Value-Based Paradigms in Multiple Myeloma: Pharmacoeconomic Analysis of Novel Therapies

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Over the past 2 decades, the standard of care for multiple myeloma (MM) has shifted with the introduction of novel, targeted agents such as bortezomib, lenalidomide, and thalidomide.1 There is no doubt that these therapies have led to better clinical outcomes, as documented in an analysis by Kumar and colleagues of 2981 patients with newly diagnosed MM seen at their clinic over a 36-year period, from the start of 1971 to the end of 2006.2 These investigators reported that the subset of patients diagnosed from 1996 to 2006—the era of novel agents —had a significantly longer median overall survival (OS) than patients diagnosed earlier. Improvement in outcomes with new therapies has been especially noteworthy in younger individuals. The study found that the prolongation of survival reported from 1996 to 2006 occurred predominantly among those patients aged <65 years.2 This observation underscores the importance of using novel agents to extend the productive lives of younger MM patients.

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