This book provides the clinician with concise, practical guidance on risk stratification and therapeutic decision making in patients with multiple myeloma.  In addition, the available clinical trial and research data are summarized into meaningful reviews and evidence-based recommendations for treatment are presented. The coverage encompasses all phases and forms of disease, including high-risk myeloma.

Over recent decades, greater understanding of the biology of myeloma has fostered the development of new, more effective drugs, leading to remarkable improvements in survival. To continue this momentum, several recent prospective trials have aimed to identify further potential therapeutic targets or to evaluate various combinations of anti-myeloma agents. The increasing abundance of management options makes the decision making complex in different phases of the disease. This book will offer the clinician valuable assistance in the choice and sequencing of therapies, highlighting the need for a personalized approach that reflects the growing recognition that myeloma is not one uniform disease.

Saad Zafar Usmani is Director of the Plasma Cell Disorder Program and Director of Clinical Research in Hematologic Malignancies at the Levine Cancer Institute/Carolinas Healthcare System, Charlotte, NC, USA. He is an internationally recognized clinical and translational researcher who focuses on plasma cell disorders in general, and high-risk multiple myeloma in particular. He is a specialist in Hematology, Medical Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplantation. He also holds an academic appointment as Clinical Professor of Medicine at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine. Dr. Usmani received his medical education at Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan. He is on the editorial review board of numerous medical journals and has authored or co-authored more than 150 peer-reviewed manuscripts and abstracts.

Ajay Kumar Nooka is Assistant Professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology at the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. Dr.Nooka is board certified in Internal Medicine and specializes in Hematology and Medical Oncology. Dr. Nookas research interests include cancer epidemiology in the fields of multiple myeloma and bone marrow transplantation. His research focuses on the molecular epidemiology of myeloma. Clinically his interests include evaluating newer combinations of novel agents aimed at increasing the efficacy of myeloma therapies.

Risk stratification in newly diagnosed smoldering multiple myeloma.- Risk stratification in newly diagnosed transplant eligible multiple myeloma.- Risk stratification in newly diagnosed transplant ineligible multiple myeloma.- Treatment of translocation 4;14 and deletion 17 p  MM.- Treatment of patients in first/second relapse.- Treatment of patients in third relapse and beyond including double refractory disease.- Treatment of primary and secondary plasma cell leukemia.- Practical considerations for bone health in multiple myeloma.- Personalizing MM treatment: gaps in knowledge that we need to overcome.