303379.

    PMID: 37272512

This page provides educational information about multiple myeloma survival trends and chronic disease management. It does not replace professional medical advice, so please consult your oncologist regarding your specific prognosis and treatment plan.

Stay up to date

Get notified when new research about Multiple Myeloma is published.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.