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)
Three clinicians discuss their experiences with difficult conversations on the relative risks and benefits around treatment decisions in this rapidly evolving environment.