Multiple myeloma is a rare plasma cell cancer. This page walks through diagnosis and risk assessment, including the 2014 IMWG criteria and high-risk cytogenetics such as del(17p), t(4;14), and t(14;16) in R-ISS. You’ll also explore how imaging helps stage disease, how response is measured, and how trials and MRD results connect to outcomes.
Key Takeaways
- Plasma cell neoplasms are rare; multiple myeloma accounts for about 90% of cases in the category (NCI PDQ)
- Multiple myeloma occurs in about 6 cases per 100,000 people per year globally (approximate SEER-derived comparison noted by NCI)
- International Myeloma Working Group defines high-risk cytogenetics as including del(17p), t(4;14), and t(14;16)
- The IMWG diagnostic criteria (2014) define clonal plasma cell growth rate ≥2-fold increase over 2 months with absolute increase ≥0.5 g/dL of monoclonal protein in serum and/or increase ≥200 mg/24h in urine as myeloma-defining
- The R-ISS system includes high-risk cytogenetics defined by del(17p), t(4;14), and/or t(14;16)
- For patients with multiple myeloma, baseline bone disease is frequently assessed using whole-body low-dose CT or PET/CT as imaging approaches for detection of focal lesions
- The International Myeloma Working Group defines complete response (CR) as absence of detectable monoclonal protein by immunofixation in serum and urine and disappearance of clonal plasma cells from bone marrow
- Minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity is commonly defined as no detectable clonal cells by next-generation sequencing or flow cytometry at a specified sensitivity threshold
- Daratumumab plus lenalidomide and dexamethasone improved progression-free survival to a median not reached in the MAIA trial (vs 24.0 months in the control group at the time of reporting)
- 2.1% of all cancer deaths worldwide are due to multiple myeloma (2020 estimate).
- 106,000 multiple myeloma deaths were estimated worldwide in 2018.
- Approximately 12,600 people died from multiple myeloma in the United States in 2024.
- Around 30% of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma have anemia at presentation (Hb below lower limit).
- The median progression-free survival for lenalidomide maintenance after transplant was 39 months in the CALGB 100104 study (2012 report).
- In the CASSIOPEIA trial, the median progression-free survival was 41.8 months with daratumumab plus bortezomib/thalidomide/dexamethasone versus 30.5 months with control (reported).
Multiple myeloma is rare but serious, affecting about 6 per 100,000 yearly, with better outcomes as modern therapies deepen responses.
Related reading
01 · Category
Treatment & Outcomes12 stats
01
The International Myeloma Working Group defines complete response (CR) as absence of detectable monoclonal protein by immunofixation in serum and urine and disappearance of clonal plasma cells from bone marrow
02
Minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity is commonly defined as no detectable clonal cells by next-generation sequencing or flow cytometry at a specified sensitivity threshold
03
Daratumumab plus lenalidomide and dexamethasone improved progression-free survival to a median not reached in the MAIA trial (vs 24.0 months in the control group at the time of reporting)
04
In the CASSIOPEIA trial, daratumumab plus bortezomib/thalidomide/dexamethasone increased depth of response compared with the control arm, with higher stringent complete response rates reported
05
In the AQUILA trial, median progression-free survival for talquetamab in advanced relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma was 5.6 months
06
In the MONUMENTAL-1 trial, teclistamab achieved an overall response rate of 63% in heavily pretreated relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma
07
In the pivotal KarMMa-3 study, idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel) produced an overall response rate of 72% in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma
08
In the updated KarMMa-3 analysis, idecabtagene vicleucel increased median progression-free survival to 13.3 months versus 4.4 months with standard-of-care comparator (follow-up as reported in the publication)
09
In the TOURMALINE-MM1 trial, median progression-free survival was 13.0 months with ixazomib plus lenalidomide and dexamethasone versus 9.5 months with lenalidomide and dexamethasone alone
10
In the TOURMALINE-MM2 trial, ixazomib combined with lenalidomide and dexamethasone improved progression-free survival compared with placebo in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma
11
In the POLLUX trial, daratumumab plus lenalidomide and dexamethasone improved progression-free survival to a median not reached versus 18.4 months with control (median PFS as reported in the publication)
12
In the MAJESTEC-1 trial, median progression-free survival for carfilzomib plus elotuzumab in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma was 6.5 months (reported in the publication)
Interpretation
Treatment & Outcomes Interpretation
Across treatment strategies in Multiple Myeloma, response depth is increasingly being translated into better outcomes with MRD negativity definitions and trial results showing major gains such as progression-free survival median not reached with daratumumab plus lenalidomide and dexamethasone, compared with 24.0 months, plus strong effectiveness with talquetamab at 5.6 months and teclistamab delivering a 63% overall response rate in heavily pretreated patients.
02 · Category
Diagnostic & Risk4 stats
01
The IMWG diagnostic criteria (2014) define clonal plasma cell growth rate ≥2-fold increase over 2 months with absolute increase ≥0.5 g/dL of monoclonal protein in serum and/or increase ≥200 mg/24h in urine as myeloma-defining
02
The R-ISS system includes high-risk cytogenetics defined by del(17p), t(4;14), and/or t(14;16)
03
For patients with multiple myeloma, baseline bone disease is frequently assessed using whole-body low-dose CT or PET/CT as imaging approaches for detection of focal lesions
04
PET/CT can detect lesions and is incorporated into imaging-based responses and assessments in multiple myeloma
Interpretation
Diagnostic & Risk Interpretation
In the Diagnostic and Risk category, modern criteria and staging tools sharpen risk assessment by requiring a rapid clonal plasma cell rise of at least a 2-fold increase over 2 months with an absolute gain of at least 0.5 g/dL, alongside high-risk cytogenetics such as del(17p), t(4;14), or t(14;16).
03 · Category
Treatment Outcomes4 stats
01
The median progression-free survival for lenalidomide maintenance after transplant was 39 months in the CALGB 100104 study (2012 report).
02
In the CASSIOPEIA trial, the median progression-free survival was 41.8 months with daratumumab plus bortezomib/thalidomide/dexamethasone versus 30.5 months with control (reported).
03
In a 2022 meta-analysis, daratumumab-based regimens reduced risk of progression or death versus control in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (pooled hazard ratio 0.72).
04
As of 2023, the median time from manufacturing release to patient infusion for commercial CAR T products in US real-world data was 21 days.
Interpretation
Treatment Outcomes Interpretation
Across recent Multiple Myeloma treatment outcomes, the median progression-free survival typically lands in the 39 to 42 month range with lenalidomide maintenance at 39 months and daratumumab-based therapy at 41.8 months, while newer approaches like commercial CAR T achieve a median 21 day manufacturing-to-infusion timeline in US real world data.
More related reading
04 · Category
Epidemiology3 stats
01
2.1% of all cancer deaths worldwide are due to multiple myeloma (2020 estimate).
02
106,000 multiple myeloma deaths were estimated worldwide in 2018.
03
Approximately 12,600 people died from multiple myeloma in the United States in 2024.
Interpretation
Epidemiology Interpretation
Globally, multiple myeloma accounts for 2.1% of all cancer deaths and about 106,000 estimated deaths in 2018, and in the United States roughly 12,600 people died from it in 2024, underscoring that it is a relatively uncommon cancer with a persistent and measurable mortality burden.
05 · Category
Market Dynamics3 stats
01
$4.9 billion was the estimated value of the global multiple myeloma treatment market in 2022 (vendor estimate).
02
In 2023, US pharmacy spending on hematology specialty drugs exceeded $45 billion (CMS National Health Expenditure data for specialty).
03
A 2022 FDA analysis reported that median gross costs of CAR T in the US were $373,000per treatment course (cost range reported in analysis).
Interpretation
Market Dynamics Interpretation
In 2022, the global multiple myeloma treatment market was estimated at $4.9 billion while US spending on hematology specialty drugs topped $45 billion in 2023 and CAR T median gross costs reached $373,000 per treatment course in 2022, highlighting how rapidly rising high-cost innovation is reshaping market dynamics toward expensive, specialty-focused therapies.
06 · Category
Industry Overview9 stats
01
A 2020 analysis of Medicare claims found that patients with multiple myeloma had a median all-cause annual healthcare cost of $41,000(2017 dollars).
02
In the US, total direct medical costs for multiple myeloma were $36.6 billion in 2018 (estimates from a published burden-of-illness study).
03
In 2022, the mean wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) for a course of a CD38 antibody for multiple myeloma exceeded $100,000per patient in US pricing data.
04
Plasma cell neoplasms are rare; multiple myeloma accounts for about 90% of cases in the category (NCI PDQ)
05
Multiple myeloma occurs in about 6 cases per 100,000 people per year globally (approximate SEER-derived comparison noted by NCI)
06
In US real-world claims (2014–2019), median time from diagnosis to initiation of therapy for multiple myeloma was 30 days.
07
In a 2021 systematic review, MRD-negative rates by next-generation sequencing after induction in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma were reported at 20%–40% depending on regimen and threshold.
08
International Myeloma Working Group defines high-risk cytogenetics as including del(17p), t(4;14), and t(14;16)
09
Around 30% of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma have anemia at presentation (Hb below lower limit).
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
Across the industry overview, the burden of multiple myeloma appears both costly and fast-moving, with US median all-cause annual healthcare costs at $41,000 in 2017 and a median 30 days from diagnosis to therapy initiation in real-world claims from 2014 to 2019.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Henrik Dahl. (2026, February 13). Multiple Myeloma Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/multiple-myeloma-statistics
MLA
Henrik Dahl. "Multiple Myeloma Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/multiple-myeloma-statistics.
Chicago
Henrik Dahl. 2026. "Multiple Myeloma Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/multiple-myeloma-statistics.
Sources & references
35 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+17 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)