[Treatment of myeloma in the elderly]

The treatment of elderly patients with multiple myeloma was based for the last forty years on the combination of alkeran plus prednisone. The survival was short. Three new molecules, thalidomide, bortezomib and revlimid are completely changing the way we treat myeloma as well as the prognosis. These new molecules are tested either alone or in combination. The addition of thalidomide to alkeran plus prednisone has increased overall survival of two years. For the first time, major therapeutic improvements are emerging giving rise to better prognosis.