The analyses found a definitive overall increase in the survival of MM patients over the past decade.
In particular, five-year survival increased from 28.8 to 34.7 percent, and 10-year survival increased from 11.1 to 17.4 percent. Importantly, survival increased most dramatically in the youngest age group -- more than half (56.7 percent) of patients younger than 50 survived at least five years, and more than 40 percent (41.3 percent) survived at least 10 years. In real years, the average relative survival increased from four years after diagnosis in 1990-1992 to almost seven years after diagnosis in 2002-2004.
Patients age 50-59 also fared well, with approximately half (48.2 percent) surviving at least five years, and nearly a third (28.6 percent) surviving at least 10 years. However, only modest increases were seen in the age group 60-69, and virtually no improvement was seen in patients older than 70. Since about half of MM patients are diagnosed when they are 60 or older, the lack of improvement in the eldest groups is a critical finding of the research.
Dr. MOrgan at Royal Marsden told us up to 25% of people survive up to 20 years, and I was wondering how he got that stat. I guess he was talking about younger people. Well, I'll take any good statistic anyone wants to throw out!Â
Very encouraging indeed.
It would be interesting to control for treatment types, i.e. what are the survival rates for people who followed alternative protocols, both solely and in conjunction with conventional therapies.Â
I believe that thalidomide is one reason for the improvement in these stats, but I think the growth in popularity of alternative approaches may also have been a factor.Â
Lisa and Chris-
I dont't remember if I replied to your posts. I apologize if I am repeating myself.
While I would love to believe Dr. Morgan's stats, I have never found anything like this information. I agree with Chris though, I do believe that mm survivors will live better, longer lives utilizing a combination of therapies- the most recent stats that I have read is that the average has moved from 3-5 year life expectancy to 9 plus. David
"Dr. MOrgan at Royal Marsden told us up to 25% of people survive up to 20 years, and I was wondering how he got that stat. I guess he was talking about younger people. Well, I'll take any good statistic anyone wants to throw out!"
"t would be interesting to control for treatment types, i.e. what are the survival rates for people who followed alternative protocols, both solely and in conjunction with conventional therapies. "
As I am sure every one of us at one time or another been hit with a "stat mortar" - one of those bombs that just catches you off guard leaving you shell shocked. There are two pieces of information I’m most interested in. First what are my stats, not the average MMer. I guess only god knows that one. Second is what’s special about the long term 20, 30+ year folks. My Mom talked with a 21 year survivor last week who was diagnosed when she was 37 and pregnant. What a bomb shell that must have been.
If anyone comes across long term survivors I for one would love to hear their story. It could just be luck of the MM lottery, but then again there might be some ever so fine a thread connecting a few of these folks.
LP-
The home page of beating-myeloma.org has a menu button on the left side of the page called "survivor stories." Their are three stories thus far. I am working on getting a story from a survivor named John Wagner (though I have lost touch with John and I am working on finding him again).
John Wagner is the longest long-term survivor and is "non-conventional" in his therapies. The three stories documented on the b-m.org home page are "conventional" in nature.Â
My introduction to mm stats was the first stat that we all come across, that the average life expectancy is 3-5 years. Since I have been managing Galen and the b-m.org site I have come across many, many (most in fact) people who are already beyond this 3-5 average.Â
What is your definition of "long-term?" Anything longer than average?
DavidÂ
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