Unlike almost all other cancers, Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a disease whose insidious cell proliferation never stops; never leaving its victims cancer-free. As a result (under current medical capabilities), that leaves most MM folks like me with the task of vigilantly adhering to a permanent therapy regimen.
Almost exactly 6 years ago (4/5/18), I did a blog posting about my Multiple Myeloma Maintenance Milestone. I had made it through the first two stages of treatment (Chemo and Stem Cell Transplant), and was beginning the long (hopefully) life on an ongoing medication program to keep me alive (duration undetermined!). As part of the public service that I seek to provide in these "pages," here is an update and reinforcement of the importance/significance of Maintenance.
- A bespoke maintenance regimen aims to prolong remission, or stop disease progression, as long as possible
- The survival rate for people with MM has doubled over the past 30 years, largely due to developments in maintenance therapy
- Studies show that maintenance therapy seems to become more effective the longer you take it
- Maintenance therapy drugs are sometimes taken orally at home and require adhering to a strict schedule and proper dosage. So, sticking to the plan is vital !
- The risks of side effects are real. The long-term results are realer
I'm glad and lucky to be here, as I have been for over 5 years. I take my meds and behave - - frankly at times it feels like I don't even have the disease. But the ball is clearly in my court. If I stay the course, we can prolong my current remission state for more months/years than can possibly even be predicted. Uff-da ;-) that's gonna be a lot of blog posts to write.
