Advice for the Caregiver: Be a Patient Advocate
Panelists discuss how effective caregivers should join support groups, maintain detailed records of symptoms and medications, attend all appointments, stay informed about myeloma research, and serve as active advocates who can communicate with health care teams when patients cannot.
EP: 1.Alan's Multiple Myeloma Journey: Facing a New Diagnosis
EP: 2.Connecting With Multiple Myeloma Support Groups and Online Resources
EP: 3.Alan's Treatment Course and Quality-of-Life Goals
EP: 4.Coordinated Health Care Teams and Caregiver Support
EP: 5.Extending Talquetamab Education Beyond the Hospital
EP: 6.Addressing Early Talquetamab Toxicity Concerns
EP: 7.Developing a System-Wide Protocol for Talquetamab Toxicity Management
EP: 8.Practical Tips for Managing Nail and Skin Changes While Receiving Talquetamab
EP: 9.Managing Taste Changes and Weight Loss During Talquetamab Treatment
EP: 10.Advice for the Patient Starting Treatment With Talquetamab
EP: 11.Advice for the Caregiver: Be a Patient Advocate
EP: 12.Addressing Common Talquetamab Misunderstandings
Mary Kay Yamamoto provides comprehensive guidance for caregivers supporting patients with multiple myeloma, emphasizing the advocate role when patients may experience memory or cognitive challenges during treatment. Her recommendations include joining local support groups for peer support and information sharing, becoming familiar with myeloma-specific organizations (International Myeloma Foundation, Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, Blood Cancer United., Blood & Marrow Transplant of Georgia, Patient Power), and actively participating in educational webinars and presentations to stay current with treatment advances.
Practical caregiver responsibilities include attending all medical appointments and tests, maintaining detailed records of symptoms and adverse effects with specific dates and durations, and keeping current contact information for all health care providers readily accessible. She recommends maintaining updated medication lists and preparing question lists for medical visits as concerns arise, ensuring comprehensive communication with health care teams.
Alan Plisskin’s acknowledgment of Yamamoto's dedication—spending 10 hours daily for 43 days during his initial hospitalization—illustrates the intensive nature of caregiving for patients with multiple myeloma. Health care providers recognize caregivers as often the first to report patient changes and provide crucial information about patient status between appointments. The caregiver role encompasses medical advocacy, emotional support, practical assistance, and serving as a critical communication bridge between patients and health care teams.
Navigating AE Management for Cellular Therapy Across Hematologic Cancers
A panel of clinical pharmacists discussed strategies for mitigating toxicities across different multiple myeloma, lymphoma, and leukemia populations.
Prolaris in Practice: Guiding ADT Benefits, Clinical Application, and Expert Insights From ACRO 2025
April 15th 2025Steven E. Finkelstein, MD, DABR, FACRO discuses how Prolaris distinguishes itself from other genomic biomarker platforms by providing uniquely actionable clinical information that quantifies the absolute benefit of androgen deprivation therapy when added to radiation therapy, offering clinicians a more precise tool for personalizing prostate cancer treatment strategies.
