Radiation Solitary bone and extramedullary plasmacytomas are best treated with radiation therapy .
Radiation is also best for the treatment of pressure on the spinal cord or nerves by plasma cell tumors. This form of treatment is also very useful in the treatment of localized painful lytic bone lesions. The radiation relieves pain and promotes healing of the bone lesions within the radiation field, but does not affect the disease in other parts of the skeleton.
Investigational Chemotherapy
• Myeloma cells may become resistant to chemotherapy. One such mechanism is characterized by the
expression of glycoprotein P-170. Various agents such as verapamil or cyclosporine have been used to reverse
this resistance , but only modest success has been achieved.
• Growth factors such as granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) or granulocyte macrophage
colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) to shorten the duration of neutropenia (neutrophils fight infection) may
be helpful after high-dose chemotherapy.
Bone Marrow Transplantation Investigators have tried to improve the results of treating multiple myeloma by administering massive doses of chemotherapy and radiation. This treatment wipes out the blood-forming cells in the bone marrow , and marrow transplantation is necessary to rescue the patient by supplying new blood-forming cells to repopulate the bone marrow. ( See Bone Marrow Transplantation )
