First Phase Treatment – How Will I Feel?
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/ Updated January 24th, 2019

First Phase Treatment – How Will I Feel?

Medical Source: Dr. Nina Shah
UCSF Medical Center
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The first phase of treatment for multiple myeloma is called induction therapy. And of course an important question with first phase treatment is: how will I feel? First, doctors figure out how much disease a person has and how extensive it is in the bone marrow. Then they can make chemotherapy recommendations, says SurvivorNet advisor Dr. Nina Shah, a Hematologist at UCSF. Typically the chemotherapy course will be a three-drug regimen, according to Dr. Shah, that involves steroids, a proteasome inhibitor, and an immunomodulatory drug.

“You’re likely going to be offered [these drugs] as an induction or up-front regiment,” Dr. Shah said. However, Dr. Shah also pointed out that there are people who will be given different regiments based on their disease and health history. “You may have something different from most patients. For example, if your kidneys are not working, or maybe you don’t seem like you have as much energy at this time or are a little bit weak, your doctor may think that two drugs would be a good idea.”

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During initial treatment, expect to see your doctor regularly for monitoring. “After three to four cycles, or maybe even four to six cycles … you’re going to be talking about possibly going to the next phase,” Dr. Shah said.

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Dr. Nina Shah is a hematologist who specializes in the treatment of multiple myeloma, a type of cancer affecting the blood marrow. She treats patients at the Hematology and Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinic. Read More

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