From Rare to Common

Treatment for multiple myeloma has come a very long way! It was a little over ten years that this rare condition was considered incurable... but is it?

I along with many have beaten the odds in managing this cancer or living in complete remission. I’ve met many patients who are puzzled on whether or not this and many blood cancers can indeed be cured. There can be so many terms thrown our way and it can be difficult to comprehend. It's sad enough hearing the word "cancer" but usually, the words "incurable" and "terminal" follow. Let’s dive into the differences and where we are today, on why this is now referenced as a common condition.

Cancer terms we've heard before

Well, the terms do make a slight difference in how the patient may look at this situation that has to be dealt with. Words and how they are presented to someone with blood cancer make a huge difference in how they deal with their mortality. Are we saying “It’s incurable, but that doesn’t mean death” or “Incurable, with an active and sustainable life”? Um, there’s a difference!

Terminal cancer- An incurable disease that cannot be adequately treated and is reasonably expected to result in the death of the patient. This term is more commonly used for progressive diseases such as cancer. In popular use, it indicates a disease that will progress until death with near absolute certainty, regardless of treatment.¹ 

Incurable cancer- A term used when cancer can no longer be cured. Cancer may have spread to other parts of the body, has grown to be too big for treatment, or has returned after treatment.²

Rare cancer- As defined by the National Cancer Institute, cancer that occurs in fewer than 15 out of 100,000 people each year. Most types of cancer are considered rare, and they are often more difficult to prevent, diagnose, and treat than the more common cancers.³

Cured- A term for no traces of the disease and the probability of it returning seems at better odds based on lab results.⁴

Is my "rare" cancer now common?

I guess it’s safe to say the word "rare" sounds like the end of the road, with no hopes of cure or treatment plan, doesn’t it? Well, now when we look at the medications being developed to maintain a life with cancer, the word "rare" has now transformed into the "common disease" category.

Common cancer- Is a term used to describe the various types that are popularly known.⁵

I gather when specific cancers such as multiple myeloma are now deemed common, which may be due to the development of treatment meds and stem cell transplants, with success rates. There will be those unfortunate negative responses, but as opposed to the last 10 years, the future seems a tad brighter for some with the developments of new medications like Kyprolis, CAR T-cell therapy, and Darzalex. I don’t think it’s safe to say "rare cancers" are now on the same level as the common cold or fever, but there’s a gleam of hope in living longer with the disease thanks to new developments of medications. I think it’s also fair to say, many people don’t care so much about the term, as they don’t want to deal with cancer in general; however, if the terms imply any means of hope... we’ll take it!

The time to fight is now, with integrity, grace, hope, and a smile….when you feel like it