Overview
Multiple myeloma is one of the most complex and rapidly evolving blood cancers — a disease where treatment decisions require deep expertise in an expanding arsenal of novel agents, transplantation strategies, and emerging cellular therapies. Shanghai is home to one of Asia's foremost myeloma specialists: a physician who has been called "China's Myeloma Master", who sits on the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) — the world's premier myeloma scientific body — and who has helped shape both Chinese and international myeloma treatment guidelines.
China Medical Concierge Shanghai (CMCS) connects international patients with Shanghai's top hematology specialists, providing end-to-end support from remote consultation through to post-treatment follow-up.
Understanding Multiple Myeloma & Plasma Cell Disorders
What Is Multiple Myeloma?
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells — the antibody-producing cells that normally reside in the bone marrow. In myeloma, malignant plasma cells accumulate in the bone marrow, crowding out normal blood cell production and secreting abnormal proteins (M-protein or paraprotein) that damage organs — particularly the kidneys and bones.
Myeloma is the second most common blood cancer. While it remains incurable with standard therapy, outcomes have been transformed over the past two decades by the introduction of novel agents — and long-term disease control is increasingly achievable for many patients.
Related Plasma Cell Disorders
- Smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) — a pre-malignant condition with elevated M-protein and/or bone marrow plasma cells but no end-organ damage; requires careful monitoring and risk-stratified intervention
- Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) — a benign condition with low M-protein levels; requires surveillance for progression
- Waldenström macroglobulinemia — a lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma producing IgM paraprotein; treated with BTK inhibitors and chemoimmunotherapy
- AL amyloidosis — plasma cell disorder causing amyloid protein deposition in organs; requires specialized diagnosis and treatment
- POEMS syndrome — a rare plasma cell disorder with multi-system involvement
Common Symptoms of Multiple Myeloma
- Bone pain — particularly back pain and rib pain
- Pathological fractures (fractures from minimal trauma)
- Fatigue and anaemia
- Recurrent infections
- Renal impairment (kidney damage from light chain deposition)
- Hypercalcaemia (elevated blood calcium)
- Peripheral neuropathy
Diagnosis & Staging
- Serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) and immunofixation — M-protein detection and characterization
- Serum free light chain assay — kappa/lambda ratio assessment
- 24-hour urine protein electrophoresis — Bence Jones protein quantification
- Bone marrow biopsy — plasma cell percentage and morphology
- Cytogenetics and FISH — high-risk features: del(17p), t(4;14), t(14;16), gain(1q)
- Next-generation sequencing (NGS) — comprehensive molecular profiling
- Whole-body low-dose CT or PET-CT — bone lesion assessment and staging
- MRI spine and pelvis — bone marrow infiltration and cord compression assessment
- Revised International Staging System (R-ISS) — prognostic staging
Treatment: State-of-the-Art Myeloma Care
Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma (NDMM)
Treatment of newly diagnosed myeloma is stratified by transplant eligibility:
- Transplant-eligible patients — induction with VRd (bortezomib, lenalidomide, dexamethasone) or DRd (daratumumab, lenalidomide, dexamethasone) or Dara-VRd (quadruplet), followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) and lenalidomide maintenance
- Transplant-ineligible patients — DRd (daratumumab, lenalidomide, dexamethasone) or VRd as continuous therapy
Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma (RRMM)
For patients who relapse after initial therapy, an expanding range of novel agents offers effective salvage options:
- Anti-CD38 antibodies — daratumumab, isatuximab
- Proteasome inhibitors — carfilzomib, ixazomib (in addition to bortezomib)
- Immunomodulatory drugs — pomalidomide
- Selinexor — XPO1 inhibitor for heavily pre-treated disease
- Belantamab mafodotin — BCMA-targeted antibody-drug conjugate
- Bispecific antibodies — teclistamab, elranatamab (BCMA × CD3); talquetamab (GPRC5D × CD3)
- BCMA-targeted CAR-T therapy — ciltacabtagene autoleucel, idecabtagene vicleucel; response rates of 70–98% in heavily pre-treated patients
High-Risk Myeloma
Patients with high-risk cytogenetic features — del(17p), t(4;14), t(14;16), gain(1q) — require intensified treatment strategies, including quadruplet induction, tandem ASCT, and consideration of allogeneic HSCT in selected cases. Expert risk stratification and individualized treatment planning are essential for this patient group.
Why Choose Shanghai for Multiple Myeloma Treatment?
- International Myeloma Working Group membership — Shanghai's leading myeloma specialist sits on the world's premier myeloma scientific body
- International guideline contribution — participation in developing both Chinese and international myeloma treatment guidelines
- Access to all novel agents — anti-CD38 antibodies, bispecific antibodies, ADCs, and CAR-T therapy
- Clinical trial access — novel agents and combinations in development
- Cost-effective world-class care — significantly lower cost than equivalent treatment in the US, UK, or Singapore
Featured Specialist: Prof. Hou Jian — Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Prof. Hou Jian (侯健) is a Professor of Hematology at Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine — one of Shanghai's most prestigious academic medical centers. He is widely regarded as "China's Myeloma Master" (中国的骨髓瘤先生) — a recognition of his unparalleled expertise and decades of leadership in multiple myeloma diagnosis and treatment in China.
International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG)
Prof. Hou serves as a member of the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) — the world's premier myeloma scientific organization, responsible for developing the international diagnostic criteria, response criteria, and treatment guidelines that define global myeloma practice. His membership places him among the world's foremost myeloma authorities and ensures that his patients benefit from the most current international evidence and expertise.
Guideline Leadership
Prof. Hou has served as Chairman of the Plasma Cell Disease Group of the Hematology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association and has participated in developing multiple Chinese and international myeloma treatment guidelines — directly shaping how myeloma is diagnosed and treated across China and contributing to global guideline development through the IMWG.
Clinical Expertise
- Multiple myeloma — newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory disease; all risk groups including high-risk cytogenetics
- Plasma cell disorders — SMM, MGUS, AL amyloidosis, Waldenström macroglobulinemia, POEMS syndrome
- Novel agent therapy — anti-CD38 antibodies, bispecific antibodies, ADCs, proteasome inhibitors, IMiDs
- CAR-T therapy for myeloma — BCMA-targeted CAR-T for relapsed/refractory disease
- Autologous stem cell transplantation — for eligible newly diagnosed and relapsed patients
- Lymphoma — comprehensive management across subtypes
For international patients, Prof. Hou's team offers remote pre-consultation review of M-protein studies, bone marrow biopsy, cytogenetics, molecular profiling, and prior treatment records, enabling a precise risk assessment and individualized treatment plan to be developed before arrival in Shanghai.
How CMCS Supports Your Journey
CMCS is not a hospital — we are your dedicated medical concierge, providing a trusted bridge between international patients and Shanghai's finest cancer specialists.
Our services include:
- ✅ Direct appointment coordination with Prof. Hou Jian and the Renji Hospital hematology team
- ✅ M-protein studies, bone marrow biopsy, cytogenetics, and molecular profiling translation and pre-consultation review
- ✅ Second opinion facilitation — especially for high-risk or relapsed/refractory myeloma
- ✅ CAR-T therapy and clinical trial eligibility assessment
- ✅ Hospital admission and treatment scheduling support
- ✅ Accommodation and logistics coordination in Shanghai
- ✅ Post-treatment follow-up and remote check-in support
Contact CMCS
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma or a related plasma cell disorder and would like to explore treatment options in Shanghai, our team is ready to help.
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CMCS — China Medical Concierge Shanghai. Connecting international patients with Shanghai's finest specialists.
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