How you have treatment for myeloma

You might just have bortezomib, daratumumab and dexamethasone (DVD). Or you have them together with thalidomide (DVTD).

Each treatment cycle lasts 3 weeks (21 days) or 4 weeks (28 days). The number of days you have this treatment for will depend on your individual situation. You might have up to 6 cycles of treatment, or longer.

You usually have bortezomib as an injection just under the skin. You might have it once a week. Or some people have it twice a week at the start of treatment.

You take dexamethasone as tablets for a few days each week, depending on when you have bortezomib or daratumumab. 

You usually have daratumumab as an injection under the skin. You usually start off having it once a week but this becomes less often.

You take thalidomide as capsules every day.

We have more information about daratumumab, bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone (DVTD).

Read about DVTD

Each cycle is 28 days (4 weeks). You usually carry on taking this treatment if it is controlling your myeloma. And if your side effects are not too severe.

You usually have daratumumab as an injection under the skin. You usually start off having it once a week but you have it less often after a couple of months. Eventually you have it every 4 weeks.

You take dexamethasone as tablets. To begin with, you have it for 2 days each week. This becomes less often after a couple of months.

You take lenalidomide as capsules every day for 3 weeks. And then you have a break until the next cycle begins.

You might just have lenalidomide and dexamethasone together. Or you have these drugs with ixazomib.

Each treatment cycle lasts 4 weeks (28 days). You usually carry on taking this treatment if it is controlling your myeloma. And if your side effects are not too severe.

You take lenalidomide as capsules every day for 3 weeks. And then you have a break until the next cycle begins.

You take dexamethasone as tablets once a week for the whole cycle. 

You take ixazomib as capsules once a week for 3 weeks and then you have a break for one week until the next cycle begins.

Read about ixazomib, lenalidomide and dexamethasone

You might have carfilzomib and dexamethasone together with lenalidomide.

Each treatment cycle lasts 4 weeks (28 days). You can have up to 18 cycles of carfilzomib. You can carry on taking lenalidomide and dexamethasone if they are controlling your myeloma. And if your side effects are not too severe.

You have carfilzomib as a drip into your bloodstream (intravenously) over 30 minutes. You usually have it for 2 days every week for 3 weeks. And you then have a week off until the next cycle starts. 

You have dexamethasone as a drip or as tablets. You have it for 2 days each week, throughout the cycle.

You take lenalidomide, as capsules every day for 3 weeks. And then you have a week off until the next cycle begins. 

Read about carfilzomib and dexamethasone

You might have pomalidomide and dexamethasone together. 

Each treatment cycle lasts 4 weeks (28 days). You can carry on taking this treatment if it is controlling your myeloma. And if your side effects are not too severe.

You take pomalidomide as capsules every day for 3 weeks. And then you have a week off until the next cycle begins. 

You take dexamethasone as tablets once a week for the whole cycle.

Read about pomalidomide and dexamethasone

You might have daratumumab on its own. You also usually take dexamethasone.  

Each cycle is 28 days (4 weeks). You usually carry on taking this treatment if it is controlling your myeloma. And if your side effects are not too severe.

You usually have daratumumab as an injection under the skin. You usually start off having it once a week but you have it less often after a couple of months. Eventually you have it every 4 weeks.

You take dexamethasone as tablets. To begin with, you have it for 2 days each week. This becomes less often after a couple of months.

Read about daratumumab

You might just have bortezomib and dexamethasone together. Or you have these drugs with panobinostat.

Each treatment cycle lasts 3 weeks (21 days). You usually have between 8 and 16 cycles. This depends on how well the treatment is working and if the side effects aren’t too bad.

You usually have bortezomib as an injection just under the skin. You might have it once a week. Or some people have it twice a week at the start of treatment.

You take dexamethasone as tablets. To begin with you take it for 4 days in the first and second week. And you then have a week off until the next cycle begins. This goes down to 2 days a week later on in your treatment course.

You take panobinostat as capsules 3 times a week for the first 2 weeks of each cycle. You then have a week off until the next cycle begins.

Read about panobinostat, bortezomib and dexamethasone

You might have selinexor and dexamethasone together. You take selinexor and dexamethasone as tablets. 

You take it twice a week. Your doctor might respond to your treatment as cycles. One cycle is usually 28 days. You can carry on taking this treatment until it is no longer controlling your myeloma. Or until you are struggling with the side effects.