Many multiple myeloma treatments can target and reduce cancer cells, helping manage symptoms and control the disease. These therapies allow many people with multiple myeloma to live in remission (when signs of cancer are greatly reduced or undetectable) for years — and sometimes decades. Some people achieve such deep remission that their blood cancer never returns.

However, although researchers are making progress toward a cure, it’s still hard to say for sure that multiple myeloma is completely curable. Even when no cancer is detectable, tiny amounts of myeloma cells (called minimal residual disease) may remain and could grow back later.

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Understanding Remission vs. Cure

The goal of cancer treatment is often to eliminate all visible signs of the disease. Doctors also hope to destroy microscopic cancer cells that tests can’t detect. If this happens, doctors may use terms like “remission” or “cure,” which have very different meanings.

Remission From Myeloma

Remission means treatment has reduced cancer levels so much that no signs of it show up on tests. For people with multiple myeloma, remission may lead to:

• Higher red blood cell counts (which can boost energy levels)
• Lower calcium levels (reducing risks like kidney damage)
• Less bone pain
• Fewer bone lesions (areas of bone damage)
• Other signs of improved health

There are two types of remission:

• Partial remission — Some cancer cells remain, but the disease is less active, and symptoms improve.
• Complete remission — No cancer is found in blood tests or imaging scans, but small amounts of myeloma cells may still exist.

Even during remission, multiple myeloma isn’t truly gone — it’s just under control. That’s why regular checkups and follow-up tests are needed to watch for signs of relapse (when cancer returns). Some people may stay on maintenance therapy — ongoing, low-dose treatment — to help prevent the cancer from coming back.

Treatments can kill many myeloma cells, but some may survive. Even in complete remission, a few hidden cancer cells may linger in the body, even if they can’t be detected by tests. Over time, the cancerous plasma cells may grow again, causing a relapse. Remission doesn’t guarantee the cancer is gone. There’s still a chance that myeloma will return.

What Does ‘Cure’ Mean for Myeloma?

Oncologists consider cancer to be cured when no cancer cells are left anywhere in the body and the disease will never return. A true cure means there’s:

• No chance of a relapse
• No need for further treatment
• No need for follow-up testing

However, current tests can’t always detect tiny amounts of cancer. This is why doctors often say myeloma is in remission rather than cured, even if no cancer is found.

For many people, myeloma eventually returns. But for some, it never does. Ongoing research aims to develop treatments that could lead to lasting remissions — or even true cures. Studies are also exploring new ways to confirm whether myeloma is truly in complete remission or cured.

Can Myeloma Be Cured?

More than 90 percent of people with multiple myeloma respond to their first round of treatment, meaning their cancer shrinks or becomes less active​. Many achieve remission, but for most, the disease eventually relapses. The time between remission and relapse varies — some stay in remission for years, while others need additional treatment sooner. When myeloma relapses, doctors often use a different combination of therapies to try to restore remission​.

In the U.S., about 62 percent of people with multiple myeloma live for at least five years after being diagnosed. Those with high-risk genetic factors or severe illness at diagnosis may not live as long, while others may live much longer. Some experience long-term remission that lasts decades. About 14 percent of people diagnosed in the 1990s and 2000s lived at least 20 years.

A 2024 study suggested that newer treatments are leading to deeper, long-lasting remissions — and even the possibility of a “practical cure” for some people. This means their myeloma remains undetectable and doesn’t require ongoing treatment​​.

Read more about life expectancy for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

Which Treatment Options May Help You Live Longer?

Until recently, myeloma treatments weren’t very effective. Complete remissions were rare, and a cure was almost unheard of. Today advances in cancer treatment have helped many people with myeloma live longer, with improved quality of life.

Most new treatments for multiple myeloma are designed to treat cancerous plasma cells specifically, helping to target cancer cells while limiting damage to healthy cells. These treatments include:

• Targeted therapies and monoclonal antibodies — Some drugs block proteins that myeloma cells need to survive, and others attach to cancer cells to help the immune system destroy them. Examples include proteasome inhibitors like bortezomib (Boruzu and Velcade), carfilzomib (Kyprolis), and ixazomib (Ninlaro), as well as monoclonal antibodies such as daratumumab (Darzalex), elotuzumab (Empliciti), and isatuximab (Sarclisa).
• Immunomodulatory drugs (iMiDs) — These boost the immune system and slow myeloma cell growth. Common iMiDs include thalidomide (Thalomid), lenalidomide (Revlimid), and pomalidomide (Pomalyst).
• Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy — Also called adoptive cell therapy, this is a personalized immunotherapy that modifies a person’s T cells to fight myeloma. FDA-approved options include idecabtagene vicleucel (Abecma) and ciltacabtagene autoleucel (Carvykti).
• Bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs) — Also known as bispecific antibodies, BiTEs are newer immunotherapies that link immune cells directly to myeloma cells so they can attack them more effectively. Examples include elranatamab (Elrexfio), teclistamab (Tecvayli), talquetamab (Talvey), and linvoseltamab-gcpt (Lynozyfic).
• Nuclear export inhibitors — These drugs block XPO1, a protein that helps cancer cells survive. Selinexor (Xpovio) is the first FDA-approved XPO1 inhibitor, preventing this process and causing cancer cell death.

Every myeloma therapy has potential benefits and side effects. Your hematology-oncology team can help tailor your treatment plan based on your stage of myeloma, age, overall health, and any other conditions.

Read more about immunotherapy for multiple myeloma.

Clinical Trials Help Advance Myeloma Treatments

Scientists are researching new treatments for multiple myeloma that could help more people go into remission and keep the disease under control for longer — and possibly be cured. These potential therapies are tested in clinical trials. People with multiple myeloma may be able to participate in clinical trials to access new treatments that aren’t otherwise available.

In 2024, myeloma researchers presented promising results from clinical trials on newer therapies, including the following:

• A combination of talquetamab, daratumumab, and pomalidomide helped 82 percent of people with relapsed or hard-to-treat multiple myeloma respond to treatment, with their cancer shrinking or disappearing for a long time.
• Adding daratumumab to bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone helped more people with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma achieve no detectable cancer cells. This was for people who weren’t able to get a transplant.
• The CAR T-cell therapy ciltacabtagene autoleucel reduced the risk of death by 45 percent in people whose multiple myeloma had stopped responding to lenalidomide and at least one other treatment.

If you’re interested in joining a clinical trial, talk to your healthcare team.

Join the Conversation

On MyMyelomaTeam, people share their experiences with myeloma, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

What have your doctors said about your myeloma being in remission versus being cured? Let others know in the comments below.