New national data shows that survival for people with multiple myeloma has improved significantly over the past several decades. Rising survival rates reflect advances in diagnosis and treatment.

According to the American Cancer Society’s latest cancer statistics, the five-year relative survival rate for myeloma has risen steadily, reaching 62 percent for those diagnosed in recent years. This means 62 percent of people with myeloma are still alive five years after diagnosis, compared with people of the same age in the general population.

That’s a significant increase compared with the mid-1970s, when the five-year survival rate was 25 percent, and the mid-1990s, when the rate was 32 percent.

These gains mean that today, many people with myeloma are living longer than ever before. Although outcomes still vary widely, advances in treatment have improved long-term outlooks for many people living with the disease.

Why Survival Has Improved

The study authors point specifically to the development of targeted immunotherapy drugs as a key reason survival rates for multiple myeloma have more than doubled since the 1970s.

Earlier diagnosis, driven by improved testing and greater awareness of myeloma and related conditions, has also played a role. Together, advances in treatment and cancer care have contributed to declining death rates from myeloma over time.

Learn more about treatment options for myeloma.

What Affects Myeloma Survival?

Doctors consider many factors when discussing prognosis for multiple myeloma, including:

• Extent of disease — How much myeloma is present in the body at diagnosis and over time
• Cancer cell characteristics — Certain genetic features of myeloma cells that affect how the disease behaves
• Response to treatment — How well or how long myeloma responds to specific therapies
• Overall health — Other medical conditions that influence treatment choices and outcomes
• Access to care — Timely diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up appointments

Survival statistics based on population data can offer helpful context, but they can’t predict what will happen for any one person. Talk to your hematology-oncology care team to better understand the factors that contribute to your individual outlook.

Learn more about factors that affect myeloma prognosis.

What This Means for People Living With Myeloma

If you’re living with myeloma, these survival trends may offer reassurance that treatment options and outcomes are improving over time. Still, decisions about treatment and follow-up care are personal. Work in partnership with your cancer care team, who understands your specific situation.

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