Multiple myeloma, also known as myeloma, is the third most common hematologic cancer (cancer of the blood). However, compared to more frequently occurring cancers (e.g., breast, prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers), multiple myeloma is relative rare and accounts for only 1.6 percent of diagnoses each year. For 2018, the American Cancer Society estimates that 30,770 new cases of myeloma will be diagnosed in the U.S.1 Due to the less common occurrence of multiple myeloma, providers are less likely to diagnosis and treat these patients on a regular basis.
1. Siegel RL, Miller KD, Jemal A. Cancer statistics, 2018. CA: Cancer J Clin. 2018;68:7-30.
Cancer Support Community (CSC)
The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) has supported QI initiatives for many years through its Visiting Experts Program. In 2020 ACCC offered QI programs designed to optimize care for patients with multiple myeloma. Via custom workshops, multidisciplinary team members from three cancer programs appraised their own challenges and opportunities to improve care and developed QI plans that were specific, measurable, and actionable over a six-month time frame. The QI time frame included workshop participation, baseline data reporting, progress calls with ACCC, and outcomes evaluation.
Thank you to our Cancer Program Members:
![Multidisciplinary Multiple Myeloma Care: Models of Quality Improvement [Oncology Issues]](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/0vv8moc6/accc-cancer/ec086afd255c621eaefd8b2b2ebc5ba23edb8dd3-275x356.png)
COVID-19 has impacted how providers are dispensing multiple myeloma medications and providing care to patients during the pandemic. Learn how to identify those effects to help mitigate them and implement strategies to improve telehealth medicine during the pandemic.
Learn how to better identify and utilize financial resources that are available for patients with multiple myeloma, and implement strategies to improve insurance verification procedures.
Effective communication with patients is key to providing optimal care to patients. Learn the most effective strategies for successful conversation with patients undergoing treatment for multiple myeloma and discover valuable resources that can help.
Expert faculty will Identify new emerging therapies in the care for multiple myeloma patients and provide examples of how to operationalize care of this patient population.
Causes, risk factors, and prevention vary among cancer types, and multiple myeloma presents its own unique risk factors, such as age, gender, race, and family history, among others. Learn about the various precursor conditions for multiple myeloma and how to determine the risk of developing the disease.
Learn how to identify key disparities in clinical trial access for patients with multiple myeloma and explore strategies that can help improve access for underserved communities. (October 21, 2020)