Shaji Kumar, MD, a consultant in hematology at the Mayo Clinic, advises physicians on the use of autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.
Kumar says his key message is that for patients with newly diagnosed disease, they should always be considered for ASCT. Even in scenarios with an older patient with good physical health and no significant cormobidities, ASCT should be discussed with this patient.
Even if a physician is in doubt of whether a patient is a good candidate for ASCT, the patient should always be referred to a transplant center where they can be assessed and the procedure can be discussed in detail so that a patient can make an informed decision on their treatment, Kumar says.
