I was honored to co-host the September 25th Myeloma Cure Panel broadcast by Dr. Parameswaran Hari of the Medical College of Wisconsin. You can hear the broadcast at the following link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/curepanel/2012/09/25/the-myeloma-cure-panel-talk-show The topic of the broadcast was Mulitple Myeloma Disease Progression, and the treatment of relapse, refractory, and high risk myeloma. To say he is a skilled myeloma specialist is an understatement, because he has already provided the best 2 and 3 year survival rates yet published on www.myelomasurvival.com. So to believe that he was going to be a wonderful feature panelist and provide a great amount of relevant information about this topic was no surprise. So what was the surprise?
Surprise! He mentioned the "BIG C" word, CURE! For the last six-and-one-half years of my myeloma journey I have seldom if ever heard the word myeloma and cure used in the same sentence. For a long time the only doctor in the world who professed to a cure was Dr. Bart Barlogie of UAMS(University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences). However, during Dr. Hari's discussion he stated: "There are 10 to 15% of patients treated in the last decade who for 10 to 15 years have never gone on to progression after achieving their first remission", and by definition this is cure. In addition, he further stated that with the treatments currently available, there is a hope that we will move this number to a cure rate of 40% in the next decade. Isn't that great!! Because in order to have 40% of the patients living over 10 to 15 years without progression in the next decade, they must be in treatment as we speak. That is you and me, right now!!!
Pat Killingsworth, has a blog and is an author or three myeloma books, and has an excellent understanding of myeloma and treatement. As a member of the Myeloma Cure Panel team he asked some very informed questions about smoldering myeloma and the risks of early treatment Dr. Hari provided his perspective on this subject. If this subject is of interest, you can see Pat's perspective and an excellent discussion at the link: http://multiplemyelomablog.com/2012/09/smoldering-myeloma-therapy-debate.html
Please take the time to listen to Dr. Hari and the cure panelists. It looks like there is more and more reason to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and more reason for HOPE!! Thank you to Dr. Hari and CureTalk for this excellent patient to myeloma specialist forum.
Best Regards and may God Bless your myeloma journey!/ Gary Petersen editor@myelomasurvival.com
Surprise! He mentioned the "BIG C" word, CURE! For the last six-and-one-half years of my myeloma journey I have seldom if ever heard the word myeloma and cure used in the same sentence. For a long time the only doctor in the world who professed to a cure was Dr. Bart Barlogie of UAMS(University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences). However, during Dr. Hari's discussion he stated: "There are 10 to 15% of patients treated in the last decade who for 10 to 15 years have never gone on to progression after achieving their first remission", and by definition this is cure. In addition, he further stated that with the treatments currently available, there is a hope that we will move this number to a cure rate of 40% in the next decade. Isn't that great!! Because in order to have 40% of the patients living over 10 to 15 years without progression in the next decade, they must be in treatment as we speak. That is you and me, right now!!!
Pat Killingsworth, has a blog and is an author or three myeloma books, and has an excellent understanding of myeloma and treatement. As a member of the Myeloma Cure Panel team he asked some very informed questions about smoldering myeloma and the risks of early treatment Dr. Hari provided his perspective on this subject. If this subject is of interest, you can see Pat's perspective and an excellent discussion at the link: http://multiplemyelomablog.com/2012/09/smoldering-myeloma-therapy-debate.html
Please take the time to listen to Dr. Hari and the cure panelists. It looks like there is more and more reason to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and more reason for HOPE!! Thank you to Dr. Hari and CureTalk for this excellent patient to myeloma specialist forum.
Best Regards and may God Bless your myeloma journey!/ Gary Petersen editor@myelomasurvival.com
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