Practical guidance on the prevention and management of infection in multiple myeloma patients: A case-based approach.

Kannan A., Jeffrey K., Misbah S., Ramasamy K.

The risk of infection in multiple myeloma patients is significant, due to immune dysfunction secondary to myeloma, immunosenescence and age-related comorbidities, given the elderly myeloma patient demographic. Newer treatments, despite providing unprecedented improvements in disease-control, have further elevated infection risk. This risk is so substantial that we are approaching a period where a subset of older myeloma patients may be more likely to die secondary to infectious complications imposed by redirected T-cell therapy rather than from myeloma. As a result, it is essential to provide myeloma patients with the appropriate prophylaxis and monitoring against infection. In this review, we discuss disease-related, patient-related and treatment-related reasons for the increased infection risk in myeloma patients, and how to both prevent and manage this risk through creating a dynamic, infection prevention plan that is personalised to the individual patient.

DOI

10.1016/j.blre.2025.101287

Type

Journal article

Publication Date

2025-07-01T00:00:00+00:00

Volume

72

Keywords

Immunoglobulin replacement therapy, Infection, Multiple myeloma, Prophylaxis, Vaccination, Aged, Humans, Male, Disease Management, Infections, Multiple Myeloma, Risk Factors

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